Carrot Cake

I didn’t grow up eating carrot cake (we were all about angel food cake in my family). So, I’ve had to make up for lost time in my adult years. And I knew exactly what I wanted for this homemade carrot cake recipe. My goal was to have a moist, warmly spiced cake that was easy to make, yet special enough for a holiday dessert, like Easter. This small carrot cake is just one layer, but I made it count!  It’s packed with shredded carrots and cozy spices, topped with an irresistible swirly layer of homemade cream cheese frosting. It’s simple, yet elegant, and a beautiful way to enjoy this classic dessert.

About This Easy Carrot Cake Recipe

• It goes lighter on the oil. This recipe uses considerably less oil than most carrot cakes I’ve found. It still gives the cake a better flavor and texture, without compromising moistness (thanks to the carrots).
• Perfectly spiced. I think the best carrot cakes include an extra dose of warm spices. Because, after all, carrot cake really is a spice cake. I’ve found that so many recipes skimp on the spice. But not this one!
• Two types of sugar. This recipe incorporates both white granulated sugar AND brown sugar. I love how brown sugar plays with warm spices. Plus, it adds extra moistness to the cake’s crumb. 
• Baked in a single 8″ pan. While I love desserts like my pumpkin layer cake and red velvet layer cake, it’s hard to beat the simplicity of this homemade carrot cake, with its smaller size and only one layer.

Ingredients You’ll Need

Here are notes on the important ingredients in this moist carrot cake recipe. Scroll to the recipe card below the post for the full recipe, including measurements and step-by-step instructions.

• All-purpose flour – Measure the flour using a kitchen scale, or use the spoon-and-level method. Spoon the flour from the bag into the measuring cup. Then, level off the cup with a knife. This is the best way to avoid over-measuring if it isn’t possible to weigh your dry ingredients.
• Baking soda – Check the expiration date on the package. If it’s old or expired, buy fresh baking soda to ensure your cake rises properly.
• Spices – Cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger give this carrot cake a perfectly spiced flavor. Since I like a very cinnamon-y spice cake, I use a whole tablespoon of cinnamon. You can certainly reduce the amount if you like. If you don’t have the individual spices, pumpkin pie spice and apple pie spice share many of the same ingredients.
• Vegetable oil – Choose a neutral-flavored oil, like canola.
• Sugar – I use equal parts brown sugar and granulated sugar in this recipe.
• Pure vanilla extract – Or an equal amount of pure vanilla paste.
• Eggs – Bring the egg to room temperature if you think of it. This way, it blends more smoothly into the batter.
• Grated peeled carrots – See tips below.
• Roasted chopped pecans – Roasted salted pecans add texture and flavor to the cake, but omit them if you like.

Homemade Cream Cheese Frosting

• Cream cheese – Softened to room temperature. Full-fat cream cheese will yield the silkiest, creamiest frosting.
• Butter – Also softened to room temperature.
• Powdered sugar – Sweetens the frosting and also gives a smooth, creamy texture.
• Pure vanilla extract – Again, you can swap this with vanilla paste if you have it.
• Ground cinnamon – Sprinkled over the top for a bit of extra spiced flavor, plus a pretty appearance.

The Easiest Way to Shred Carrots

The carrots are obviously the main ingredient in this cake, though primarily for the moisture they add. Had I known as a kid that carrots add terrific moistness and don’t actually make the cake taste like vegetables, I surely would have embraced this dessert at a much earlier age!

For a quick and easy way to shred carrots, I use the large holes on a box grater. It’s best to use larger, thicker carrots than small, skinny ones, as larger carrots are easier to handle. Note that this recipe calls for 1 ½ cups of grated carrots, but you do not need to pack the shreds tightly into the measuring cups.

How to Make Carrot Cake

This spiced carrot cake requires just a few steps, and you don’t even need a mixer to make the batter (though you will for the frosting!)

• Mix dry ingredients. Whisk together the flour, baking soda, and spices.
• Mix wet ingredients. In a separate bowl, whisk the oil, sugars, and vanilla until combined. Add the eggs.

• Combine and add the carrots and pecans. Fold in half of the dry ingredients with a rubber spatula, then the remaining half until well incorporated. Fold in the carrots and pecans.

• Fill the pan. Transfer finished cake batter to the cake pan.
• Bake. Bake for about 45 minutes, until the cake is springy and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

• Make the cream cheese frosting. Beat the cream cheese and butter with an electric mixer until smooth. Add the powdered sugar and vanilla, and beat again.
• Assemble the cake. Transfer the cake to a serving platter and top with as much frosting as desired, swirling it on top with a spoon. Sprinkle with cinnamon, if desired.
• Serve. If not serving immediately, refrigerate and then remove from the fridge 20 minutes prior to serving.

Tips for the Best Carrot Cake

• Use a light-colored pan. I’ve found that a lighter pan results in the best cake. I recommend this light-colored aluminum cake pan.
• Adjust the spices to your liking. As I mentioned, I like an exuberant cinnamon-y flavor to my spiced carrot cake. If you’re not a huge cinnamon fan, you might want to add a little less.
• Don’t over-bake. For moist carrot cake, it’s important not to bake it longer than necessary. The top should spring back easily when touched, and a toothpick inserted into the center should come out without crumbs.

Serving Suggestions

Soft, spiced homemade carrot cake makes a simple but delicious holiday dessert. We tend to celebrate Easter with a smaller gathering, so this single-layer, easy carrot cake recipe fits our family just perfectly. I like to place the cake on a pretty platter, swirl on the cream cheese frosting, and then sprinkle it with a bit more cinnamon. A thick slice pairs well with a scoop of vanilla or salted caramel ice cream.

I prefer to eat this cake cold, straight from the refrigerator. I adore a piece of cake with thick, cold cream cheese frosting!

But if you’d like to take some of the chill off, remove the cake from the fridge 20 to 30 minutes before serving. You want to ensure that the cream cheese frosting doesn’t get warm and droopy – so this isn’t a cake to keep on the dessert table for hours.

How to Store Leftovers

• How to store. Carrot cake without the frosting can be stored at cool room temperature for up to 2 days. Once the cream cheese frosting is added, it must be refrigerated. Frosted carrot cake can be stored in the fridge for up to 4 days. Be sure to keep it covered in a container. Eat the cake cold or let the cake or individual slices sit on the counter for 20 minutes before serving.
• Can I freeze carrot cake? Carrot cake can be frozen with or without the frosting. Use a freezer-safe container for best freezing results.