You’ll love this wonderfully moist, perfectly spiced Carrot Cake Recipe. This cake is surprisingly simple to make and includes a step-by-step video for no-fail results every time. Top everything off with a simple cream cheese frosting for what truly might be the perfect cake.
If I had to choose a favorite cake recipe on my blog, I think this carrot cake recipe would be it. Maybe I’m biased, but even though I’m wildly in love with my white cake, vanilla cake (a reader favorite!) and chocolate cake, this carrot cake is hands-down the one I will reach for first every time.
There’s something about its deliriously moist crumb, the perfect amount of spices, and yes, that all-time favorite cream cheese frosting of mine. It’s sweet without being too sweet, carefully crafted with both butter and oil and just the right amount of carrots –the flavor is so good that even Zach reached for a second piece.
I know you are going to love this one just as much as we do, so let’s dig in!
What You Need
Here are a few of the key ingredients that make this carrot cake recipe the best:
- Flour. All-purpose flour works great here. I don’t recommend using cake flour for this recipe; it tends to yield a lighter crumb, and we want our carrot cake to be on the denser side.
- Sugar. A combination of granulated sugar and brown sugar (either light or dark) makes for a moist, flavorful cake.
- Spices. Both cinnamon and nutmeg create the perfect spice profile that pairs so well with the brown sugar, carrots, and nuts.
- Oil AND butter. This is the ultimate dynamic duo for cakes! Oil adds moisture (canola or vegetable oil will work) and unsalted butter adds a rich flavor. Don’t substitute one for the other–we really need both here!
- Eggs. Room temperature eggs work best, so set yours out ahead of time. If you forget, you can just place your eggs in a bowl of warm water for 10-15 minutes before using.
- Vanilla. We’ll add a full tablespoon of vanilla for some extra flavor. If you’ve got some homemade vanilla laying around, definitely use it here!
- Carrots. Do not use pre-shredded or “matchstick” carrots! They are way too thick to use in this carrot cake recipe, unless you like biting into discernible chunks of carrot (I do not!). I usually need about 4 carrots for this cake, and I always peel my carrots before grating them. You could use a box grater, but I prefer to use my food processor.
- Nuts. You can use either chopped walnuts or pecans, or you can leave them out entirely.
This carrot cake recipe is made complete with my cream cheese frosting. It’s so simple and a big favorite on my site. Here’s what you need:
- Butter. Since we’re adding salt ourselves, stick with unsalted butter and make sure it’s softened.
- Cream cheese. Use the brick-style cream cheese–not the spreadable kind in a tub. Your cream cheese should also be softened so it can incorporate nicely.
- Vanilla. A teaspoon rounds out the flavor of this frosting.
- Powdered sugar. We’ll add this for structure and sweetness.
Remember, this is just an overview of the ingredients I used and why. For the full recipe please scroll down to the bottom of the post!
SAM’S TIP: To grate your carrots in the food processor, first use the “shred” blade. Once your carrots are shredded, switch to the standard blade and briefly pulse until the carrots are fine pieces. Don’t overdo this step or you’ll end up with carrot puree (this is also why I start by using the shred blade on my processor; I’ve found that just tossing the carrots in with my standard blade quickly breaks down the carrots too much).
How to Make Carrot Cake
- Whisk together the flour, sugars, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices in a large mixing bowl.
- Add the oil and butter and mix well. Then, add the eggs one at a time, stirring well after each addition. Finally, stir in your vanilla extract.
- Fold in your carrots and nuts.
- Evenly divide the batter between two 8″ baking pans that have been greased, floured, and lined with parchment circles. Bake at 350F for 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs.
- Let the cakes sit in their pans for 10 minutes after baking, then invert them onto a cooling rack. Allow the cakes to cool completely before frosting.
- Prepare your frosting, frost your cake, and serve!
SAM’S TIP: While a single batch of frosting will cover this cake, I typically increase the recipe by 50% (or even double it!) to allow for a thicker coating and decoration.
Frequently Asked Questions
While you could, I personally found this carrot cake recipe to be a bit too heavy for cupcakes. Because of this, I developed a carrot cake cupcake recipe that I would recommend using instead. It’s still flavorful and delicious, but not so moist that it requires a fork for eating.
If you’re interested in more carrot cake variations, I also have a carrot cake cookie recipe you can try out, too.
Yes, you can. I’d recommend stirring in a heaping cup when you add the carrots and (optional) nuts. The amount is up to you, about a cup should be a good amount.
The best way to prevent a green carrot cake is to peel your carrots before shredding. If this step is skipped, the peels sometimes take on a green color after baking. This is harmless and the cake can still be enjoyed, but it’s not quite as attractive.
Some sources also claim that your cake may turn green if you accidentally use too much baking soda or if you don’t mix your dry ingredients well enough (and the baking soda isn’t evenly distributed).
Enjoy!
Let’s bake together! I’ll be walking you through all the steps in my written recipe and video below! If you try this recipe, be sure to tag me on Instagram, and you can also find me on YouTube and Facebook.
The Best Carrot Cake Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups (315 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- 1 cup (200 g) light or dark brown sugar¹ firmly packed
- 1 ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 cup (235 ml) cooking oil use canola, avocado, or vegetable oil
- ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter melted
- 4 large eggs room temperature
- 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
- 3 cups (340 g) grated carrots² peel before grating
- 1 cup (125 g) chopped walnuts or pecans optional
Cream Cheese Frosting³
- ½ cup (1 stick) (113 g) unsalted butter softened
- 8 oz (226 g) cream cheese softened (brick-style, not spreadable)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 4 cups (500 g) powdered sugar
Recommended Equipment
- 2 8" round cake pans (see notes for using different sized pans)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F (175C) and prepare two 8-inch pans⁴ (see note for using different sized pans) by lining the bottoms with parchment paper and lightly greasing and flouring the sides.
- In a large bowl, whisk together your flour, sugars, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.2 ½ cups (315 g) all-purpose flour, 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar, 1 cup (200 g) light or dark brown sugar¹, 1 ½ teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon salt, 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- Add your canola oil and melted butter and stir well (batter will be pretty stiff and thick at this point, I usually use an electric mixer or my stand mixer to combine everything nicely).1 cup (235 ml) cooking oil, ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter
- Add eggs, one at a time, stirring well after each addition.4 large eggs
- Stir in vanilla extract.1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
- Stir in carrots and nuts (if using) until ingredients are well-combined.3 cups (340 g) grated carrots², 1 cup (125 g) chopped walnuts or pecans
- Evenly divide carrot cake batter into prepared baking pans and bake on 350F (175C) for 40 minutes (toothpick inserted in center should come out mostly clean with only few moist crumbs).
- Allow cakes to cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then run a knife around the edge and invert onto cooling rack to cool completely.
- Allow cake to cool completely before covering with cream cheese frosting.
Cream Cheese Frosting
- Combine butter and cream cheese in a large bowl and use an electric mixer to beat until creamy, well-combined, and lump-free.½ cup (1 stick) (113 g) unsalted butter, 8 oz (226 g) cream cheese
- Add vanilla extract and sprinkle salt into the bowl and stir well to combine.1 teaspoon vanilla extract, ¼ teaspoon salt
- With mixer on low, gradually add powdered sugar until ingredients are completely combined (be sure to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl with a spatula).4 cups (500 g) powdered sugar
- Once your cake has cooled completely, cover with frosting.
Notes
1Brown sugar
Either light or dark brown sugar will work fine, dark brown sugar will make your cake slightly more moist and rich, but light brown sugar works perfectly if you don’t have dark on hand.²Carrots (& how to grate them)
For me, this usually requires about 4 large carrots. I always peel my carrots before grating. Make sure to use the small shred of your box grater. Another way I like to prepare my carrots is to use the “shred” setting on my food processor and then switch to the blade and briefly pulse the carrots so that you have fine pieces of carrot (don’t over-do it though, or you’ll have carrot juice!). Whatever you do, don’t use store-bought “matchstick” carrots, they’re not nearly thin enough!³Frosting
A single batch of my cream cheese frosting recipe will cover this cake, but because I like a lot of frosting and will usually pipe decoration on the top of the cake, I sometimes increase the recipe by 50% or even double it.⁴Cake pans, different sizes
The following bake times have been reported by readers who have tried making this cake in different sized pans. Keep in mind bake time will generally be longer when using a glass pan, and very dark pans may require less time. The best way to test that your cake is finished baking is to use the toothpick test: a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake should come out with a few moist crumbs (not wet batter) or clean.- Two 9″ pans: bake for approximately 30-33 minutes.
- 9×13″ pan: bake for approximately 45-50 minutes
- Bundt pan: bake for approximately 55 minutes.
- Four 6″ pans: bake for approximately 40 minutes
- Cupcakes: See my carrot cake cupcake recipe.
Storing
If you’re eating this cake the same day you make it or within 48 hours of making it, and you are able to store it somewhere cool and dry, you do not have to refrigerate it–though you do want to store it in an airtight container. Any longer than that I would recommend storing in an airtight container in the fridge where it will keep for about 5 days.Nutrition
Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered an estimate only. Actual nutritional content will vary based upon brands used, measuring methods, cooking method, portion sizes, and more.
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This recipe was originally published August 22, 2018.
Goldie Spencer
I’d like to make this for Easter, but since there’s so much else to make I was wondering if this could be made the day before? It seems the oil and carrots would keep it moist.
Sam
Hi Goldie! Yes, absolutely it will stay nice and moist so long as you store it in an airtight container. Enjoy! 🙂
Lynsi Hartman
Thank you for including the metric equivalents…I am an American living overseas and it makes it so annoying always converting recipes. All of your recipes have been fabulous! This is my first time making this cake, but we make your biscuits every Saturday for a taste of home 🙂
Sam
You’re very welcome, I’m so glad they help! Thanks for your kind words, Lynsi! 🙂
Tara
Hi! Can I use coconut oil instead of canola oil?
Sam
Hi Tara! I think that would be fine. Enjoy!
ANDREA WOODGATE
Can I can leave out the coconut? Add raisins?
Sam
Hi Andrea, this recipe doesn’t use coconut. You can add raisins, though 🙂
Oma
Made my carrot cake today with this recipe and the taste is fantastic.
The aroma in my home is amazing.
Both the cupcake and cake pan came out well.
Thank you z
Sam
I am so glad you enjoyed it, Oma! 🙂
June
Can I add raisins to the cake? Will I have to alter anything to the recipe at all?
Sam
Hi June! You can add the and you will not need to make any other alterations. Stir them in with the carrots. I hope that helps! 🙂
itz
Can we leave out the nutmeg?
Sam
Yup 🙂
TANYA CONNER
Can you substitute the AP flour with cake flour?
Sam
Hi Tanya, I haven’t tried it but I don’t see why not. I’d love to hear how it turns out for you if you try it that way.
Ann
I did and I must say, best carrot cake I’ve ever had. You named it appropriately. Loved it. Topped off Easter dinner. 🙂
Jackie
Can you use a 13.x 9 pan instead of two round pans?
Sam
Hi Jackie! You can make it in a 9 x 13 but I’m not sure what the baking time would be.
Silei Brown
Since making this Beautiful tasty & moist cake I have made 5 so far… It’s The Best ever Carrot cake recipe me & my family have tasted 👍😀
Sam
I am so glad everyone enjoyed the cake, Silei! 🙂
MAIDA Pierret
I made this as it is, without modifying anything and it’s a big hit with my super fussy family and friends! So happy to have found it.
I also did the cupcake version but it turned out a bit oily. I wonder what I did wrong?
Sam
Hi Maida! Did you make this recipe into cupcakes or did you use my other carrot cake cupcake recipe?
Maida
Hi there, I used your cupcake recipe. It’s still delicious and big hit at my son’s school. But it was a tad oily.
Sam
Hi Maida! Did you make this recipe into cupcakes or did you make my carrot cake cupcakes?
Robin
Do you think this would bake up okay if put into three layers.. Thanks
Sam
Hi Robin! You can certainly make this 3 layers. You could use the recipe as is and just have thinner cakes, or you could increase the recipe by 50%. Enjoy! 🙂
Vicki
Can this recipe be made into three nine inch layers? If so, should it be doubled, and how should cooking time be adjusted?
Sam
Hi Vicki! I’d just increase the recipe by 50%. Check the notes for guidelines for baking in 9″ pans 🙂
Tabitha
I don’t like carrot cake – never have and most likely won’t order it ever! Having said that, my daughter, who knows how to work a situation – “So mom, one of my favorite things is carrot cake? (riiiiight that’s news to me) – will you make me one?” As she knows I voluntarily bake for soldiers, volunteer firemen, and physicians (I am a runner and had to have hip repair surgery) I literally baked my way into the entire orthopedic staff’s heart to include cinnamon rolls and croissants the morning of surgery – they need to eat too and I figured I’d be asleep for the 4 hour procedure so why not make sure they had breakfast?). My surgeon and the residents love me and ask for all kinds of things now – I pop in from time to time. I digress … anyway, I read through the instructions and lo and behold Sam said another of her magic words – box grater – I responded to my daughter, “Okay princess, let me give it a try” – I am confident enough in my baking ability to make a recipe the way it is supposed to be made (sans macaroons those took 3 batches and a boatload of research to get right).
The carrot cake was incredible! Absolutely gorgeous loaves. No chunky stuff, full of flavor, the cake was tender (my sons hate the word moist) and the perfect happy day gift for those around me. I opted to make small loafs – (5 plus one decorative mini pan); it makes it easier to share with others. Oh and in case you are wondering – exactly 1 pound of carrots is what you need for the 340 grams (THANK YOU FOR USING WEIGHT MEASUREMENTS)”o). The only negative to this is that your fingers turn orange when grating. One may want to grate with a sandwich bag over the hand?
And Sam – I am the Tabitha (it’s actually biblical) – I could be your sister. I too, don’t do raisins (it’s why there are trust issues – oatmeal chocolate chip cookies should only have chocolate chips in them). Thank you again – tonight it’s shortbread cookies.
Sam
Thank you so much Tabitha! It sounds like you a very good, generous person and everybody that knows you is very lucky. There’s nothing like the smile on someone’s face when they see that container of treats coming. Am I right? I’m so glad you enjoyed the cake so much. You could definitely use a sandwich bag or a glove to grate your carrots. If you have a food processor, it’s even cleaner! I hope you loved the shortbread cookies too. Sorry for the delayed response. Happy baking! 🙂
Dianne
This cake was so moist and good. I did put carrots in blender. I like them mor fine . I also put a drop of almond flavor in my mix. Also, a drop in cream cheese icing. It was a hit. I don’t usually like carrot cake, but this was really good. Thanks for the recipe, it’s a keeper!
Sam
I am so glad you enjoyed the cake, Dianne! 🙂
Andrew Garcia
Really enjoyed this, I had a ton of carrots sitting in my fridge what a good way to use it!! I’m a huge cream cheese fan I love cheesecake I make a good strawberry cheesecake!!
Sam
I am so glad you enjoyed the cake, Andrew! 🙂