Carrot Cake
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Sugar, spice, and everything nice – that’s what this carrot cake is made of! You’ll love the perfect blend of warm spices, the cake’s irresistible texture, and of course, the rich cream cheese frosting.
When my kids were little, I started a small baking business focused on making cakes and cupcakes that were not only beautiful but also delicious. During that time, I devoted weeks to perfecting my recipes for all the classic cake flavors. This is the carrot cake recipe that won me over. It’s got the perfect mix of spices, an ultra-moist crumb, and a luscious cream cheese frosting. But what really sets it apart is its texture; while many carrot cakes tend to be heavy and dense, this one is light and tender.
You can make the recipe as a 9-inch layer cake or a 9×13-inch sheet cake. And if you’re on the lookout for more tried-and-true cake recipes, be sure to check out my Vanilla Birthday Cake, Chocolate Lover’s Chocolate Cake, and classic Yellow Cake. Each one comes with practical tips to help take your cake baking to the next level.
Table of Contents
“Made this for Easter as a 9-inch layer cake, and it was wildly popular. Everyone thought it was less oily than a typical carrot cake (good thing!) and that the icing was light and fluffy.”
What You’ll Need To Make Carrot Cake
For the Cake
- Dried currants: Add sweetness and bursts of flavor throughout the cake. Feel free to omit them if you’re not a fan.
- All-purpose flour: Forms the structure of the cake.
- Baking soda: Acts as a leavening agent, helping the cake rise.
- Cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, cloves: Provide warm, aromatic spice notes that enhance the flavor of the cake.
- Pecans or walnuts: Contribute a crunchy texture and nutty flavor to the cake. Feel free to leave them out if you prefer your carrot cake without nuts.
- Eggs: Bind the ingredients together and add moisture.
- Granulated sugar: Sweetens the cake and contributes to its tenderness.
- Dark brown sugar: Adds depth of flavor, moisture, and a slightly caramelized taste to the cake.
- Vegetable oil: Provides moisture and helps keep the cake tender.
- Finely shredded carrots: The star ingredient, adding moisture, sweetness, and a distinct carrot flavor to the cake.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
For the Frosting
- Cream cheese: Forms the base of the frosting, providing creaminess and tanginess.
- Butter: Adds richness and enhances the flavor of the frosting.
- Vanilla extract: Infuses the frosting with a subtle vanilla flavor.
- Confectioners’ sugar: Sweetens the frosting and helps achieve the desired consistency.
- Pecans or walnuts: Optional addition for decorating the cake.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Make the Carrot Cake
Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 350°F. Spray two 9-inch cake pans (or a 9×13-inch cake pan) with nonstick cooking spray with flour, like Baker’s Joy or Pam with Flour. Line the bottom of each pan with parchment paper; lightly spray the paper with nonstick spray with flour.
In a small bowl, soak the currants in ½ cup hot tap water for 15 minutes. Drain and set aside.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and cloves.
Transfer ¼ cup of this mixture to a small bowl and add the drained currants and chopped nuts; toss to combine.
In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until blended. Add the oil and whisk until evenly combined.
Add the flour mixture, carrots, and the currant-nut mixture.
Stir with a rubber spatula until evenly incorporated.
Scrape the batter evenly into the prepared pans.
Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cakes comes out clean, about 40 minutes. Let cool in the pans on a rack for about 30 minutes, then invert the cakes onto the rack, remove parchment paper, and cool completely.
Step 2: Make the Cream Cheese Frosting
Once the cake layers are cool, make the cream cheese frosting. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or large bowl if using a hand mixer), combine the cream cheese, butter, vanilla and salt. Mix on low speed until combined, then increase the speed to medium-high and beat until aerated and light, about 2 minutes. Gradually add 4 cups of the confectioners’ sugar, mixing on low to combine. Once all of the sugar is mixed in, increase the speed to medium-high and beat until fluffy, about 1 minute.
Step 3: Assemble and Frost the Cake
When the cake layers are completely cool, place one cake layer on a cake platter or serving plate. Using an offset spatula or butter knife, spread half of the frosting over the first layer.
Top with the second layer, then spread the remaining frosting over the top of the cake, swirling decoratively. Sprinkle the nuts around the edges of the cake, if using.
Frequently Asked Questions
Absolutely! Carrot cake keeps beautifully. You can bake the cake layers a day in advance and store them wrapped in plastic wrap at room temperature. If you’ve already frosted the cake, keep it in the refrigerator. Just remember to bring it to room temperature before serving for the best flavor and texture.
Yes, carrot cake layers freeze nicely. To freeze, wrap the unfrosted cake layers individually in plastic wrap and then in aluminum foil to prevent freezer burn. They can be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to use them, thaw the layers overnight on the countertop before frosting and serving. Note: It’s best to freeze the cake unfrosted, as the frosting may not maintain its quality once frozen and thawed.
Absolutely! While currants and nuts add texture and flavor, they are not essential to the structure of the cake. You can omit them without affecting the overall result.
Video Tutorial
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Carrot Cake
Sugar, spice, and everything nice – that’s what this carrot cake is made of! You’ll love the perfect blend of warm spices, the cake’s irresistible texture, and of course, the rich cream cheese frosting.
Ingredients
For the Cake
- ½ cup dried currants
- 2¼ cups all purpose flour, spooned into measuring cup and leveled off
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ¾ cup pecans or walnuts, coarsely chopped
- 4 large eggs
- 1½ cups granulated sugar
- ½ cup (packed) dark brown sugar
- 1¼ cups vegetable oil
- 2½ cups (packed) finely shredded carrots, from 1 pound of carrots (see note)
For the Frosting
- 8 oz cream cheese, at room temperature
- 1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pinch salt
- 4 cups confectioners' sugar
- ½ cup pecans or walnuts, coarsely chopped (optional)
Instructions
For the Cake
- Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 350°F. Spray two 9-inch cake pans (or a 9x13-inch cake pan) with nonstick cooking spray with flour, like Baker’s Joy or Pam with Flour. Line the bottom of each pan with parchment paper; lightly spray the paper with nonstick spray with flour.
- In a small bowl, soak the currants in ½ cup hot tap water for 15 minutes. Drain and set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and cloves. Transfer ¼ cup of this mixture to a small bowl and add the drained currants and chopped nuts; toss to combine.
- In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until blended. Add the oil and whisk until evenly combined. Add the flour mixture, carrots, and the currant-nut mixture, and stir with a rubber spatula until evenly incorporated.
- Scrape the batter evenly into the prepared pans. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cakes comes out clean, about 40 minutes for 9-inch layers or 45 minutes for a 9x13-inch sheet cake. Let cool in the pans on a rack for about 30 minutes, then invert the cakes onto the rack, remove the parchment paper, and cool completely.
For the Frosting
- In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or beaters, combine the cream cheese, butter, vanilla and salt. Mix on low speed until combined, then increase the speed to medium-high and beat until aerated and light, about 2 minutes. Gradually add the confectioners' sugar, mixing on low to combine. Once all of the sugar is mixed in, increase the speed to medium-high and beat until fluffy, about 1 minute.
- After the cake layers have completely cooled, assemble and frost the cake. Decorate the edges with the nuts, if using. The cake keeps nicely for up to 3 days when stored under a cake dome in the refrigerator. Bring to room temperature before serving.
- Note: To shred the carrots, simply use the small holes on your handheld or box grater. If you prefer, you can also roughly chop the carrots, place them into a food processor fitted with the steel blade, and pulse them until they're very finely chopped, about the consistency of couscous.
- Note: This recipe provides just enough frosting to ice a 9-inch layer cake (or to generously frost a 9x13-inch sheet cake). For an extra generous layer of frosting on a layer cake, consider leaving the sides bare—it's pretty that way—or boost the frosting amount by 25% for fuller coverage. (The adjusted quantities would be: 10 oz of cream cheese, 10 tablespoons of butter, 1¼ teaspoons of vanilla extract, a generous pinch of salt, and 5 cups of confectioners' sugar.)
- Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The cake layers can be frozen for up to 3 months. To freeze, wrap the unfrosted cake layers individually in plastic wrap and then in aluminum foil to prevent freezer burn. They can be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months. When you're ready to use them, thaw the layers overnight on the countertop before frosting and serving. Note: It's best to freeze the cake unfrosted, as the frosting may not maintain its quality once frozen and thawed.
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (24 servings)
- Calories: 401
- Fat: 23 g
- Saturated fat: 6 g
- Carbohydrates: 46 g
- Sugar: 35 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Sodium: 246 mg
- Cholesterol: 52 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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I have been cooking this recipe for years and everyone says it is hands down the best carrot cake they have ever tasted. You have nailed both the cake and the frosting. It has quickly become our go-to birthday cake. For ease we cook it in a 9×13 aluminum pan which makes it easy to take to church, work and other functions.
Another 5-star recipe! “Best Carrot Cake Ever!” was awarded to Once Upon a Chef’s Carrot Cake Recipe by the only people’s opinions I care about- my family’s. This is my absolute GO-TO website for recipes. My question is (and I’m sorry if this is a dumb one) but I am wondering if I can use olive oil instead of vegetable oil, and would the amount be the same? I think olive oil would lend itself well to the nutty/fruity depth of this cake, but there may be other things at play that I am not aware of.
Hi Kimberly, so glad your family likes the cake! I prefer vegetable oil here because of its neutral flavor, but if you’d like to add the flavor of olive oil to the cake, it’s perfectly fine to use (and you would use the same amount). BTW, there are no dumb questions! 😊
Absolutely amazing!! I was wondering how it would be without pineapple and it was stellar!
This will be my go-to recipe going forward thank you so much!!
Hi Jenn
Am I going mad? Did you change the method a little? I had your recipe bookmarked as I liked it so much but I thought it originally asked for oil and eggs to be added to the carrots in the food processor so they can emulsify before being added to the dry ingredients. I made it using this recipe and that method and it tasted just as good as before so I assume this is the same recipe with a slightly different method. Am I right?
Hi Wendy, Yes, I did change the method a bit—and I’m sorry if I made you question whether you’re going mad! As someone who often wonders the same thing (hello, getting older!), I know how it feels! The recipe is indeed the same, just with a slightly different method. I’m glad to hear it still tasted just as good!
How would you substitute the all
Purpose flour for say coconut flour here?
Hi MJ, I don’t think coconut flour will work in this recipe — I’m sorry!
I loved this cake! It turned out perfectly and looked exactly like the picture. I plan to make it again for a fundraiser auction item. It’s beautiful, delicious, and impressive in size. Great step-by-step directions.
I did make one adjustment by using chopped raisins instead of currants since I had everything else in my kitchen and didn’t want to make a trip to the store. It worked well and I doubt it changed the recipe in any significant way.
This is my first time making Carrot Cake and it surely turned out great.
Because I didn’t even get chance to taste it.