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Carrot Cake with Salted Caramel-Cream Cheese Frosting

Carrot Cake with Salted Caramel-Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients:15
Servings:12

By Betty Crocker Kitchens(Opens in a new tab)Updated 10/23/2025

Carrot Cake with Salted Caramel-Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients:15
Servings:12

Traditional carrot cake studded with pecans, spread with sweet cream cheese frosting and topped with a layer of salted caramel sauce and sea salt becomes a showstopper dessert for any occasion.

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Carrot Cake with Salted Caramel-Cream Cheese Frosting

Prep time:40 min
Total time:4 hr 15 min
Ingredients:15
Servings:12

Carrot Cake with Salted Caramel-Cream Cheese Frosting

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Ingredient

Cake

1 box Betty Crocker™ Super Moist™ Yellow Cake Mix
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup butter, melted
3 large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 cups coarsely shredded peeled carrots (3 medium)
1/2 cup chopped pecans

Frosting

12 oz (1 1/2 packages) cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup salted caramel sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
2 cups powdered sugar

Topping

1/3 cup salted caramel sauce
1/2 teaspoon coarse sea salt

Instructions

Step 1
Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pans). Grease bottoms and sides of four 8-inch round cake pans with shortening.

Step 2
In large bowl, beat cake mix, milk, melted butter, eggs, cinnamon and nutmeg with electric mixer on medium speed 2 minutes. Stir in carrots and pecans. Spoon and spread batter evenly in pans (about 1 1/4 cups batter each).

Step 3
Bake 18 to 22 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to cooling rack; cool completely, about 1 hour.

Step 4
In large bowl, beat cream cheese and softened butter with electric mixer on medium-high speed until smooth. Beat in 1/4 cup caramel sauce and the vanilla. On low speed, beat in powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, until smooth and creamy.

Step 5
Frost cake using 2/3 cup between layers. Frost sides with a thin layer of frosting so sides are covered but still showing through. Spread remaining frosting on top. Refrigerate uncovered at least 2 hours.

Step 6
When ready to serve, carefully pour and spread 1/3 cup caramel sauce over top of cake, allowing some to drip down sides; sprinkle sea salt on top. Cover and refrigerate any remaining cake.

Recipe Tips

The “half-dressed” or thin layer of frosting on the outside of a cake allows the layers to show through. It’s impressive and easy!
To quickly soften cream cheese, remove from wrapper and place on microwavable plate; microwave uncovered on High about 15 seconds or just until softened.

Nutrition Facts

Nutrition facts are not available for this recipe