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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This cake looks amazing! I only have one baking pan that’s approximately 9,44 inches (24 cm). Is it possible to cook the whole batter in one pan and then cut it in two, to make the two layers? And if so, how would that affect the baking time?
I haven’t tried it yet, but if the cake pan is deep enough then I imagine that you can. I’m not sure on baking time, but you would need to increase it.
If I only have sweetened applesauce how am I to adjust the recipe to fix that? Can I, or is it crucial I buy unsweetened? I want to make this recipe for a couple’s 47th anniversary.
You can reduce the granulated sugar by a couple tablespoons, but I think sweetened applesauce will be fine and shouldn’t really affect the taste.
Made this for my boyfriend’s birthday and it was delicious!! I didn’t have applesauce but I’d made pumpkin puree so I subbed that. Added a layer of toasted walnuts in the middle and decorated the top. Great recipe!
Thank you, Audrey! Glad to hear the pumpkin puree worked well for you too.
Can I Make this cake in one pan instead of two? Would it be the same?
I had a reader mentioned that she baked it all in a springform pan and then slice it in two, but I haven’t tried that personally. You can use a 9×13 pan, the baking time would be about 35-40 minutes or a bundt pan (I’d guess this baking time to be 45-60 minutes).
This is an excellent recipe. I used ground cloves instead of nutmeg and baked it in 1 spring form cake pan all at once, then cut it into 2 layers and frosted. Highly recommend
Thank you, Julieann. So glad you liked the cake!
Hi Danielle,
I was wondering if I could substitute egg whites for the eggs in this recipe? Something like eggbeaters?
Thanks,
Lisa
Hi, Lisa! I’ve had success substituting 2 egg whites (or about 1/4 cup egg substitute) for an egg in some recipes. I haven’t tried it before with this cake though, so I’m not sure how it would turn out. I would really suggest using 4 eggs if you can.
I have made this recipe twice and it is super delicious. A hit with both my husband who is not a cake person and my daughter who was never a big carrot cake fan. One question for ya…my cake tends to fall (sink) a bit in the center after taking it out of the oven. I’m not sure why that happens…could it have anything to do with altitude? I live in AZ in the high country…elevation of 5400 feet. Any suggestions?
So glad everyone liked the cake, Melissa! I’ve never had that happen before so I’m not quite sure. If you’re careful not to over mix the cake batter or open the oven door, then it may be the high altitude. I’ve had some readers find this guide helpful for high altitude baking: https://www.kingarthurflour.com/learn/high-altitude-baking.html.
My husband wanted a carrot cake for his birthday. He was raised by his great-grandmother and she made everything from scratch. He loved her carrot cake so I figured this being the first time I made one that it may not be a hit but thought I would give it a go. So glad I did he absolutely loved this cake he said it tasted really really good it was just like Mama’s. Thanks so much for this recipe!! My grandmother made one just like this too loved hers and unfortunately I lost her recipe but I think I just found a carrot cake just like she made too!!
That is so wonderful to hear, Bonnie! I’m glad you both enjoyed the carrot cake.
My kiddos have egg allergies. Any suggestions on egg substitutes? I was able to substitute for 1-2 eggs in previous cake recipes but I’ve never tried substituting 4 eggs in one recipe.
Hi, Linda! I haven’t tried an egg replacement in this cake, so it’s hard to give a suggestion. I’ve heard that you can substitute 1/4 cup applesauce for 1 egg in a recipe, but that would be an extra cup of applesauce in this cake and I’m not sure how well it would work. Have you tried replacing eggs with flax eggs in cakes? That may be a better option.
What if I use a bundt pan? How long will it need to bake?
I would guess the baking time to be about 45-60 minutes.
Thank you for this recipe! I don’t normally make cakes that don’t come from a box but I decided to give this a try. I made it for my daughter’s birthday party and it was a huge hit! Thank you!
So glad to hear that the cake was a hit, Sara!
My husband wants carrot cake for his birthday this year, all I have is 8 inch pans. Should I go buy 9’s or will the 8’s cook evenly? I know box cake mix gives times for all sorts of shapes/sizes, but all of the carrot cakes I’m finding recipes for are 9 inches, so I wondered if there’s something of the texture that is better in the larger pan.
Hi, Melissa! I typically use 9-inch cake pans just because it’s what most people have on hand, but 8-inch cake pans will work fine too. You’ll have either have taller layers or you may be able to divide it between 3 pans and make a 3 layer cake, just increase the baking time as needed.
Sooo delicious! Made this recipe for my husband’s birthday and he said it was the best carrot cake he’d ever had. Home run! Thank you for such a delicious recipe!
So happy to hear that, Lauren! Thank you!
I love this cake! I am going to bake another one for my grandsons birthday but it has to be stored in the fridge for a day and a half before I will frost it for the party. I don’t know how long it takes for you to reply but I’m crossing my fingers that it will turn out ok. Thanks for the great recipe!
That will be fine, Rebecca! Just make sure to wrap the cake layers tightly and you can frost the cake the day of the party.
Thanks for the reply! I just took the cake out of the fridge to warm up. It seems fine. I’ll frost it in a couple of hours. My family loves this cake. I predict a tradition!
Hubby and l are diabetics, so l tweaked the recipe to suit us. Used 1 cup of brown sugar in the cake and 2 tbsp of icing sugar, just to camouflage the sourness of the cheese.
The best carrot cake so far!
The applesauce really makes it moist! Thank you.
So glad you were able to make the carrot cake work for you! Thank you for sharing!
Hi! This cake looks amazing! I can’t wait to make it. I live in Florida, and in concerned about transporting the cake. Will the frosting hold up in a little heat? Or should I freeze it before trying to drive somewhere with it?
It really depends on the temperature and how long it will take to transport it. I wouldn’t suggest leaving it anywhere too warm for too long since the frosting does have cream cheese in it. You could refrigerate the cake and then transport it if it won’t be too long.
Made this cake for my girlfriend for her birthday who is quite a “carrot cake connoisseur” and it was ranked 2nd best on her list! Not bad for a first attempt homemade cake! Cake was beautifully moist and the flavors were spot on. I used dark brown sugar and threw in some walnuts for the extra flavor and texture. Turned out amazing!
So glad to hear that the cake turned out great, Lee!
Thank you so much for this incredible recipe! I made it gluten and rice free, and despite it being my first time making carrot cake, it turned out really well! This recipe is wonderful, easy to follow, very moist and super yummy! My step-mother is gluten and rice free (just a little bit makes her very sick), so I wanted to make this gluten free. Instead of flour I used almond flour and added Guar Gum (1 tsp per cup of flour) and then doubled the baking powder to make up for it. I also did not have enough carrot so I added apple, and put lemon juice on them. I was out of baking soda so added a bit more lemon juice. I made Greek yogurt cream cheese frosting too and added dried cranberries. It’s so good! Thank you so much! My younger sisters even ate it 🙂 have a wonderful day!
So glad you liked the carrot cake and were able to make it gluten free, Eva!
Hi – if I want to bake tonight and serve tomorrow how would you recommend storing it? Should I make the frosting also tonight or wait until I want to serve?
So sorry for the delayed response! You can make and frost the cake the night before and refrigerate it, then just set it on the counter so it can come to room temperature before serving. You can also prep the cake layers and frosting the night before, let them both come to room temperature and frost the cake. You can also prep the frosting the day of and just frost the cake that day too. Either way would be fine!
Making my first carrot cake from scratch ?
I blended the carrots instead of grating (was a little confused whether to measure 3 cups before or after grating), but it turned out fabu! I also added whipping cream to the icing to make it lighter. I think my hub will love it (its his bday!) Thank you!
You grate the carrots, then measure out 3 cups. I’m glad it still turned out great for you though! The whipping cream is also a wonderful idea!
Hi! Can I remove the applesauce and ginger? if not, what can I replace the applesauce with? Thank you!
You can remove the ginger, but you’ll need to replace the applesauce with something. You replace it with an 8-ounce can of crushed pineapple that’s been drained or 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt.
I’ve made carrot cake from many recipes, this is by far the THE best recipe.
Thank you, Donna! I’m glad you liked the carrot cake!
Hello can I add raisins to this recipe? And if so when should they be added?
Thanks.
Yes, absolutely! I have a note for this in the baking tips section. You can use 1/2 cup to 3/4 cup depending on how much you prefer. You can add them to the batter once you combine the wet and dry ingredients.
This was fantastic. First time making carrot cake. Cake was so moist. Look forward to checking out more recipes.
Thank you, Julie! I’d love to hear if you try any other recipes!
Help! My batter isn’t a “pour” consistency and I followed the directions to a T. What should I do?
The batter won’t be super thin, but you should still be able to kind of pour/scoop it into the baking pans. Was the batter super thick?
What can I use instead of apple squce I can’t find it
You can use an 8-ounce can of crushed pineapple that’s been drained or 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt.
The batter seems awfully thin and liquidy. I measured everything exactly. Is it going to turn out right? I’m tempted to add more flour.
The batter for this cake is thinner. I wouldn’t suggest adding more flour because it will affect the texture of the cake.
I made this cake for my daughter’s birthday,
and goodness gracious…it was •HANDS•DOWN•THE•BEST
carrot cake we’ve ever had!
Thank you, Christina! So glad you liked the cake!
Hi! Looks amazing. I am wanting to make this for a bridal shower but doing a small 3 tier cake with pan sizes as following: 3×2, 5×2, 7×2.
Should I just half the recipe?
Thank you!
I’m not quite sure because I haven’t baked it in those pans. If you halve the recipe it may be enough, but if you want to be on the safe side it may be best to make the full recipe and use any leftover batter to make cupcakes.
Thank you so much. I will just do that
I want to make this in a 13×9 pan. I need it to serve about 20 people. Any suggestions on cooking temp or time change?
You can keep the oven temperature the same, just adjust the baking time to 35-45 minutes.
Hi can I adapt this recipe and remove the sugar totally? Or replace it with applesauce totally? Would like to bake for my baby’s first birthday! Thanks!
I wouldn’t suggest it for this recipe, it would completely affect the taste and texture.
I use coconut sugar and it is fabulous!
Glad to hear it turned out great with the coconut sugar, Amanda!