Carrot Cake Recipe

A photo of a slice of two layer carrot cake laying on its side on a blue and white plate.

4 from 16 votes

This is the best carrot cake recipe...perfectly moist, warmly spiced, and topped with classic cream cheese frosting. Made with finely grated carrots and simple ingredients, it’s a timeless cake that tastes even better the next day.

Prep Time5

Cook Time40

Additional Time10

Total Time55

Course: 500+ Best Dessert Recipes, Easy Cake Recipes For Beginners

Keyword: cake, carrot cake, cream cheese frosting, easter

Servings:

Author: Carrian Cheney

Equipment

Ingredients

Cake

2 ½ Cups Flour all-purpose
1 teaspoon Baking Powder
1 ½ teaspoon Baking Soda
1 teaspoon Salt
2 teaspoons Pumpkin Pie Spice
1 ½ Cups Sugar
½ Cup Brown Sugar light, tightly packed
1 ¼ Cup Oil canola or vegetable
¼ Cup Apple Sauce
1 Tablespoon Vanilla Extract
4 Eggs large, room temperature
3 Cups Carrots peeled, about 4 large carrots, finely grated
3 oz Walnuts chopped, optional

Frosting

½ Cup Butter unsalted, softened
8 oz Cream Cheese softened
1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
4 Cups Powdered Sugar
1 Cup Pecans crushed, optional

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Cake

Preheat oven to 350℉ and prepare two 8-inch pans by lining the bottoms with parchment paper rounds and lightly greasing and flouring the sides. See note*
In a large bowl, whisk together your flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and pumpkin pie spice
2 ½ Cups Flour, 1 teaspoon Baking Powder, 1 ½ teaspoon Baking Soda, 1 teaspoon Salt, 2 teaspoons Pumpkin Pie Spice
In another bowl, add the sugars, oil, apple sauce and vanilla and whisk until smooth.
1 ½ Cups Sugar, ½ Cup Brown Sugar, 1 ¼ Cup Oil, ¼ Cup Apple Sauce, 1 Tablespoon Vanilla Extract
Add eggs, one at a time, stirring after each addition.
4 Eggs
Fold in carrots until well combined.
3 Cups Carrots
Mix the wet ingredients and dry ingredients together until just mixed. Be careful to not over-mix.
Evenly divide carrot cake batter into prepared baking pans and bake for 40 minutes Insert a toothpick into the center of the cake and if it comes out clean you're ready to go.
Allow carrot cake to cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then run a knife around the edges and turn out onto a cooling rack to cool completely.
Allow cake to cool completely before frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting

Combine butter and cream cheese in a large bowl and use a hand held electric mixer to beat until creamy.
½ Cup Butter, 8 oz Cream Cheese
Add vanilla extract and beat until smooth.
1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
With mixer on low, gradually add powdered sugar until ingredients are completely combined
4 Cups Powdered Sugar
Once your cake has cooled completely, frost and sprinkle with nuts if desired.
1 Cup Pecans

Video

Notes

To flour cake pans, spray with nonstick spray and then sprinkle in a few tablespoons of flour. Turn and tap the cake pan until the bottom and sides are covered, dump out any remaining flour.

Carrot cake with frosting can be frozen for up to 4 months.

Nutrition