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A moist, tender homemade carrot cake covered in a sweet cream cheese frosting. The perfect carrot cake recipe!
I have been searching for the best carrot cake on the planet and I found it! This is everything a carrot cake should be — a moist spiced cake with a perfectly sweet cream cheese frosting.
I have eaten some really dry, flavorless carrot cakes in my day and I was determined to make a carrot cake that was so moist…it almost melts in your mouth. Since Easter is coming up, I wanted to figure the absolute best carrot cake recipe to bring to our family gathering. This is the best carrot cake I have ever tasted in my life so we had success!
Why you will love homemade Carrot Cake:
There’s a reason carrot cake is a timeless favorite — it is moist, sweet, and brimming with warm spices. The luxurious cream cheese frosting balances everything perfectly.
- This carrot cake is so moist! It has a generous amount of oil which keeps it very moist. Grated carrots give it a soft crumb as well.
- The Best Cream Cheese Frosting. The sweet, tangy frosting perfectly complements the carrot cake. It is a match made in heaven!
- Classic Cake and Crowd Pleaser: It is one of the most classic and popular cakes. You can find it at birthdays, Easter brunch, or any dessert table.
Carrot Cake Ingredients:
The key ingredients are freshly grated carrots, oil, sugar, brown sugar, eggs, flour, baking soda, baking powder, and cinnamon. Golden raisins and pecans are optional. The cream cheese frosting is made with butter, cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla.
CARROT CAKE:
- Canola or Vegetable Oil: Keeps the cake moist and tender. Oil also ensures the cake stays fresh for days.
- Sugar
- Brown Sugar
- Eggs
- Flour: Use all-purpose flour or cake flour or half of each type of flour.
- Baking Soda and Baking Powder: Provide lift and help the cake rise.
- Salt
- Cinnamon: Adds warmth and a classic spiced note to homemade carrot cake.
- Carrots (peeled and finely grated): Finely shredded carrots blend seamlessly into the batter.
- Chopped Pecans (optional)
CREAM CHEESE FROSTING:
- Butter (softened): Use salted butter or if you use unsalted butter, add a generous pinch of salt.
- Cream Cheese (softened): Always use full-fat block cream cheese.
- Powdered Sugar: Sweetens and thickens the frosting.
- Vanilla Extract (or scraped vanilla bean)
I love to use oil when I make carrot cake since it makes it extra moist. There is plenty of butter in the frosting to bring the rich buttery flavor!
How to make the BEST Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting:
In a large bowl, beat together oil, eggs, and sugars. Whip for 3 minutes.
Grate the carrots. Add the carrot and the rest of the dry ingredients. Mix just until combined. If you want to add raisins or pecans, fold them into the cake batter.
Pour into greased cake pans (I use non-stick cooking spray). You can use three 8-inch cake pans or two 9-inch cake pans. I prefer to use 8-inch pans since it creates a taller cake.
Bake just until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool in the pans for 15 minutes and then turn onto a wire rack. Let the cake layers cool completely.
Make the cream cheese frosting by whipping butter and softened cream cheese for 4 minutes. Scrape the sides of the bowl and add the powdered sugar and vanilla. Continue to beat for 1-2 minutes until light and fluffy.
Spread cream cheese frosting over each layer. Cut into slices and serve.
Tips for baking homemade carrot cake:
How to know when cake layers are done baking:
Toothpick Test: Insert a toothpick into the center; if it comes out with a few moist crumbs (but not wet batter), the cakes are done.
Press the center gently…it should spring back if baked through.
Tips on getting cake layers out of the cake pan:
Loosen cake from pan: Run a thin knife around the edges to loosen, then invert onto a cooling rack to cool completely before frosting.
Use Parchment: Trace the cake pan onto parchment paper and cut out the circle or buy parchment paper circles. Place it on the greased bottom of the pan for extra insurance.
Don’t Rush: Let the cakes rest briefly after baking. Warm cakes are more prone to tearing.
How to frost Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting:
Crumb Coat (Optional): Spread a thin layer of frosting on the first layer. Top with the second layer and apply a light coat of frosting over the entire cake. Chill briefly to lock in crumbs.
Final Layer: Add a thicker layer of frosting, smoothing with an offset spatula or swirling for a rustic, naked cake look.
Decorate: Add chopped pecans, toasted coconut, or carrot ribbons if desired. I would suggest to 1 1/2 times the cream cheese frosting recipe if you would like to make extra decorations.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s):
1. Can I make carrot cake without nuts? Absolutely! Nuts (like pecans or walnuts) are optional add-ins. You can also add raisins to the carrot cake batter as well.
2. Why use oil instead of butter in carrot cake? Oil yields a moist, tender cake that stays fresh longer. It also complements the texture that carrots bring.
3. How do I store leftovers? Because of the cream cheese frosting, refrigerate leftover slices in an airtight container for up to 3–4 days. Allow them to come to room temperature before serving.
4. Why is my cake greasy or dense? Common causes: Overmixing the batter, using too much oil, or not measuring flour properly. Spoon and level your flour (instead of scooping) to avoid excess.
5. Can I freeze carrot cake layers? Yes. Wrap cooled layers tightly in plastic wrap and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge, then frost.
MORE FAVORITE CAKE RECIPES FROM MODERN HONEY:
- LEMON Olive Oil Cake
- VANILLA Cupcakes
- YELLOW Cake with Chocolate Frosting
- Love at First Sight CHOCOLATE Cake
- Chocolate RASPBERRY Cake
- COCONUT Cake
- RED VELVET Cake
- Jeff’s Best BANANA Cake
- Southern CARAMEL Cake
- BERRY Chantilly Cream Cake
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More Cake Recipes:
Also, check out my sweet Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe.
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The Best Carrot Cake Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 cups Canola or Vegetable Oil
- 1 cup Sugar
- 3/4 cup Brown Sugar
- 6 large Eggs
- 2 1/4 cups Flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Baking Soda
- 2 teaspoons Baking Powder
- 3/4 teaspoon Salt
- 1-2 teaspoons Ground Cinnamon
- 1 1/2 lbs. Carrots (peeled and finely grated)
- 3/4 cup Chopped Pecans (optional)
Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 1 cup Butter (softened)
- (1) 8-ounce pkg. Cream Cheese (softened)
- 4 1/2 cups Powdered Sugar
- 2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract (or scraped vanilla bean)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, beat together oil, sugar, brown sugar, and eggs for 3-4 minutes, until light and fluffy.
- Add dry ingredients and mix just until combined. Fold in grated carrots and pecans (if using). If you would like to add raisins, add 3/4 cup.
- Spray cake pans with non-stick cooking spray. Use two 9-inch or three 8-inch cake pans. It can also make three 9-inch cake layers, although the layers will be thinner. Divide cake batter evenly between the pans.
- Bake 9-inch cake layers for 28-34 minutes. Bake three 8-inch cake layers for 22-28 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Let cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely. To help with frosting the cake, place the cake layers in the freezer for at least 30 minutes.
Cream Cheese Frosting:
- Whip softened butter and cream cheese for 3-4 minutes. Scrape the sides of the bowl. Add powdered sugar and vanilla and whip for 1-2 minutes longer. Frost the cake layers with cream cheese frosting.
Notes
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This cake is so moist and delicious!! Thank you for the amazing recipe.
Thank you for making this recipe, Delaney!
Really good recipe! So moist!
Made this carrot cake and it was a hit! My housemates loved it and couldn’t get enough. I didn’t have pecans so I used walnuts. This is my new go-to recipe for carrot cake.
I’ve made this cake about 4-5 times & it’s always a hit! 😊 I’m curious if it will be fine if I use this same recipe for cupcakes?
I reduced the oil to 1 and 2/3 cups (LouAna) peanut oil and it was very moist and tender.
Making a second time today at families request for a birthday. It’s that good!
So moist and delicious! Love the cream cheese frosting.
I’ve made carrot cakes in the past with great success but lost my favorite recipe. When I found this one I worried about all of the oil in the recipe and concerned about one review saying oil was coming out of the bottom of her pan. I did not have an issue with that but make sure you mix the wet ingredients very well. I served this at Easter and everyone was so happy with the results. I also made the lemon raspberry cake with great success as well!! Thank you for posting the most amazing cake recipes!!!!
Hi- do we use cake flour?