This Easy Carrot Cake recipe is the only one youāll ever need! Covered in cream cheese frosting, homemade carrot cake comes together quickly with no fuss. I think youāll agree this is the best carrot cake recipe ever!
Iām sometimes hesitant to claim anything I make is the absolute ābestā. This carrot cake with cream cheese frosting however absolutely earns that honor!
You’ll Love This Carrot Cake Recipe:
Moist carrot cake – This cake is so moist and sweet, it tastes great even without frosting.Ā
Decadent cream cheese frosting – It adds the perfect tangy sweetness!Ā
So many mix-in options – Customize your carrot cake with nuts, raisins or even shredded coconut mixed right in.Ā
No stand mixer neededĀ – This cake batter is mixed by hand so its thick and dense while remainingĀ
Easy cake recipe – New and experienced bakers alike get amazing results from this carrot cake recipe!
Carrot Cake Recipe
I love a good carrot cake recipe from scratch, and this homemade carrot cake recipe with applesauce is probably one of my all time favorite cake recipes. Above all the flavor and texture combination created in this cake are simply divine.
While carrot cake is a must have Easter dessert, this is one to enjoy year round. And like any good carrot cake should, this one is topped with an irresistible cream cheese frosting.
Ingredients
This is an overview of the ingredients you will need to make this easy carrot cake recipe. Important notes and substitutions for certain ingredients are discussed. The full printable recipe, with amounts and specific details, can be found at the bottom of the page.
Carrot Cake Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- Carrots – I prefer to grate my carrots versus using pre-grated carrots in this recipe.
- All-Purpose Flour – While I think that all-purpose flour is perfect for this cake, I have also made it with white whole wheat flour. I have not tried it with a gluten free flour, but if you have one you enjoy using in baking, I think it would likely work well in this recipe.
- Oil – Oil is what gives carrot cake it’s signature moist texture. I typically just use a canola oil for this carrot cake. If you would like to use a different oil, just make sure it’s one with a mild taste. Because there is a fair amount of oil in this recipe, something like a robustly flavored olive oil will change the flavor.
- Applesauce – Applesauce is a fantastic ingredient to really take that delectable carrot cake texture to the next level. I recommend using an unsweetened applesauce, but feel free to use a cinnamon applesauce.
- Cinnamon – Carrot cake is all about that spicy flavor, thus this recipe calls for a generous two tablespoons of it.
Optional Mix Ins – While I make this carrot cake recipe without nuts, mix-ins such as chopped walnuts, pecans or raisins can be added to the batter just prior to pouring batter into pans. This recipe can accommodate about one and one half cups of mix-ins. I recommend tossing the nuts or raisins in flour prior to putting them into the cake batter. This helps prevent them from sinking to the bottom.
Cream Cheese Frosting Ingredients
- Cream Cheese – Make sure you use the brick style cream cheese, not the type that come in a tub. It’s also very important to let it soften and come close to room temperature. When cream cheese is too cold, you will end up with lumpy frosting.
- Whipping Cream – While I prefer whipping cream for this recipe, you can easily replace it with half and half or even milk.
How To Make Carrot Cake
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees fahrenheit. In a large bowl mixing bowl, mix together flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon and salt.
- Using a separate bowl, beat eggs slightly. Add oil and vanilla extract to eggs. Stir to combine.
- Add shredded carrots and applesauce to the mixture and stir to combine.
- Fold the wet mixture to dry mixture and stir until just combined. Do not over stir.
- Grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans. I highly recommend adding parchment circles to the bottom of the pans for easy cake removal.
- Spoon batter into prepared pans and bake for 45 to 55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cakes comes out clean. Cool cake for approximately 10 minutes in pans, then transfer cake to wire racks to cool completely prior to frosting.
How To Make Carrot Cake Frosting
A note about this frosting recipe. It makes a lot of frosting. Enough to generously frost this layer cake, and gives you leftover frosting for piping on carrot cake decorations.
You can easily cut the frosting recipe in half if desired. You will then have enough to cover the cake in a thin layer of frosting, or make it as a “naked cake” leaving the sides unfrosted.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat together softened cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy.
- With mixer on low, slowly add powdered sugar, mixing well. Add in vanilla, salt and whipping cream. Beat mixture on medium for approximately three minutes. If frosting is thicker than you prefer, you can add an additional tablespoon of cream or milk.
- Frost cakes as desired.
Tips and Advice
Storage: Due to the cream cheese frosting, store this carrot cake in the refrigerator. It’s good for 4-5 days when kept covered in the fridge. You can also freeze, in an airtight container, for up to three months.
Carrot Cake Decoration
I’ve always found decorations for carrot cake a bit of a challenge. It doesn’t feel like a “sprinkle” cake to me.
Personally I either leave it frosted, plain, add some chopped nuts, shaved carrots, or decorate by piping on some frosting carrots. They are shown here and are very easy to create. The frosting recipe makes enough frosting that you will have enough leftover to color and decorate as I have shown here.
Color a bit of the frosting orange, and some green, then use a piping bag, or a sandwich bag with a small bit of the corner cut off, to pipe on “carrots”.
Another fun decorating option is candied carrot curls. They make for a particularly pretty cake topping. Cupcake Project has a great tutorial on making candied carrot curls, if that appeals to you.
Carrot Cake FAQ
While carrot cake does contain carrots, it really is an indulgent cake. We enjoy it with moderation on special occasions.
Oil is what helps give carrot cake it’s signature moist texture. While butter is delicious, oil is really a must for that traditional carrot cake flavor and texture.
There certainly can be. It’s a matter of personal preference.
Delicious Easter Recipes
Looking for more recipes for a delicious Easter dinner? Here are some of my favorites!
- Glazed Spiral Ham
- Cheesy Hashbrown Casserole
- Easy Homemade Dinner Rolls
- Green Beans Almondine
- Easy Homemade Scalloped Potatoes
- Glazed Carrots
- Carrot Cake Cookies
More Easter Recipes You’ll Love!
Carrot Cake Recipe
Ingredients
Carrot Cake
- 3 cups all purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 4 eggs
- 1 1/2 cups vegetable oil you could use coconut oil or another oil if you prefer
- 1 cup applesauce
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3 cups shredded carrots
Frosting
- 16 ounces softened cream cheese
- 1 cup softened butter
- 7 cups powdered sugar
- 4 teaspoons vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
- 2 tablespoon whipping cream milk will also work
Instructions
Cake
- First, preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Next grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans. If desired add parchment circles to the bottom of the pans for easy cake removal.
- In a large bowl mixing bowl, mix together flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon and salt.
- Using a separate bowl, beat eggs slightly. Add oil and vanilla extract to eggs. Stir to combine. Add shredded carrots and apple sauce to the mixture and stir to combine.
- Fold the wet mixture to dry mixture and stir until just combined. Do not over stir.
- Finally spoon batter into prepared pans and bake for 45 to 55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cakes comes out clean.
- Cool cake for approximately 10 minutes in pans, then transfer cake to wire racks to cool completely prior to frosting.
Frosting
- In a large mixing bowl, beat together softened cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy.
- Next, with the mixer on low, slowly add powdered sugar, mixing well. Add in vanilla, salt and whipping cream. Beat mixture on medium for approximately three minutes. If frosting is thicker than you prefer, you can add an additional tablespoon of cream or milk.
- Finally frost cake as desired. Store cake and frosting in refrigerator.
Notes
Nutrition
Disclaimer
Nutrition information is estimated as a courtesy. If using for medical purposes, please verify information using your own nutritional calculator. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Make Your Own Powdered Sugar
In case you ever find yourself without powdered sugar, here’s how you can make powdered sugar from granulated sugar. You just have to run your sugar through a food processor or blender. Just a few short minutes later it will transform into powdered sugar which is perfect for your favorite frosting recipes. As a result there is no need for that last minute store run to buy powdered sugar.
Simply add your granulated sugar to your food processor and run it for about five minutes.
Voila, finally you have made powdered sugar! Given the choice I still prefer a traditional powdered sugar as this isn’t quite the same. When in a pinch however, homemade powdered sugar is almost as good as the real deal, and it works great.
More Great Carrot Cake Recipes
By the way, I have a few other carrot cake recipes that are beyond delicious. In addition to this recipe, check out my other carrot cake recipes. Do you prefer a sheet cake instead of a layer cake? This Carrot Sheet Cake recipe is similar, but is especially easy to transport due to being made in a sheet pan.
It doesn’t get much cuter than bite-size Carrot Mini Bundt Cakes.
Need a lighter cake instead of a decadent one? For this reason you might want to try my light version of this cake. Applesauce is increased in this recipe and as a result you have a lighter cake.
In addition to today’s recipe, I also have a Carrot Bundt Cake recipe. This delicious cake has some rather surprising ingredients in it. It’s lighter and healthier, nevertheless it’s still the rich and delicious cake one expects with carrot cakes.
My carrot cupcakes are similar, however they offer built in portion control! By the way, I won’t judge if you eat two at a time.
After all of these great recipes, run to the store soon and buy some carrots! And by the way, I can’t wait for you to try this amazing, but above all delicious, carrot cake recipe!
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED MARCH 2015. Recipe notes updated February 2020 and March 2022.
Tracie says
Absolutely fantastic recipe! Wonderful cake! I brushed mine with a simple syrup after removing from the oven. I also did Ā½c butter, Ā½c oil & Ā½c sour cream, instead of the 1 & Ā½ cups of oil the recipe called for. I did walnuts in mine, along with some dehydrated cranberries. Lastly, I used 2 cups of carrots, ā c of shredded sweet potato & ā c of diced apple. Delicious cake, I’ll make this way, again & again! Oh & I made cream cheese frosting, using a recipe with sour cream in it as well. Didn’t do the frosting recipe above… 7cups of powdered sugar! š±
Gina says
I’ve seen you have another recipe for cupcakes~ but could this recipe be used for cupcakes too? Raise the oven to 350?
Christi Johnstone says
I’d suggest you just use the cupcake recipe, as it’s based on this recipe and thus sounds like exactly what you are wanting –> Carrot Cake Cupcakes Recipe
Amy Gantman says
OMG! This is the best carrot cake ever! Made for my husband’s birthday while hunkering down for the Coronavirus Stay Safe at Home quarantine in California. Needless-to-say, wanted something “comforting”. It was simple to make and tasted wonderful. Texture was perfect. I will definitely make this cake again. Thanks so much for posting your recipe.
Christi Johnstone says
I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe, Amy! It really is one of our favorites. My girls always complain that I don’t make it enough – I think they are right!
Viviana says
I made this cake from scratch and it was delicious!!! The only thing my kids mentioned was that they missed the spices found in other carrot cakes. I wonder how it would be if I added more cinnamon. Otherwise, they all cleaned their dessert plates!!!
Christi Johnstone says
Viviana, by all means, add more cinnamon, that’s just a matter of taste. You could add other spices as well if you like!
Sandra says
I used a yellow cake mix for this. I just added the spices and carrots and apple sauce and oil and eggs. I used a Bundt pan to bake it. However when I turned it out only the middle came out. It was all around so I went ahead and frosted it. The kids liked being able to help themselves to the part that clung to the pan.
Christi says
Hi Sandra, I’m a bit confused as this cake recipe does not use a cake mix.