Spelt Carrot Cake with Maple Cream Cheese Frosting

Made with freshly milled spelt flour, grated carrots, and a creamy, maple-sweetened frosting, this moist cinnamon-spiced carrot cake comes with instructions for both a layer cake or cupcakes. Perfect for any occasion!

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I still remember my first encounter with American-style carrot cake:

It was sometime in the 2000s when Starbucks was just gaining traction in Europe. It was the first time I ever had a slice of layer cake smothered in cream cheese frosting. The cake was moist and juicy, the cream cheese frosting chock full of cinnamon. It was a revelation.

Germany has its own version of carrot cake (known as Rüblikuchen) which usually involves ground almonds or hazelnuts and is topped with a sugar glaze and a sweet marzipan carrot on every slice. It’s cute, but it never made my heart skip.

Ever since that Starbucks moment, I’ve had a craving for that cinnamon-sweet, creamy experience hardwired into my brain. And I’m happy to report that this fluffy-meets-creamy freshly milled spelt carrot cake more than hits the spot.

I’ll happily ditch Starbucks any day.

Why you’ll love this Freshly Milled Spelt Carrot Cake

Carrot cake is always a crowd-pleaser. It’s versatile and hits the spot every time. Here’s why you should give this recipe a try:

Tools You May Need

Food processor (optional): Makes grating carrots a breeze, saving time and effort.

Hand whisk or stand mixer: You’ll be creaming a lot of butter, so a powerful mixer will make your life much easier.

Removable bottom or springform pan: (23 cm/9-inch) Perfect for easy cake release. You can also use three shallow cake pans and bake the layers individually.

Muffin pan: This recipe makes enough batter to make 24 cupcakes instead.

Cake leveler/wire cutter: A handy tool for cutting even, thin, professional looking cake layers.

Digital cooking thermometer: To avoid raw in the middle carrot cake. (Totally optional.)

Piping bag: Great for spreading cream cheese frosting on your layers evenly. A plastic freezer bag with a tiny bit cut off one corner works well in a pinch.

Wilton piping tip 2D: This is my favorite piping tip if you want to get fancy and pipe roses onto your cupcakes.

Ingredients & Substitutions

Grated Carrots:
Every great carrot cake recipe worth its salt should start with a generous amount of carrots!

Freshly Milled Spelt Flour:
Spelt has a wonderful subtle, sweet character. Alternatively, you can also mill soft wheat berries.
If you don’t mill your own flour at home, use a whole grain spelt flour.
Alternatively, you can use whole wheat pastry flour in the U.S., or regular whole wheat flour in most European countries.

Eggs:
Eggs play a big role in this recipe, providing structure and moisture.

Granulated Sugar:
I love the caramel-y notes of finely granulated raw cane sugar but regular granulated sugar or coconut sugar work just fine.

Butter:
The classic ingredient for richness and flavor. If necessary, replace with a dairy-free/vegan butter alternative, or a solid oil, like (refined) coconut oil.

Maple Syrup:
Maple syrup imparts a deep, caramel-like flavor without making the frosting sickly sweet. I keep the amount low deliberately, but feel free to add a little extra for a more traditional frosting.

How to Make Freshly Milled Carrot Cake
(Step-by-Step)

1. Make the batter

Step 01

Mill fresh flour

Mill whole spelt berries using the finest setting of your grain mill. In a small bowl, whisk together the fresh flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside.

Step 02

Cream butter & sugar

Cream butter and sugar together until the mixture becomes pale and fluffy.

Step 03

Mix Batter

Add the eggs, one at a time, beating briefly after each addition, just until incorporated.
Fold in the dry ingredients until combined.

Step 04

Add Carrots

Add the grated carrots and gently fold them into the batter with a spoon or spatula. It will be quite thick.
Let the batter rest while you preheat the oven to 175°C (350°F).

2. Make the maple cream cheese frosting

While the oven preheats and the batter rests, make the cream cheese frosting:

Step 01

Beat butter

In a medium bowl, beat the butter until it becomes pale and fluffy.

Step 02

Add cream cheese

Add the cream cheese and beat gently, just until incorporated. Be careful not to overbeat to prevent the frosting from breaking.

Step 03

Stir in Maple Syrup

Stir in the maple syrup, either on the lowest setting of your mixer or by hand with a rubber spatula. Cover and refrigerate until needed.

Note: For American cream cheese, the order of ingredients will be different. Cream the cream cheese first, then beat in the butter. For more on the difference between European and American cream cheese frosting, check out this helpful article.

3. Turn the batter into cake or cupcakes

» For a Layer Cake

Step 01

Fill cake pan

Grease and line a deep 23-cm (9-inch) cake pan (springform or removable bottom).
Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and spread it evenly.

Step 02

Bake & cool

Bake the cake for 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Cool on a rack for about 15 minutes.
Remove the cake from the pan and allow to cool fully before frosting.

Step 03

Cut & frost

Carefully slice the cooled cake into three even layers using a long, sharp knife. Stack the layers with a generous layer of cream cheese frosting between each, then cover the cake with a thin crumb coat. Finish with the remaining frosting, smoothing it over the top and sides.

» For carrot cake cupcakes

Step 01

Fill muffin tin

Line two muffin trays with 24 paper liners or grease the molds with melted butter.

Step 02

Bake & cool

Bake cupcakes for 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool on a rack for about 10 minutes, then remove the cupcakes and allow them to cool fully before frosting.

Step 03

Pipe on Frosting

Fill frosting into a piping bag and top each cupcake with a generous swirl.

Baking in Different Pan Sizes

This recipe works with several pan styles. Depending on the pan you choose, baking times will need to be adjusted. Here’s what you can use:

3 x 23-cm/9-inch round shallow cake pans: 20-25 minutes
1 x 23-cm/9-inch deep cake pan: 50 minutes
24 cupcakes: 18-20 minutes

Variations & Add-Ins

» The classic spice in carrot cake is cinnamon but cardamom also works beautifully.

» For a seasonal twist, you can replace the cinnamon with pumpkin pie spice, German Lebkuchengewürz or 1/2 teaspoon each of ground cloves, cardamom, ginger and nutmeg.

» Carrot Cake is super versatile and everyone seems to have a favorite add-in. Choose whatever floats your boat and add about 1/2 cup:

» Decorate the top of the cake with your choice of toppings:

The world is your oyster!

How to Store & Freeze

Best Served Chilled: Carrot cake is best served chilled, and it actually tastes even better the second day! Store it in the refrigerator for up to one week.

Freezing Leftovers: I doubt there will be any, but leftover frosted cake can be frozen for later enjoyment. Freeze for one hour or until the frosting is firm, then wrap tightly in multiple layers of plastic wrap.

Freezing Unfrosted Cake Layers: If you’re not ready to frost the cake yet, you can wrap the unfrosted layers in plastic wrap and freeze them for 2-3 months. When you’re ready to serve, frost the cake while it’s still frozen, but be sure to let it thaw for about 2 hours before serving.

Recipe FAQs

If you make this Freshly Milled Spelt Carrot Cake…