This is my favorite Carrot Cake Recipe of all time, with a moist and tender crumb and the perfect blend of spices. It’s loaded with carrots and studded with crunchy pecans and raisins (which are optional, but nice!), and you’ll love the perfect whipped cream cheese frosting.
This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy.
Helpful Reader Review
“I have made this cake several times now and it never fails to be a winner. It’s so moist and flavoursome, it’s one of my all-time Natasha’s best recipes…” – Ivy ★★★★★
Best Carrot Cake Recipe
One of my favorite cakes growing up has always been homemade carrot cake, but store-bought carrot cakes have always missed the mark for me – they’re either too sweet, too dense, or too dry. After years of testing and perfecting this recipe, I can confidently say this sets the bar high for any carrot cake lover. It’s no wonder it has scores of 5-star reviews. You’ll love this winning combination of the perfect cake base and fluffy Cream Cheese Frosting.
Carrots should be the prominent ingredient of any carrot cake, and this one does not disappoint. It’s also super moist from the addition of applesauce and olive oil. This cake is so satisfying, you could even enjoy it without any frosting. There’s so much going on in the flavor and texture of the cake between the shredded carrots, crunchy pecans, and sweet raisins.
Carrot Cake Video
In this video tutorial, I’ll show you how to make and decorate this Carrot Cake. You will be surprised at how quickly and easily this cake comes together. This is the perfect Easter dessert following a glorious Baked Ham and Au Gratin Potatoes!
Ingredients for Carrot Cake
- Carrots – the star ingredient and key to a moist carrot cake. Use peeled whole carrots and avoid baby carrots or pre-shredded carrots.
- Oil – I use light olive oil to add richness to the crumb, but you can substitute it with canola oil or vegetable oil.
- Sugar – I combine granulated sugar with brown sugar, which contains molasses, adding moisture and a little bit of acidity to create a more tender crumb.
- Eggs – add moisture and richness to the cake. Make sure they are at room temperature.
- Applesauce – adds extra moisture and creates a denser, more tender crumb. You can also substitute lightly drained, crushed pineapple.
- Spices – warm spices of cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and clove add flavor and enhance the carrot flavor. Pumpkin pie spice or apple pie spice are convenient substitutes instead of using several individual spices.
- Raisins and Pecans – these are optional, but I love the textures and flavors they add. You can substitute the nuts with walnuts, almonds, cashews, or shredded coconut.
How to Make Carrot Cake
The process for making this carrot cake comes together in 2 bowls (no mixer required!).
- Dry ingredients – In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients: flour, sugars, salt, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and cloves, breaking up the brown sugar if you see clumps.
- Wet ingredients – in a second mixing bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients – oil, apple sauce, and eggs until well blended.
- Combine – Pour the wet ingredients over the dry ingredients and stir until moistened, scraping down the bowl.
- Add-ins – Fold in carrots, pecans, and raisins (if using) just until incorporated.
- Bake – Divide the batter between 2 greased 9-inch cake pans and bake at 350˚F for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Cool – Rest in the cake pans for 15-20 minutes then run a knife or spatula around the edges to release the cakes and transfer to wire racks to cool completely before applying frosting.
How to Frost and Decorate Carrot Cake
You can decorate this cake any way you like. You can roughly spread the frosting for a traditional look or pipe the frosting as I have done here. If you want to replicate this look, watch the video tutorial above to see detailed instructions for decorating this dreamy carrot cake. Here’s what you will need:
- Piping Bag – I love the disposable ones
- Large Open Star Tip – I use a Wilton 1 M
- Offset Spatula – this makes the process much easier and more precise
Can I make this in a 9×13 cake pan?
I love the ease of rectangular pan cakes like our Pumpkin Cake and Tres Leches Cake. You can bake this carrot cake in a 13×9 cake pan. Prepare your pan as directed in the recipe, then bake at 350˚F for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Can I make carrot cake cupcakes?
Yes! Check out our Carrot Cake Cupcakes recipe for instructions on converting this recipe to cupcakes.
Make-Ahead and Storage Tips
I love this carrot cake for the holidays because it can be made in advance without suffering in quality or flavor. You can either make individual parts ahead of time or fully assemble the cake ahead of time, since it keeps really well in the refrigerator or freezer.
- Cake Layers – once the cake layers are cooled to room temperature, wrap in plastic wrap and keep them at room temperature overnight. Cake layers can also be frozen for up to three months.
- Assembled Cake – once the cake is fully assembled, you can cover and refrigerate it for up to 3 days. Carrot cake can be frozen for 2-3 months.
- To Serve – If frozen, thaw in the refrigerator overnight. This cake can be served at room temperature or chilled from the refrigerator. Just slice and serve.
How to Keep Sliced Cake Moist?
Frosting will keep a cake moist, but once a cake is sliced, the cake part that is exposed can quickly dry out. If you are storing leftover cake, place a piece of plastic wrap directly over the sliced part of the cake to keep the cake moist.
Carrots are such a versatile ingredient. I love carrot recipes from Roasted Carrots to Creamy Carrot Soup and of course, carrot desserts. If you’re a fan of carrots, this Classic Carrot Cake is a must-try! Layered with our Cream Cheese Frosting, it is such a nostalgic and comforting dessert that makes everyone happy.
Easy Carrot Cake Recipe (VIDEO)
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour, *measured correctly
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
- 2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp ground allspice
- 1/4 tsp ground cloves, optional
- 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
- 1 cup extra light olive oil, or vegetable or canola oil
- 4 large eggs, room temperature
- 3/4 cup applesauce, or drained crushed pineapple
- 3 cups finely grated carrots, 14 oz or 6 medium carrots
- 1 cup pecans, *plus more to garnish, optional
- 3/4 cup golden raisins, or regular raisins, optional
Instructions
How to Make Carrot Cake:
- Prep: Preheat the oven to 350˚F with a rack in the center of the oven. Butter two 9-inch round cake pans, line the bottoms with a ring of parchment paper and lightly butter the parchment. Set aside.
- Dry Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, add flour, both sugars, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, cloves and salt. Whisk to combine and break up any brown sugar clumps.
- Wet Ingredients: In a second mixing bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients: oil, eggs, and applesauce just until well combined. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and use a spatula to fold until combined.
- Add-Ins: Use a spatula to fold in the carrot, nuts and raisins if using and fold until well incorporated.
- Bake: Divide the batter evenly between the cake pans and bake in a fully preheated oven for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Cool: Let the cake rest in the pans for 15-20 minutes then transfer to a wire rack and cool to room temperature before applying frosting and decorating. Meanwhile, make the Cream Cheese Frosting.
To Frost The Carrot Cake:
- Set the first cake layer on a cake platter and spread on a generous amount of Cream Cheese frosting (about 1/4 of the batch).
- Set the second layer over the frosting with the top-side-down to create an even frosting surface. Lightly crumb coat the cake with frosting then apply more frosting to the top and sides of the cake.
- Use a piping bag fitted with a large open star tip to pipe puffs of the remaining frosting around the top of the cake and sprinkle remaining pecans around the edges.
Notes
*To improve the flavor of pecans, toast them on a dry skillet, tossing frequently until fragrant then cool and chop. You can also substitute pecans with walnuts, almonds, cashews or shredded coconut.
Nutrition Per Serving
Filed Under
More Classic Cake Recipes
If you love classic cakes like this Carrot Cake, then you won’t want to miss these time-tested cake recipes:
- Tiramisu Recipe
- Classic Cheesecake
- Vanilla Cupcakes
- Easy Strawberry Cake
- Pumpkin Cheesecake
- Chocolate Cake
- Red Velvet Cake
- Flan
I love your instructions, photos and notes, however, how come there is no vanilla?
Thank you for your site, it’s great!
Hi Matiana! This recipe has so much flavor from all the spices and ingredients that it’s not necessary. You can definitely add some.
My grandson wants to enter a carrot cake for his 4-H project in the county fair but it won’t be refrigerated. What other frosting could he use besides cream cheese?
Hi Karen! He could use a Vanilla Buttercream Frosting or Swiss Meringue Buttercream frosting.
First time making carrot cake and it came out so moist and delicious! 🥕🧁
Only hiccup—my frosting melted a bit and looked yellow instead of white 😅 Not sure what went wrong, but still tasted amazing.
Used 2 cups of powdered sugar instead of 3—perfectly sweet for me.
Absolutely loving these recipes! 💛
Natasha, Beginner this is absolutely fantastic and such a great dig a spoon in on passing Carrot Cake, Thank you so much for recipe.
Hi Peter! I’m so glad you enjoyed this cake!
This has to be the most amazing cake I have ever made! This cake is so delicious, the first time I made it last year no one believed I made it, my family was convinced I bought it! At 65 years old I am finally baking thanks to you Natasha, watching your videos has taught me so much, I am no longer afraid to bake, no more box cakes for me! I have made a number of your recipies and I am super excited! Thank you!
Hi Eileen! I’m so glad you enjoyed the cake, and I’m happy to know my videos are helpful. Thank you for the review.
I have been on the hunt for the perfect carrot cake. One that has all the spices, the right amount of sweetness, and easy to whip up. As a fellow Baker, (well, I only bake cupcakes, so I am not as great as you)I knew when I saw this recipe I had to try it. I am not a big fan of raisins, so I left these out. However,as I started blending the wet and dry ingredients, it reminded me of that one slice of carrot cake I bought, but could never find another slice exactly like it. It smells AMAZING!!!! I cannot wait to taste it, though I need to practice patience as it is yet to cool down. Thank you for this amazing recipe. You have one more follower,😀.
Hi Monique! I’m so glad you found this recipe!