Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour two 9-inch cake pans, or line with parchment. If you forget this step, you’ll be yelling “Where is the butter?” while the cake sticks to the pan like a stubborn toddler.

In a large bowl, whisk flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. This dry mix is the vibe setter for your cake. Make sure there are no clumps—unless clumps are the cool kids, then let them in.

In another bowl, beat eggs, oil, yogurt, orange juice, and orange zest until smooth. The oranges give it a sunshine switcheroo from bland to bold.

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Don’t overwork it; you want tender crumbs, not bread-like resistance.

Fold in grated carrots. The batter will look a bit speckled with orange and carrot confetti—embrace the festive chaos.

Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans. Tap the pans on the counter to release any air bubbles and level the batter like a pro.

Bake for 25–30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs. If it comes out clean, you’ve got a dry diplomat; that’s not what we want here.

Let the cakes cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely before frosting. Patience, friend—that frosting won’t excuse itself.

Frost with Cream Cheese Orange Frosting (see below) and decorate as you like. A light dusting of extra orange zest or chopped nuts adds flair.