Homemade carrot cake is such a comforting, decadent dessert that’s easy to make! Packed with sweet carrot flavor that’s perfectly complemented by subtle warm spices, this cake is always a hit— especially when filled and covered with rich cream cheese frosting.
The batter stirs together easily with a bowl and a rubber spatula, and the frosting is ready quickly with a few simple ingredients. I tested this recipe to produce a cake that stays moist for days (thank you, vegetable oil!) and has just the right balance of spices that taste fantastic without being overpowering.
A reader, Teri, says: “I made this carrot cake for a work dessert party, everyone loved it! I didn’t change a thing and it turned out moist and delicious. The cream cheese frosting was also a nice balance to the sweetness of the cake. I made it in a 9″x13″ pan and made half of the cream cheese frosting recipe and it was the perfect amount.” ★★★★★
Table of Contents
Simple Carrot Cake Ingredients & Substitutions
These are the main ingredients you need to make this recipe for carrot cake. You can find the full list of ingredients and measurements in the recipe card below.
Carrots — you need 3 cups of grated carrots from about 1 pound of large carrots. It sounds like a lot, but trust me, the carrot adds the perfect amount of moisture and texture, not to mention flavor! Grate the carrots yourself on the large holes of a box grater or with a food processor. The pre-shredded kind at the grocery store are too thick and very dry and will not give you moist crumbs and the softness that carrot cake is known and loved for.
Oil — because this cake needs to be refrigerated since it has a cream cheese frosting, I chose to use vegetable oil as the fat for the cake layers. Using a liquid oil that doesn’t solidify when cold will result in a perfectly moist, soft cake even at colder fridge temperatures. You can use melted butter, but it will turn hard when the cake is chilled, making the cake feel denser and drier. Opt for an oil with a neutral flavor, like vegetable oil, canola oil, or even a light olive oil.
Sugar — I use a combination of granulated sugar and brown sugar for the best flavor. Brown sugar is coated with molasses, which is hygroscopic, meaning the molecules attract and absorb moisture. This helps keep the cake fresh for several days! The molasses is also slightly acidic and will react with the baking soda to give the cake a rise and tender texture.
Eggs — large eggs act as a binder and give the cake structure. To quickly take the chill off without having to set them out for an hour at room temperature, soak them in a bowl of warm tap water for 10 minutes.
Vanilla — use a high-quality vanilla extract, not artificial vanilla flavoring. This is a key component of the frosting’s flavor. If you want, you can use vanilla bean paste to leave little flecks of vanilla bean seeds in the frosting!
Leavening — baking powder and baking soda work together to help the cake rise, producing tender cake layers. This cake is slightly dense but not gummy, thanks to these two ingredients!
Spices — ground cinnamon and ground nutmeg add the perfect spice that complements the sugar and carrots. You could also add a little ground ginger for extra warmth.
Pecans — chopped pecans are optional, but the texture of this easy carrot cake recipe is far superior when you add them! Feel free to swap them out for chopped walnuts instead. See my easy recipe for how to toast pecans for extra flavor!
Cream cheese frosting — all you need is a block of cream cheese (not the kind that comes in a tub!), unsalted butter, vanilla extract, and powdered sugar to make my favorite cream cheese frosting. This is the classic frosting choice for carrot cake, but you can mix it up with a chocolate cream cheese frosting if you’d like!
Should I peel the carrots?
I always peel my carrots before grating them for carrot cake because the peel can sometimes be bitter and have a different texture from the rest of the carrots. Your carrots will taste sweeter with the easy extra step!
Easy Carrot Cake Variations
If you want to change up this classic carrot cake recipe, here are a few ideas:
- To use less oil: You can replace ⅓ cup of vegetable oil with an equal amount of applesauce, canned crushed pineapple (drained well), or Greek yogurt. All of these options reduce the fat in the cake while still providing lots of moisture.
- Vary the mix-ins in this carrot cake recipe: You can replace the nuts with dark or golden raisins or sweetened shredded coconut for texture. Or use a combination of these ingredients with the nuts—just keep the total volume of mix-ins to 1 cup.
- Use different frostings: Try my ermine frosting, vanilla buttercream, or coconut frosting instead of using cream cheese frosting. Each complements the flavor of the carrot cake very well!
Pan Size Conversions
I bake my best carrot cake recipe as a two-layer 9-inch cake, but there are simple ways to scale it up or down depending on how many people you want to serve. You can even make carrot cake cupcakes! Here’s how:
- 8-inch layer cake: Divide the batter among two 8-inch round cake pans (greased and lined as directed in the recipe) and bake for 35 to 40 minutes. The cake layers will be slightly thicker.
- Sheet cake: Grease but do not line a 9×13-inch cake pan. Fill with batter and bake for 30 to 35 minutes. Cool completely in the pan and spread the frosting on top of the cake. You can halve the frosting recipe if desired.
- Cupcakes: Line cupcake pans with paper liners (you will get 26-30 cupcakes). Fill each liner two-thirds full with batter. Bake for 18 to 22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove the cupcakes and cool on a wire rack. Reference my carrot cake cupcakes recipe for more baking details!
Pro Tips For The Best Carrot Cake Recipe
Measure the flour accurately. No one likes dry carrot cake, so it’s important not to use too much flour in the batter. The most accurate way to measure flour is by weight with a kitchen scale. If you don’t have one, fluff up the flour in its container and spoon it into the measuring cup, using a knife to level off the top.
Use room temperature ingredients. This ensures the chilled ingredients like eggs, butter, and cream cheese incorporate easily with the other ingredients. I like to set out the butter and cream cheese for the frosting when I start the cake, that way it’s soft by the time the cake has baked and cooled. If you’re short on time, you can cut butter and cream cheese into chunks so they soften faster, or use one of my hacks on how to soften butter quickly! Soak the eggs in a bowl of warm water to take the chill off faster.
The cake layers bake up evenly without cake strips! In testing this recipe, I found that I didn’t need to use baking strips—my trick for baking perfectly flat cake layers on most of my cake recipes. Since this batter uses both baking soda and baking powder, it baked up great without the strips. The baking soda gives the batter an initial lift as it reacts when the batter is stirred together. The baking powder reacts again with heat in the oven. This dual action helps even out the rise for flatter cake layers!
For tips on frosting the cake, check out my post on how to decorate a cake! Learn how to crumb coat the cake so the outside of the cake is free of cake crumbs, and how to pipe different decorations on top.
How To Make Carrot Cake
Below, I’ve highlighted portions of the recipe in step-by-step process images along with instructions for making this classic carrot cake. You can find the full set of instructions in the recipe card below.
1. Whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a large bowl. Set aside while you work on the wet ingredients.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, white sugar, vegetable oil, eggs, and vanilla extract until well combined and lightened in color.
3. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients mixture.
4. Use a rubber spatula to stir together until a few streaks of flour remain. (You will incorporate these fully in the next step.)
5. Fold in the shredded carrots and chopped nuts. At this point, there should be no streaks of flour remaining. Do not mix beyond this point, as over-mixing yields a dense, tough carrot cake.
6. Divide the cake batter equally between two lightly greased 9-inch cake pans with a parchment paper lining on the bottom. Place the filled, prepared cake pans in a preheated oven and bake at 350°F for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the carrot cake layers cool completely in the pans set on a wire rack. Once completely cool (which will take about 1 hour), invert the layers and remove the parchment paper.
7. Make the tangy cream cheese frosting in a large bowl with an electric mixer or in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat the butter until very soft, then add the softened cream cheese and beat until fluffy. Reduce the mixer speed to low and incrementally add the powdered sugar, and beat until well combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and pour in the vanilla extract, then beat on medium-low speed until spreadable.
8. Once the cake layers have cooled to room temperature, you can assemble your moist carrot cake! Place one layer, top-side up, on a cake stand and spread ¾ cup frosting all over the surface. Place the other cake layer top-side down on top of the frosting. (Placing the layers like this gives you a totally flat top of the cake.) Spread the remaining frosting on the surface and on the sides of the cake. To add decorative elements, you can save some frosting to pipe decorations onto the cake or press chopped toasted pecans onto the frosting for a little color and extra crunch. Chill the cake for 30 minutes to set the frosting and to prevent crumbs when slicing.
Carrot Cake Recipe
Video
Equipment
- Mixing Bowls
- Electric hand mixer or stand mixer
- 9-inch round cake pans
- Wire rack
Ingredients
For the Cake:
- 2½ cups all purpose flour (300g)
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1⅓ cup vegetable oil (320ml)
- 1 cup packed light brown sugar (220g)
- 1 cup granulated sugar (200g)
- 4 large eggs room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract (10mL)
- 3 cups grated carrots (from 1 pound of carrots) (315g)
- 1 cup chopped pecans (120g)
For the Frosting:
- 1 (8-ounce/227g) block cream cheese room temperature
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened (227g)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4 to 5 cups powdered sugar (480-600g)
Instructions
For the Cake:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease two 9-inch round cake pans with baking spray or butter, and line the bottoms with parchment paper.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
- In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the sugars, oil, eggs, and vanilla until well combined. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry mixture and stir together just until combined and only a few streaks of flour remain.
- Fold the carrots and pecans into the batter. Divide the batter evenly into the prepared pans.
- Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow the cake layers to cool completely in the pans set on a wire cooling rack. Once cooled, invert the layers and remove the parchment paper.
For the Cream Cheese Frosting:
- In a large mixing bowl with a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium speed until very soft and smooth, about 1 minute. Add the cream cheese and beat until fluffy, about 30 seconds.
- With the mixer on low speed, gradually add in the powdered sugar. (Use more sugar for a firmer, sweeter frosting.) Once combined, scrap down the bowl and add the vanilla. Beat on medium-low speed until fluffy and easily spreadable, about 1 minute.
For the Assembly:
- Place one cooled cake layer top-side up on a cake stand or serving platter and spread ¾ cup of frosting over the top, all the way to the edge of the cake. Place the other cake layer top-side down on top. Spread the remaining frosting over the top and side of the cake.
- If you desired, you can save some of the frosting to pipe decorations onto the cake or press chopped toasted pecans onto the frosting. Chill the cake for 30 minutes to set the frosting before slicing. Keep leftovers covered and refrigerated for up to 1 week.
Notes
- Peel your carrots before grating them. The peels can be a bit bitter, so the carrots will actually taste sweeter if you peel them first.
- Let the cake layers cool completely before frosting. If the cake is still warm, the cream cheese frosting can melt, causing the top cake layer to slide right off!
- Chill the cake before slicing. Not only does this set the frosting so it firms up and keeps the cake layers firmly in place, but it also reduces messy crumbs when you cut the cake, so you end up with picture-perfect slices!
- I like to cut the cake with a serrated knife. Because of the chunky additions to the cake batter, a serrated knife does a better job of cutting through the cake cleanly.
Nutrition
Storage and Freezing Instructions
Storing: Leftover carrot cake needs to be refrigerated because of the cream cheese frosting. I like to press a piece of wax or parchment paper against the cut sides to keep the cake from drying out. Keep the cake covered and refrigerated for up to 1 week.
Freezing: Freeze individual slices for easy enjoyment by placing slices in freezer containers, or wrap them in plastic wrap and freeze until solid, then place in a freezer bag. To freeze just the unfrosted cake layers, wrap them in a few layers of plastic wrap and place them in a freezer bag or wrap with foil. Freeze for up to 2 months to avoid freezer burn. Defrost completely before frosting.
Make-ahead: This simple carrot cake recipe is a great make-ahead option! Bake and frost it a day in advance and store it covered in the refrigerator. You can also bake the cake layers, wrap them tightly in plastic wrap, and keep them on the counter for 1 day. The frosting can be made up to 3 days in advance and refrigerated. Bring it to room temperature and briefly beat it again before assembling the cake.
Frequently Asked Questions
This usually happens when the cake layers are underbaked. If they are pulled from the oven too soon, the cake structure hasn’t fully set, and it will shrink while it cools, often causing the center to sink slightly. The cake layers are done when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Since oven temperatures can vary, I like using this visual tool as well as the recipe bake time to judge when cakes are done.
There are two common reasons for dense carrot cake. The first is using too much flour. This is easy to do if you scoop flour directly into a measuring cup from the flour container, packing more flour than needed into the scoop. This is why I always recommend using a kitchen scale to weigh the flour for the most accurate measurement, to avoid a dense, dry cake.
Over-mixing the cake batter is another common cause of a dense cake. Mixing the batter beyond when the flour is just incorporated will overdevelop the gluten network in the cake, which tightens the cake structure. This makes it dense instead of soft and airy.
Using tubs of cream cheese or low-fat cream cheese will cause it to turn out runny. Tub-style cream cheese is softer and contains more liquid to make it easier to spread, yielding a runny (and oftentimes unpleasantly gummy) frosting.
Not using enough powdered sugar is another culprit. Powdered sugar not only functions as a sweetener in frosting; it also provides structure and firmness. Don’t use less than what is called for in the recipe, or the frosting won’t set up properly. Use at least 4 cups of sugar, adding more to make it sturdier if necessary.
More Cake Recipes To Try
I have so many cake recipes on the blog, so why not try one of these next?
Hummingbird cake has lots of tropical flavor from bananas and pineapple. It also has a balance of warmth from cinnamon and texture from chopped pecans.
A classic red velvet cake is so easy to make from scratch. It is moist and tender, and pairs so well with a generous spread of cream cheese frosting.
My spice cake is perfect for the holidays or as a flavorful fall treat. Its flavor is perfectly balanced with a combination of warm spices and a rich, tangy cream cheese frosting.
Look no further than my chocolate cake recipe to wow the chocolate lovers in your life! It is so soft and rich, and liberally covered with dreamy chocolate buttercream. To change it up, you can frost it with cream cheese frosting!
Caramel cake is just what you need to satisfy your sweet tooth. It’s a tender three-layer cake filled and covered with a velvety caramel icing. I love its deep caramel flavor that is complex without being overly sweet.
If you’ve tried this carrot cake recipe, then don’t forget to rate it and let me know how you got on in the comments below. I love hearing from you!
Jess B says
This is the absolute best carrot cake recipe ever. I’ve made it quite a few times including for my birthday because it’s my favorite. Mostly, I’ve followed the recipe exactly but the last time I made it, I swapped the oil with melted butter because I try to avoid seed oils. The flavor and texture were still perfect!
Jen Wa says
Hi! I am making a 2 layer carrot cake for a birthday party. The cake will have 2 horse figurines as toppers included with the decorations (piped frosting, chocolate fencing, bunting, etc.). The horses are fairly light and stand well on the table, so the trick will be for them to do well on the top of the cake. I’d like to do a cream cheese frosting but need one that will hold up to this. Do you have a recommendation? (Just a Grandma making a cake for her granddaughter over here!).
Thank you!
Sarah Ward (Executive Editor, Preppy Kitchen) says
This sounds very cute! Cream cheese frosting is softer at room temperature so I recommend chilling the cake to keep the frosting sturdy enough to hold your decorations.
MJ Plemel says
Can this recipe, without adjustments, be used for a Bundt pan? Cooking time would be adjusted to what time?
Response appreciated, have made a handful of your recipes – have enjoyed all of them!
Sarah Ward (Executive Editor, Preppy Kitchen) says
I wouldn’t recommend putting this in a bundt pan. The batter is quite runny and bakes a very fluffy cake, which isn’t always ideal in a Bundt form.
JaneR says
This carrot cake is beyond exceptional- super moist and flavorful. I used two 7” cake pans and split each vertically for four layers. The ratio of frosting to cake was perfect. Will make this again and again.