Add the walnuts to a large frying pan over medium-low heat and cook until browned, which takes about 3 to 4 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Remove the walnuts and finely chop. Set aside.
Whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and set aside.
In a large bowl whisk together the oil, sugars, eggs, and vanilla until completely combined and smooth.
Stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until smooth using a whisk.
Fold the shredded carrots and 1 cup of walnuts into the batter until combined.
Transfer the batter evenly between the 3 prepared 9” cake pans with non-stick spray and parchment paper rounds and bake at 350° for 30 minutes or until firm in the center.
Cool the cake for 15 minutes in the pan before removing from the pan and completely cooling on a rack.
Make the cream cheese frosting and set aside until the cake has cooled.
Ice the cake by layers until it is completely coated.
Optionally add on the remaining chopped walnuts around the outside of the cake and on top.
Icing Carrots Option
Reserve about 2/3 cup of the cream cheese frosting and evenly divide it into two separate bowls. If you are short on cream cheese frosting then simply increase the cream cheese frosting recipe by 25%
Add orange food coloring to one bowl and green to the other and individually stir until mixed in.
Transfer each icing to a piping bag with a fine piping tip and make orange carrots and green stems on the top of the cake for every 12 slices. See Video
Notes
Make-Ahead: You can make this cake up to 1 day ahead of time.How to Store: Cover and keep at room temperature for up to 4 days. Cover and refrigerate for up to 6 days. You can freeze this cake, but it is best to do so un-iced and separate from each layer, covered in plastic for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator for 1 day before icing and serving.Avoid using too many extra ingredients like nuts or raisins because they will draw out moisture from the cake and make it dry.Pineapple will make the cake overly moist and overpower the carrots and spice flavor in the cake.You can easily transfer the batter to make 18 carrot cupcakes.I like to use parchment paper rounds on the bottom of the prepared cake pans to help easily remove the cake. It also helps to aid in keeping the carrot cake moist.Feel free to decorate the cake in whichever fashion that best suits you.