This Carrot Cake Recipe is a perfectly moist, delectable two-layer classic carrot cake with a perfect blend of spices and pipeable cream cheese frosting. It is one of my family’s favorites and is always asked for at Easter, family gatherings, and birthday parties.
Are you looking for that perfect Easter dessert? Or maybe your hubby is just like mine and his idea of the perfect birthday cake is carrot cake. Either way, I have you covered with this carrot cake recipe. It is dependable, delicious, and moist, and even the novice cook can handle this cake. The five-ingredient cream cheese frosting comes together quickly and is thick enough to pipe the edges if desired. This beautiful homemade carrot cake is sure to be the hit of your holiday party.
How do you make this Carrot Cake Recipe?
For the Carrot Cake
First, shred your carrots and chop your pecans. Next, in a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. Now in a large mixing bowl, whisk together the oil, eggs, and vanilla extract. Then add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients in about three intervals mixing with a spoon just until combined. Now stir in the carrots and pecans just until mixed.
Divide the batter between two well-greased and floured cake pans. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from oven and cool for about 30 minutes before inverting. Let them fully cool before icing.
For the Cream Cheese Frosting
Using a stand mixer with a paddle attachment on medium speed, beat cream cheese and butter until smooth, creamy, and lump-free. Add the salt and vanilla extract and continue beating until mixed in. Add the powdered sugar one cup at a time while beating.
Now place one of the cooled baked carrot cake layers on the serving platter or cake stand. Use a little short of 3/4 cup of frosting on the bottom layer and spread evenly. Now add the second layer and spread 1 cup on top. Use about 1 cup on the sides and reserve the rest for piping the edge if desired. Using your hands, carefully add the nuts to the side of the cake. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Helpful tips for making this Carrot Cake Recipe:
- Grate the carrots using a box grater or a food processor. I like to use the small end of a box grater as I think this size is perfect for carrot cake.
- Grease and flour the cake pans well. It isn’t very good when your masterpiece sticks. I love Baker’s Joy, and I have always had excellent results with it.
- Bring the eggs to room temperature before making the cake.
- Stir the cake portion of this recipe with a spoon and resist the urge to over-mix it. Mix just until combined.
- Start checking the carrot cake for doneness at 30 minutes. Do not over-bake.
- For the cream cheese frosting, soften the butter and cream cheese prior to making.
- You can also use a hand mixer on medium speed to make the cream cheese frosting.
- Use a cake stand with a little bit of a lip around it so that when some chopped pecans fall while you are pressing them on the sides, you can easily scoop them up and try again.
- Carrot cake will stay fresh for 5-7 days when properly covered and stored in the fridge. Cover with plastic wrap to keep the cake from drying out.
How do you freeze Carrot Cake?
To freeze just the cake portion, wrap each layer individually in plastic wrap and then carefully place it in a large zipper freezer bag. Place it in the freezer in a safe area where it will not be smashed. The cake will stay tasty for about 3 months. To thaw, remove it from the freezer a couple of hours before you are ready to work with it and remove it just from the freezer bag, so condensation does not occur between the bag and the cake. When it is almost completely thawed, carefully remove it from the plastic wrap.
To freeze the whole carrot cake with frosting, place the cake in the freezer without anything on it for at least two hours or until the exterior of the cake is frozen enough to wrap. Then double wrap in plastic wrap and then a single layer of heavy-duty aluminum foil. If at all possible, place it in a box and store it in the freezer for up to four months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight.
More desserts you will love!
Best Carrot Cake Recipe
A delectable, moist holiday carrot cake with a silky cream cheese frosting. For an extra special touch, ring the sides with chopped roasted pecans and pipe the edge.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 60 minutes plus cooling time
- Yield: 12 servings
- Category: dessert
- Method: bake
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Carrot Cake
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 4 large eggs
- 1 1/3 cups vegetable oil or canola oil
- 1 1/2 cups brown sugar
- 1/2 cup white sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3 cups grated carrots
- 1 3/4 cup chopped pecans
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 1/2 cup butter softened
- 1 box (8 ounces) cream cheese softened
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4 cups powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour 2 round cake pans thoroughly.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and salt. In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, oil, brown sugar, sugar, and vanilla. Using a spoon, stir the flour mixture into the wet ingredients in three intervals; just until incorporated. Stir in the carrots and 3/4 cup chopped pecans just until mixed. Divide evenly between pans. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool pans on cooling racks for 30 minutes prior to inverting. Cool completely before frosting.
- In a stand mixer on medium, using the paddle attachment, beat the butter and cream cheese until smooth, creamy, and lump-free. Add salt and vanilla extract while continuing to beat, scraping down the beater and sides of the bowl. Add powdered sugar 1 cup at a time while beating; scraping down the beater, and bowl a couple more times.
- Place one of the cooled baked cake layers on a cake stand. Use a little short of 3/4 cup of frosting on the bottom layer and spread evenly. Now add the second layer and spread about 1 cup on the top. Use about 1 cup on the sides and reserve the rest for piping the edge if desired.
- Use your hands to gently press the remaining chopped pecans (1 cup) onto the sides of the cake. Scoop up any pieces that fall along the way and press again. If desired, pipe top or bottom edge. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Notes
- Grate the carrots using a box grater or a food processor. I like to use the small end of a box grater as I think this size is perfect for carrot cake.
- Grease and flour the cake pans well. It isn’t very good when your masterpiece sticks. I love Baker’s Joy, and I have always had excellent results with it.
- Bring the eggs to room temperature before making the cake.
- Stir the cake portion of this recipe with a spoon and resist the urge to over-mix it. Mix just until combined.
- Start checking the carrot cake for doneness at 30 minutes. Do not over-bake.
- For the cream cheese frosting, soften the butter and cream cheese prior to making.
- You can also use a hand mixer on medium speed to make the cream cheese frosting.
- Use a cake stand with a little bit of a lip around it so that when some chopped pecans fall while you are pressing them on the sides, you can easily scoop them up and try again.
- Carrot cake will stay fresh for 5-7 days when properly covered and stored in the fridge. Cover with plastic wrap to keep the cake from drying out.
Keywords: easy carrot cake, how to make carrot cake, moist carrot cake, homemade carrot cake, carrot cake from scratch,
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Neal
We’ve made this several times with great results. Any advice for making in cupcakes?
★★★★★
Beth Pierce
Have you tried my carrot cupcake recipe? It is amazing!
Gin
Could raisins be added to this. Without changing anything else
Beth Pierce
Yes
Betty Sulikowski
Best carrot cake ever. My family loves it so much! East recipe & very moist.
Beth Pierce
Thanks so much Betty! So glad that you loved it!
Elizabeth!
Sounds delicious, perfect timing son in law wants one for his birthday next week.
Melissa
YUM – Carrot cake is my FIL favorite. I made your recipe for his B-day and it was a hit! Thanks so much!
★★★★★
Natasha
It is a great cake and recipe! I baked it many times already and it has become one of our favorites.
★★★★★
Natalie
Mmmm!! I don’t need a holiday, to enjoy carrot cake! It’s so incredibly delicious & the frosting is so creamy & yum!
★★★★★
Judy Turner
Beth,
Thanks for an excellent recipe! I’ve made it several times and it will always be my favorite.
★★★★★
Beth Pierce
Thanks so much Judy! So glad that you like it. I wish I had a piece right now to go with my coffee! Delicious!!
Brenda
Would this recipe work in a bundt pan? If so would the cook time change?
Beth Pierce
You can successfully bake the batter for two 9-inch layer cakes in a 15-cup Bundt pan. You will need to measure your bundt pan to see if it is big enough. The cake may be a little more dense and it is going to take longer to cook.
Shadi
I have everything I need for this dish, can’t wait to make it this weekend!
★★★★★
Cathleen
My husband’s favourite cake is carrot cake, and he always requests it on his birthday. I am going to have to try out your version because it looks so good!!
★★★★★
Maria
Based on aesthetics alone, I’d say this best carrot cake is aptly-named! I have to make this soon to know for sure!
★★★★★
Pam
What a beautiful cake and it brings back fond memories for me. A favorite aunt knew I loved carrot cake and would make it anytime she knew I would visit.
★★★★★
Shanna M.
Carrot cake is a family favorite at my house. Your version has so much flavor and is so moist.
★★★★★
Beth Pierce
Thanks Shanna!!
Jane Saunders
This cake could easily become addictive – the frosting is sublime. Thanks for the recipe.
★★★★★
Maria
Carrot cakes are one of my absolute favorites! Thank you for sharing this recipe.
★★★★★
Tara
I loved it! So easy to make and taste really amazing!
★★★★★
Shelley
This looks delicious! My mom adores carrot cake – she would love this recipe! Thank you!
★★★★★
Sharon
Carrot cake is easily one of my favorite cakes out there. The thick cream cheese frosting is my favorite part.
★★★★★
Dannii
This carrot cake looks so light and fluffy. I can’t wait to give it a try at the weekend.
★★★★★
Kimberly
This looks and sounds super scrumptious, I look forward to making it!
★★★★★
Sandra
This is so good!! Such a delicious cake recipe! So easy to make, too!
★★★★★
Cathy
This would be such a great cake for Christmas!
jacque
I love carrot cake! can’t wait to give this recipe a try. I bet it is amazing and mouthwatering. Might have to make it for Christmas.
★★★★★
Dionne
The cake to fight for! The texture is so good that I would say it is exactly what any carrot cake should be. It is perfect if you ask me! 🙂
★★★★★
Catalina
This cake looks amazing! My family will go crazy over it for sure!
★★★★★
Dannii
This carrot cake looks so light and fluffy. I can’t wait to try it.
★★★★★
Priya
The aroma in my kitchen is to die for! We loved this carrot cake. Thank you so much for an easy recipe.
★★★★★
Valerie
Carrot sounds healthy and your recipe is so perfect and flavorful. Love the soft and crumbly texture of the cake and the frosting looks super delicious.
★★★★★
Emily
Wow, this carrot cake was so delicious! And the texture came out perfectly soft and fluffy.
★★★★★
Sarah
One of my favorite cakes and your recipe did not disappoint! Perfectly delicious; the whole family loved it!
★★★★★
Erin
This Carrot Cake Recipe is couldn’t look any more perfect!
★★★★★
Angela
My family couldn’t stop raving about this carrot cake. So moist and delicious!
★★★★★
Sutton
I love that this recipe uses fresh vegetables! Can’t wait to try it!
★★★★★
Jersey Girl Cooks
Carrot cake is my fave! This one looks delicious!
★★★★★
Noelle Simpson
I love carrot cake! This was the perfect recipe, thank you for sharing!
★★★★★
Lisalia
Easy to make and so so good. A classic. That cream cheese frosting is delicious, I set out an extra bowl of it and let people slather on some extra! lol We loved this.
★★★★★
Liz
This carrot cake recipe is going to be so perfect for father’s day!! I can’t wait. I love anything with carrots and so does my dad!
★★★★★
Jenn
Ohmygosh YUM! This looks exactly like the carrot cake I grew up with and I’m printing it out right now to make! Thanks so much for the lovely recipe – I cannot wait to dive in!
★★★★★
Judy
3 cups of already grated carrots, or 3 cups of carrots, then grated?
Beth Pierce
Three cups of already grated carrots.
Steven
Simple and delicious. My new go to.
★★★★★
Beth Pierce
Thanks so much Steven! So glad that you enjoyed it!
Brad
Do you suggest 8 inch or 9 inch can pans for this recipe?
thanks , Brad
Beth Pierce
I used 9 inch pans for this but you could use 8 inch as well. Happy baking!
Adrianne
Carrot cake is my fav and yours looks to die for. I love that you have used loads of carrots, ie 3 cups as you get a full carrot cake experience!! Yum, can’t wait to try it. Cheers
★★★★★
Emily
This really is the best carrot cake recipe! I love to have this dessert for Easter!
★★★★★
Anita
Carrot cake is a must to celebrate Easter day. 🙂
★★★★★
Vicky
I used to think of carrot cake as a fall dessert, but lately I’ve been thinking of it more as a spring dessert because…carrots…bunnies. 🙂 This one looks amazing!
★★★★★
Krissy
This is my husbands favorite cake by far. It’s so good and so moist. Winner!
★★★★★