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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Hi Jenn
Love you recipes, thank you so much! Could I leave the nuts out of this cake for allergy sake?
Many thanks,
Kathy
So glad you like the recipes! Yes, it’s fine to omit the nuts. 🙂
I made this, it is very tasty but quite pale in colour? I was expecting it to be darker with all the carrot I used etc.
Hmmm… did you make any changes to the recipe?
This carrot cake is sooooo good. I had been searching for one like this for years. I have made it many times and it is always perfect. It is so moist, with a tender crumb and perfect spice blend! I make it in three 8” layers and ice with 1 1/2 times the icing recipe. This makes it look as special as it tastes. I do leave the currants and nuts out, personal preference. Everyone loves it and I get many requests for the recipe. Thanks Jenn for your recipes. Every one I have made has been great
This was excellent! Much lighter than my usual carrot cake. Couldn’t find currants locally, so used chopped raisins. Everyone enjoyed this cake. Thank you for a great recipe.
Unfortunately, I was very disappointed by this cake. It tastes more like a spice cake than a true carrot cake. Pretty bummed, since usually your recipes are spot on.
Want to make this to bring tomorrow to friends. I never worry about pre-testing a recipe when it’s yours. One quick question though, I only have a glass 9 x 13 baking dish. How will that adjust the baking time?
Hi Jenny, Glass will work — just keep an eye on it and reduce the heat by 25°F if it looks like it’s starting to brown around the edges. Enjoy!
Loved this cake!
Can you use this recipe to make cupcakes?
Glad you liked it! Cupcakes will work — you’ll just need to adjust the baking time; it should be 20 to 25 min for cupcakes.
I love all your recipes! Would I be able to use unsweetened apple sauce to replace the oil?
Thanking you in advance,
Hi Kathy, If you want to go that route, I’d suggest just replacing half of the oil with applesauce. Please LMK how it turns out if you try it this way!
I just made this case and I can’t wait for my husband to get home so we can try it!! Looks and smells so yummy!
Does this cake need to refrigerated or can it sit covered on the counter?
How long do you think it will be good for?
Thank you in advance!
Hi Crystal, It will keep longer if you refrigerate it, but I usually keep it on the counter if it’s only for a day or two. If you refrigerate it, be sure to bring it to room temp before serving. Hope you and your husband enjoy it!
Good morning Jenn, I’m wondering if I could use this same recipe to make cupcakes. Would I have to make any adjustments and if so what would they be. Thanking you in advance!!!?
Sure, Arlene. You’d just need to adjust the baking time; it should be 20 to 25 min for cupcakes.
I’m having trouble finding currants at my local grocery store. Could I substitute for raisins instead? If so, do I need to still soak them?
Thank you so much!
Definitely, Crystal – raisins will work well. 🙂
Thanks Jen! Would I still need to soak them?
Yes I would.
This is a great addition to my family’s baking. Love your simple recipes. I didn’t use as much sugar only 1 cup of granulated sugar in the cake mixture and even reduced the icing sugar in the frosting to half. Was loved by my family. Perfect.
Thank you 😊
Best cake I’ve ever made! Husband loves it and couldn’t believe it has carrots in it. Super moist, great flavor, great texture with the nuts and currants. The only oil I had in the house was extra virgin olive oil, it’s all I cook with, so it went in the cake. I was worried at first the olive oil would ruin the flavor. I tasted the batter and no doubt I could taste the olive oil, husband hates olives, so I thought this cake was doomed. I baked it and frosted it, and man it was super delish! No taste of the olive oil in the finished product.