This classic carrot cake is moist, tender, and perfectly spiced. It’s topped with a thick and luscious cream cheese frosting and toasted pecans. Perfect for Easter, spring, or any season!🐇🌷
The cake is moist, fluffy, and very tender; our secret is to process the carrots, sugar, oil, and eggs in a food processor for 5 minutes until completely smooth rather than grating them.
It’s topped with creamy Cream Cheese frosting and toasted pecans. It can also be made as cupcakes or a 13 x 18-inch half sheet pan cake. For more Carrot Cake recipes, check out my Classic Carrot Cake Cupcakes or the Brazilian Carrot Cake “Bolo de Cenoura com Brigadeiro” recipe.
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What is Carrot Cake?
Carrot cake is a spice cake consisting of cake batter, fresh carrots, and spices and is traditionally topped with a cream cheese frosting. It’s a wildly popular cake and is especially beloved during the Easter holiday season.
Why we love this Carrot Cake Recipe:
- Simple to make, assemble and decorate.
- Easy to transport and serve.
- Tender and moist.
- Flavorful.
- Slathered in a decadent and velvety cream cheese frosting.
- Adatable for 9 by 13 nonstick sheet cake pan or 24 cupcakes.
Carrot Cake Ingredients
Note: The full ingredients list is provided in the recipe card below.
- Oil: I love to use Avocado oil or grapeseed oil in my cake recipes. It makes it moist and tastes great, but any neutral-flavored oil will work.
- Egg: To add structure, moisture, and flavor.
- Flour: All-purpose flour that has been sifted 1× to create a tender crumb.
- Granulated Sugar & Light Brown Sugar: It provides moisture and aeration and enhances color.
- Carrots: Make sure you weigh the carrots before adding them to the recipe; this is key to a light and tender Carrot Cake.😉
- Spices: I use a combination of cinnamon, allspice, ginger, cloves, and nutmeg.
- Kosher Salt: Helps to balance the sweetness.
- Pure vanilla extract and Clear vanilla flavor: Enhances the flavor.
- Baking Soda: This will help the cake rise; make sure it is not expired.
- Nuts: This part is optional, but some walnuts or pecans add extra depth and enhance the flavor in the carrot cake while giving them a wonderful, crunchy texture; toast them before adding them to a dish. To see how to Toat Nuts click here.
- Cream Cheese & Unsalted Butter: These ingredients must be at room temperature to blend easily. By doing so, the resulting frosting will be smoother and more consistent in texture.
Tools you’ll need
- Food Processor or Blender
- (3) 9-inch round cake
- Silicone Spatula
- Mitten Oven
- Liquid Measuring Cups
- Dry Measuring Cups
- Fine-mesh strainer
How to Make Carrot Cake
Note: The full instructions are provided in the recipe card below.
Preheat the oven to 350 °F. Arrange a rack in the center of the oven and coat three 9-inch round cake pans with nonstick cooking spray. Line the bottoms with parchment paper rounds and lightly coat the paper with spray. In a large bowl, sift together the baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, ginger, and cloves. Set aside.
In a food processor fitted with a steel blade or blender, process the carrots, salt, eggs, sugars, and oil for 5 minutes. Transfer the wet mixture to a large bowl and stir in the vanilla extract. Using a hand whisk, mix half of the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Add the raisins, coconut, and pecans to the remaining flour, mix well, and add to the batter. Mix until just combined, don’t overmix!
Scrape the batter evenly into the prepared pans. Bake the Carrot Cake for 25 to 30 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Transfer the carrot cake to a wire rack to cool completely.
How to Make Cream Cheese Frosting
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla. Mix on low speed until combined, then increase the speed to medium-high and beat until light, about 2 minutes.
Gradually add 2 cups of the confectioners’ sugar, mixing at low speed to combine. Once the confectioners’ sugar is mixed in, increase the speed to medium-high and beat until fluffy and smooth, about 2 to 3 minutes.
How to Assemble
When the carrot cakes are completely cool, place one carrot cake, doomed-side down, on a cake stand. Spread 3/4 cup of the frosting evenly over the top.
Place the second carrot cake and spread the top with another 3/4 cup of the frosting. Repeat with the third layer.
Spread the remaining frosting over the top and sides of the cake, and smooth out completely or swirl decoratively if desired. Sprinkle with the finely ground pecans—store covered in refrigerator. Enjoy!
Substitutions
- Oil: I love to use Avocado oil or grapeseed oil in my cake recipes. It makes it moist and tastes great, but any neutral-flavored oil will work.
- Sugar: Feel free to substitute the light brown sugar for granulated sugar.
- Spices: Feel free to substitute the spice mixture of your preference in place of the one I have provided.
Variations
Carrot Cake Cupcakes: Check out this Classic Carrot Cake Cupcakes version of this recipe.
How to Store
- This carrot cake with cream cheese frosting can be refrigerated in an airtight for up to 3 days; remove it from the fridge about 15 to 30 minutes before serving to allow the Frosting to warm up and lose its chill.
- Plain carrot cake without frosting can be refrigerated in an airtight for up to 5 days; remove it from the fridge about 15 to 30 minutes before serving to allow the carrot cake to warm up and lose its chill.
- Cream Cheese Frosting can be refrigerated in an airtight for up to 3 days; remove it from the fridge about 30 minutes to 1 hour before decorating the carrot cake to allow the frosting to warm up and lose its chill.
Make-Ahead
The carrot cake with cream cheese frosting can be made a day ahead of time and refrigerated for up to 3 days with a cling film cover over the top of the pans.
How to Freeze
Freeze the carrot cake with frosting for up to 3 months. Wrap the cake in clingfilm twice and foil once. To defrost, unwrap and defrost for about 5 to 8 hours at room temperature on a wire rack—Frost before serving.
Tips for Making The Best Carrot Cake
- Follow the recipe: Follow the Carrot Cake recipe directions precisely.
- Measure Properly: Measure the flour by spooning it into the measuring cup, then level the cup with the back of a knife or use the weight measurements. ( I use a 240 ml Dry Measuring cup, every cup is 125g of flour).
- Use room temperature ingredients: Ensure all of your ingredients are at room temperature (this helps ensure everything gets incorporated properly; not doing this can result in poor emulsification).
- Butter and Flour the Pan: Butter a 9 by 13 nonstick sheet cake pan, add a few tablespoons of flour into the pan, then shake, turn and tap the pan so that the flour is lightly and evenly coats the bottom and sides. Finally, tap excess flour out of the buttered and floured pan.
- Sift Dry Ingredients: Sift dry ingredients but not sugar to combine and aerate, making a fluffier cake. Then, place it in a fine-mesh strainer over a piece of parchment paper, and shake the strainer until everything’s on the paper: When it’s time to add, pick up the paper and let the ingredients slide out into the mixing bowl. However, if you don’t have one, whisk the dry ingredients for 30 seconds to combine.
- Creaming: Beating the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy creates tiny air pockets in the butter, which helps the cake keep its texture light and rise.
- Beat in Eggs: One at a time, add the eggs, ensuring that they emulsify or blend completely with the butter mixture. Then, if desired, flavor with vanilla extract or other flavorings. It’s easier to incorporate eggs that are at room temperature. To get the eggs to warm up faster. For a few minutes, place them in a bowl of warm water.
- Alternate the Wet and Dry Ingredients: Often, a recipe calls for adding wet ingredients and dry ingredients in alternating batches. This helps prevent the gluten in the flour from developing too much, which causes heavier and not so fluffy cake. Also, do not overmix — overworking the flour makes for tough results.
- Pour cake batter into prepared pan: Pour the batter into the 9 by 13 nonstick sheet cake pan and smooth the top.
- Bake and Test for Doneness: Insert a wooden skewer or a toothpick into the center of a cake and see if it comes out clean; if it does, the cake is done. You may also notice the carrot cake pulling away from the pan’s sides. When you get a little more practice, you’ll be able to tell if the cake is done when you lightly press on the top and feel a slight spring back.
- Cool the Cake: Remove the carrot cake from the oven and let it cool in the pan on a wire rack until completely cool.
FAQ
Can I Substitute the buttermilk?
Yes, you can substitute it with homemade sour milk or whole milk. However, I recommend using the full-fat kind for the best carrot cake.
Is it possible to make this recipe using only oil?
Yes, either way, if you make the carrot cake, it will be delicious.
What is the secret to making moist Carrot cake?
You can do a few things to ensure your carrot cake is moist and delicious. First, before mixing the batter, be sure to preheat your oven; this will help the cake cook more evenly and prevent them from becoming dry.
Second, don’t overmix the batter – overmixing can result in a tough, dry cake. And finally, use a combination of light or brown sugar and granulated sugar for moisture, depth of flavor, and crisp top.
How do you freeze The Carrot Cake after baking?
Double wrap completely cooled Carrot cake with aluminum foil or plastic freezer wrap and place them in a heavy-duty bag—thaw overnight on the countertop.
Notes:
- For thinner frosting, add 1 to 4 tablespoons of milk or evaporated milk.
- Cover and refrigerate any leftovers for up to 5 days, making sure to bring the Carrot cake back to room temperature before serving.
- 1 tablespoon of light corn syrup gives the cream cheese frosting a glossy appearance. You can leave it out if you’d like.
- Don’t overdo it when it comes to mixing; mix until just combined.
- Do not overcook them.
- This Carrot cake recipe can also be used to make 24 cupcakes (baking time should be between 25 and 30 minutes), or a 13 x 18 inch half sheet pan cake ( 20 and 25 minutes)
Related Recipes:
📖 Recipe
Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
For the Carrot Cake:
- 281.25g (2-1/4 cups) all-purpose flour
- 98 g 3/4 cup raisins
- 455 g 1 pound carrots
- 30 g 3/4cup unsweetened coconut flakes
- 9.1 g 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1-1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
- 73 g 3/4 cup pecans or walnuts
- 4 large eggs
- 324 g 1-1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 113 g 1/2 cup packed light or dark brown sugar
- 200 ml 1 cup avocado oil
- 3 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
For the Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 452g (2) 8 oz full-fat cream cheese
- 226 (2 sticks) unsalted butter
- 5 ml (1teaspoon) pure vanilla extract
- 500g (4 cups) confectioners' sugar
Instructions
To make the Carrot Cake:
- Preheat oven to 350 °F. Arrange a rack in the center of the oven and coat three 9-inch round cake pans with nonstick cooking spray. Line the bottoms with parchment paper rounds and lightly coat the paper with spray.
- In a large bowl, sift together the baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, ginger, and cloves. Set aside.
- In a food processor fitted with the steel blade or blender, process the carrots, salt, eggs, sugars, and oil for 5 minutes.
- Transfer the wet mixture to a large bowl. Using a hand whisk, mix 1/2 of the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Add the raisins, coconut, and pecans to the remaining flour, mix well, and add to the batter. Mix until just combined, don't overmix!
- Scrape the batter evenly into the prepared pans. Bake the Carrot Cake for 25 to 30 minutes, until a toothpick, comes out clean. Transfer the carrot cake to a wire rack to cool completely.
How to Make the Cream Cheese Frosting:
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese, butter, vanilla. Mix on low speed until combined, then increase the speed to medium-high and beat until light, about 2 minutes.
- Gradually add 2 cups of the confectioners' sugar, mixing at low speed to combine. Once the confectioners' sugar is mixed in, increase the speed to medium-high and beat until fluffy and smooth, about 2 to 3 minutes.
To Assemble the Carrot Cake:
- When the carrot cakes are completely cool, place one carrot cake, doomed-side down, on a cake stand. Spread 3/4 cup of the frosting evenly over top.
- Place the second carrot cake, and spread the top with another 3/4 cup of the frosting. Repeat with the third layer.
- Spread the remaining frosting over the top and sides of the cake, and smooth out completely or swirl decoratively if desired. Sprinkle with the finely ground pecans. Store covered in refrigerator for up to 3 days. Enjoy!
Notes
- The secret weapon for a Light and Tender Carrot Cake: Make sure to weigh the carrots and process them along with the sugar, oil, and eggs in a food processor or blender for 5 minutes until completely smooth.
- Nuts: These are completely optional. You can substitute the pecans for walnuts, (toast the nuts to bring out more flavor) or feel free to skip the nuts completely if desired.
- Add-ins: raisins and/or coconut can be added if desired.
- How to Store: Since the Carrot Cake has cream cheese frosting, it should be kept in the fridge for up to 5 days.
All nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and is only an estimate. Each recipe and nutritional value will vary depending on the brands you use, measuring methods, and portion sizes per household.
