The BEST Carrot Cake Recipe
This is my favorite homemade carrot cake recipe! This cake is so easy to make, perfectly moist, and topped with an easy homemade cream cheese frosting.
I feel like carrot cake is a dessert most people tend to only make around Easter. But honestly, carrot cake is such an incredible dessert and I think it should be enjoyed all year long. Especially when it comes to this recipe!
I know it can be a bold statement to call a recipe the best, but I truly mean it with this one. In fact, over the last 6 years this recipe has received nearly 600 5-star reviews – and counting!
Originally posted in 2017, I decided it was finally time to update this popular recipe with more step-by-step photos and tips to ensure that it turns out perfectly for you. I guarantee that once you learn how simple it is to make your own carrot cake from scratch, you’ll want to make it over and over again.
What You Will Need
While there are quite a few ingredients in this recipe, I promise it’s fairly simple. I won’t cover every single ingredient, but I wanted to touch on a few important ones:
- Spices: There’s a mix of ground cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg. All three spices add such a wonderful flavor to this cake, but aren’t too overpowering. Feel free to add more spices, if you prefer though.
- Oil: Any kind of neutral-flavored oil is fine to use here, but I typically use vegetable or canola oil. You may also use melted coconut oil, just make sure all of your other ingredients are at room temperature so that it doesn’t solidify.
- Applesauce: This adds the perfect amount of moisture, so you end up with a moist cake that isn’t greasy. I always use unsweetened applesauce whenever I make this recipe. If you can only find sweetened applesauce, just reduce the granulated sugar by 2 to 3 tablespoons.
- Sugar: I use a bit more brown sugar than granulated sugar because it adds more moisture and flavor to this carrot cake.
- Carrots: I don’t like to skimp on the carrots when it comes to this recipe, so there’s 3 cups of grated carrots. Make sure to use freshly grated carrots here too. Avoid using a bag of pre-shredded carrots as they are often too dry and thick for carrot cake.
- Cream Cheese: Make sure to use a block of cream cheese. Avoid using cream cheese that’s either whipped or in a tub, it’s typically too thin and will result in a runny frosting.
How To Make A Carrot Cake
Make The Cake Layers
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C). Spray two 9-inch round cake pans well with nonstick cooking spray, then line the bottoms of each pan with a parchment paper circle. This will make it much easier to remove your cake layers from the pan!
- Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, spices, and salt to a large mixing bowl and give it a good whisk.
- In a separate large mixing bowl, whisk together your oil, eggs, brown sugar, granulated sugar, applesauce, and vanilla extract.
- Add the grated carrots to the wet ingredients and stir to combine. Adding them at this point will ensure that they are fully incorporated into your batter and prevent you from over mixing it later on.
- Combine the wet and dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Make sure not to over mix your batter! This can overdevelop the gluten and cause the cake to turn out dense/gummy. Trust me, no one wants that.
- Divide the cake batter evenly between both cake pans. Tip: If you want to get perfectly even cake layers, I recommend using a food scale to weigh your cake batter.
- Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until the tops of the cakes are set and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow to cool slightly in the pans, then remove the cake layers from the pans and transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Mix Together The Cream Cheese Frosting
- Beat the cream cheese until smooth, then add the butter and continue mixing until well combined.
- Lastly, mix in the powdered sugar and vanilla extract. If needed, stop and scrape down the sides of your mixing bowl to ensure that all of the frosting ingredients are thoroughly mixed together.
Assemble & Frost The Cake
- Level the tops of each cake layer. You may use either a large knife or a cake leveler for this step, I personally love this cake leveler. It’s a great option for beginners too!
- Place one of the layers on a cake stand and scoop a little over 1/2 cup of the frosting on top, then smooth it out evenly.
- Place the other cake layer on top and use the remaining frosting to frost the top and sides of the cake. An angled spatula or even the back of a spoon works great for this step! If you want to add a little something extra, feel free to toast some chopped pecans or walnuts and sprinkle them around the top of the cake.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does carrot cake need to be refrigerated?
Yes, if you frost the cake with the cream cheese frosting it does need to be refrigerated. It will keep for 3 to 4 days in an airtight container in the fridge.
Can you freeze carrot cake?
Of course! You can wrap individual slices with plastic wrap and freeze them in a large freezer bag.
The cake layers and frosting can also be frozen separately for up to 3 months. I do suggest wrapping the cake layers tightly with plastic wrap before freezing them.
How do you grate carrots for carrot cake?
The easiest method is to use a box grater and grate the carrots just like a block of cheese. If you have a food processor with a grater attachment, that works too.
I also recommend peeling your carrots and removing any brown spots or blemishes before grating them.
Can I add nuts or raisins?
Absolutely! Chopped walnuts or pecans would be fantastic in this recipe, I suggest using about 3/4 to 1 cup. If you love raisins, you may also add 1/2 cup.
Adjusting Your Pan Size
One of the most common questions is whether or not this recipe can be baked in another pan. The answer is YES!
Here are a few more commonly used baking pans that you can bake this cake in:
- 9×13: Pour the batter into a greased 9×13 pan and bake for 35 to 45 minutes.
- 8-inch round pan: Grease two 8-inch round cake pans and line the bottom of each pan with a parchment paper circle. Pour the batter evenly between the two pans and bake for 35 to 40 minutes.
- Cupcakes: The full recipe will make 28 cupcakes. Only fill each liner about 2/3 of the way full so that they don’t overflow and bake for 16 to 20 minutes. I also recommend doubling the frosting to have enough to cover all of the cupcakes. If you prefer a smaller batch, try my carrot cake cupcakes instead.
Baking Tips
- When measuring your flour, don’t scoop it out of the container with the measuring cup. Instead, stir the flour around, spoon it into your measuring cup, and level it off with the back of a knife. I have a whole post that explains the spoon & level method.
- Don’t have any applesauce? You may replace it with 1/2 cup of plain Greek yogurt, sour cream, or one 8-ounce can of crushed pineapple that’s been drained.
- I opted to stick with my favorite cream cheese frosting. It makes enough to frost the carrot cake like you see in the pictures. If you really love frosting, then I suggest increasing the recipe by half.
- Additional frosting options: If you want to try another frosting, my vanilla buttercream frosting, ermine frosting, or the whipped honey mascarpone frosting I used on my Pistachio Cake recipe would be delicious too.
Video Tutorial
The BEST Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
This is my favorite recipe for homemade carrot cake! This cake is so easy to make, perfectly moist, and topped with an easy homemade cream cheese frosting.
Ingredients
Servings: 10 slices
For the carrot cake:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour spooned & leveled (250 grams)
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup canola or vegetable oil (180ml)
- 4 large eggs at room temperature
- 1 ½ cups packed light brown sugar (300 grams)
- ½ cup granulated sugar (100 grams)
- ½ cup unsweetened applesauce (125 grams)
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 3 cups lightly packed grated carrots (300 grams)
For the cream cheese frosting:
- 1 (8-ounce) package brick style cream cheese (226 grams) softened
- ½ cup unsalted butter (115 grams) softened
- 2 cups powdered sugar (240 grams)
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- To make the carrot cake: Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Spray two 9-inch round cake pans well with non stick cooking spray and line the bottom of each pan with a parchment paper circle. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and salt until well combined. Set aside.
- In a separate large mixing bowl, whisk together the oil, eggs, brown sugar, granulated sugar, applesauce, and vanilla extract until fully combined. Add the grated carrots to the wet ingredients and mix until well combined.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix with a whisk or rubber spatula until just combined, making sure not to over mix the batter.
- Pour the cake batter evenly between both prepared cake pans. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until the tops of the cakes are set and a toothpick inserted into the center of each one comes out clean.
- Remove from the oven, transfer to a wire rack, and allow to cool in the pans for 20 to 25 minutes. Once the cakes have cooled, remove from the pans and return the cakes to the wire rack to finish cooling.
- To make the cream cheese frosting: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large mixing bowl using a hand-held mixer, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Add the butter and mix for about 30 seconds to 1 minute until well combined and smooth.
- Add in the powdered sugar and vanilla extract and continue mixing until fully combined, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- To assemble the cake: Level the tops of each cake with a knife or cake leveler. Place one of the cake layers on a cake stand, top with a little over 1/2 cup of the frosting, and smooth it out into one even layer. Place the other cake layer on top and use the remaining frosting to frost the top and sides of the cake. Top with pecans or other toppings of choice, if desired.
Notes
Storage Instructions: Cake may be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Freezing Instructions: Cake and frosting will freeze well for up to 3 months, thaw overnight in the fridge and bring to room temperature before assembling the cake.
Applesauce: You may replace the applesauce with 1/2 cup (120 grams) of sour cream or plain Greek yogurt.
To make a 9×13 cake: Spray a 9×13 pan with nonstick cooking spray and pour the batter into the pan. Bake at 350°F (180°C) for 35 to 45 minutes.
Did you make this recipe?Mention @livewellbakeoften on Instagram or tag #livewellbakeoften.
Adapted from Better Homes & Garden
More Carrot Cake Desserts To Try!
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Carrot cake is one of my favorite desserts, and only 1 of 2 favorites that I’d never made myself. So I thought I’d finally give it a try, and made this cake over the weekend, and it was AMAZING!!! I usually have to tweak recipes a bit to get them to my liking, but this one needed no tweaking at all for flavor. I just took the advice to increase frosting measurements by half to make sure I had enough. I garnished the top with chopped walnuts. VERY delicious, and my entire family really enjoyed it. Thanks for sharing. I know this will become another one of our holiday dessert staples from here on out.
Just made this cake and everybody loved it! Do I keep the leftovers in the fridge or is it ok out on the counter? This will be a family favourite from now on 🙂
Since there’s cream cheese in the frosting, it’s best to store it in the refrigerator.
Hello! Just came across this recipe and will try this weekend! I also just received a KitchenAid mixer and this will be my maiden voyage! Can I use dark brown sugar instead of light? Thank you Danielle and I sent my email to get your baking tips!
Best,
Sam
Yes, it would be fine to use dark brown sugar!
Wow! You’re so awesome, first time I have ever received a recipe question reply! Thank you lovely Danielle!
Can I use this recipe for a 9″ x 13″ cake pan? If so, how would I adjust the time allotted for baking?
Yes, baking time is 35 to 45 minutes.
Made this recipe into cupcakes with gluten free flour and a plant based cream cheese for the frosting. Baked them for 25 minutes and they came out perfect! I smashed two as soon as they were cool enough to frost!
Can I use avocado oil instead of vegetable oil.
As long as it has a neutral flavor, that would be fine.
My 14 yr old son has been getting into baking, and we followed this recipe exactly for a 9×13. Best carrot cake we have ever had, never mind made. Thank you for this keeper of a recipe!
Can I bake this cake in a bunt pan? If so, how long would i bake it for?
Yes, that would be fine. Baking time should be 45 to 60 minutes.
Thank you for this recipe. I baked this cake yesterday with my 3yr old son and it came out perrrfect. I added walnuts and raisins and baked it all in one larger cake pan for about 45min. Delish ?
Hi cake is fine but my frosting is runny and sweet
Ingredients were exactly rights
Advice appreciated
Thanks
Jan
Hi, Janice! Did you make sure to use a brick or block of cream cheese? Cream cheese spread in a tub is too thin and can cause that to happen.
This cake is too delicious!!! I love it!! Thanks for sharing the recipe!! This is really the best carrot cake that I ever had!! No kidding!
Here comes another question… For how many days can the cake with frosting be fine in the fridge? Can I reheat it afterwards (with frosting on top)?
Thank you!!! 🙂
You can refrigerate the cake for up to 4 days. I wouldn’t recommend reheating it in the microwave because it will cause the frosting to melt. I recommend just placing it on the counter ahead of time so that it can come to room temperature.
Hello Danielle,
Your cake looks amazing!!
I can only find Great Value sweetened cinnamon applesause for now. Could you please make some recommendations about how I can adjust the amount of sugar and cinnamon in this case? Thank you!
It would be fine to use it in the recipe without any adjustments. You can reduce the granulated sugar by 2 to 3 tablespoons, but it shouldn’t make too much of a difference.
Thank you! I definitely will share the result with you! Can’t wait to try it! 🙂
I did half recipe but with just one half cup brown sugar , double applesauce , and used wheat flour instead , and raisins ,perfect cupcakes !!! Healthy !!!
This truly is the BEST carrot cake I have ever had!!! The recipe was so easy follow and the cake was perfect!! I used sour cream instead of applesauce and I thought it made the cake super moist!! I didn’t have 9 inch pans so I actually used 6 inch pans and did a three layer cake. I put raisins in the middle layer. YUM!! I baked each 6 inch cake for about 30-35 minutes. The one with raisins had to bake a bit longer. The cream cheese frosting was super yummy too! I added a dash of cinnamon to the frosting because I love cinnamon. But before the cinnamon it was perfect! I added pecans on the side of the bottom layer and did frosting swirls and frosting carrots on the top. My family loved this cake!! I will definitely be making it again!!
Best carrot cake recipe out there! Super moist! My guests said it was better than the one they had at a gourmet place where they paid $10 a piece
Looks great! Can I make this in a Bundt cake pan? Also, do you think adding golden raisins into the mix would be a nice touch?
Yes, that would be fine. Baking time should be 45 to 60 minutes. Golden raisins would be fine too!
Hi! This looks sooo delicious! Just wondering, how would you suggest I alter the recipe if I wanted 2, 6″ layers of cake? Thank you:)
I haven’t tried it, but you may be able to cut the recipe in half and bake it in two 6-inch cake pans. You could also make the full recipe and use any leftover batter to make cupcakes.
Would I be able to make this cake the night before? If so, how would you recommend storing it?
Yes, that would be fine! If you frost it, just be sure to store it in an airtight container in the fridge. I would leave it on the counter for an hour or two so that it can come to room temperature before serving it.
I plan on making the cakes the night before and frosting it the next day. Should I store the cakes in the fridge or leave at room temp? Thank you for replying.
Either way is fine! I do prefer to refrigerate them that way the layers are firmer and it’s easier to frost the cake.
This recipe was AMAZING! I am not a baker, not even close. I decided to bake a carrot cake on a whim, and this recipe was easy to follow and all recommended steps/ingredients made for a delicious result. The cooking time and temp, which causes me issues somewhat often with executed entree recipes, was dead on. The cake was lightly browned at 33 minutes/350 degrees, cooked completely through, and retained so much moisture. The only variance is that I added 1 cup of chopped walnuts to the batter and half a cup to the icing (could’ve handled more as a texture preference honestly). Follow the recipe steps and you are golden!
Your carrot cake looks so delicious and moist! Amazing recipe 🙂
I have made this before with rave results. Can I make this with gluten free flour? If so, which do you recommend?
I honestly haven’t tried this with gluten-free flour. I would recommend trying one that substitutes 1:1 for all-purpose flour.
Thanks Danielle.
Made this recipe last night for my dad’s birthday… carrot cake is his favorite. It was delicious! Moist, but not oily… the ground ginger and combination of spices brings it to a whole new level. Saved the recipe for future use!
Can I freeze this carrot cake?
When is best to do so?
Prior to baking or bake first and than freeze?
Please advise.
Thank you.
Danielle
Yes, you can freeze it! I recommend baking the cake layers, letting them cool completely, then wrapping them tightly with plastic wrap. They should keep for up to 3 months, you can thaw them overnight in the refrigerator.
Mine came out like 2 pancakes and I followed the recipe to a tee even weighing instead of measuring. I don’t know why this happened but I’m going to put the blame on me because everyone else loved it.
Have you tested your baking soda and baking powder to make sure they’re still fresh?
I made this cake for my Honey’s Birthday and it was delicious and surprisingly easy !! I made it in a 2.5″ x 9″ pan and increase the cooing time.
I would like to add walnuts to the mix. Will it change the mixture or cooking time?
No, it won’t change anything. You can add 3/4 to 1 cup of chopped walnuts.
Could I use this receipe to bake in a 6 x 3 inch pan
It would probably be too much batter for one pan, but you could divide it between two maybe three pans that size.
Danielle tks
I made the receipe and baked it in a 6 x 3” and a 8” pan. It is delicious i love it. Thanks
I made this cake for New Year. It really is one of the best carrot cakes I have ever tasted. It is super easy to make, very moist and tasty! Fully recommend this recipe. I wish I had more than 5 stars.
This cake was amazing. I’m not even really a huge Carrot Cake fan but I was eating the “cut off” part as a snack while doing other things. Only change I made was to the frosting. I added maple extract instead of vanilla and wow. BEST FROSTING EVER.
Hi. Can you make it in 2 8- inch tins?? If so,for how long??. Thank you very much
Yes, that would be fine. I would increase the baking time 5 to 10 minutes.
Is there an adjustment for high altitude? I’m about a little more than a mile above sea level and this totally affects my baking. I’d love to make this carrot cake… But I’m hesitant due to altitude.
Hi, Amy! I’m not familiar with high altitude baking, but some readers have found this guide from King Arthur Flour helpful.
I made this cake for Christmas Day dessert and it was perfect! Full disclosure, I don’t usually bake, but with being home so much, I have been learning new things and baking is one of them. Also, for Christmas, my fiancé got me a Kitchen Aide stand mixer, and this was its maiden voyage! I chose this recipe because of the applesauce. I thought that would make the cake moist and I was not wrong. This cake is delicious! I followed the recipe to the letter and the cake is a huge hit. The only change I made was that I increased the icing by 1/2 because there wasn’t enough to do a double layer cake. I even did the walnut accent around the circumference of the cake. It was beautiful!