This Vintage Carrot Walnut Cake is closer to a European-style carrot cake. It’s fluffier and airier than the traditional American Carrot Cake, but it’s perfectly soft and moist. The cream cheese frosting has a marshmallow-like fluffiness that will make you want to lick the spatula, the whisk, the bowl and your fingers if needed ;).
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Vintage Carrot Cake Video
I hope you enjoy this video on how to make this “Rustic” European-style Carrot cake.
Handed Down Recipe for Vintage Carrot Cake
Why I love this rustic carrot cake so darn much? It’s not overly sweet. Most store-bought carrot cakes throw you into a sugar coma after half a slice, but this one is just right; bite after delicious bite. Rave reviews all around (everyone ate a lot of carrot cake this week).
My Mother-in-law shared this carrot walnut cake recipe with me and one of her friends shared it with her who inherited the recipe from her mother. This carrot cake has been enjoyed by several generations and I feel honored to pass it on to you! I baked it three times in 1 week and modified it only slightly to increase the amount of frosting, cut the baking soda in half, and decrease the sugar. It was wonderful!
I love the vintage feel of this cake – it’s easy to bake, easy to assemble, and you’ll love every bite!
More Spring Baking Recipes
There are several flavors and ingredients that I look forward to in Spring, from blueberries that get jammy when baked into desserts to lemons and, of course, carrots! Here are my go-to spring desserts that are perfect for Easter.
Here’s the Print-friendly recipe for this Vintage Carrot Cake. Be sure to print copies for all your friends!
Vintage Carrot Cake (Handed Down Recipe)
Ingredients
Carrot Cake Ingredients:
- 4 large eggs, room temp
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup vegetable oil or extra light olive oil
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour, *measured correctly
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp baking powder
- 1 lb carrots, about 3 cups, grated on the large holes of a box grater
Frosting/Decor Ingredients:
- 16 oz cream cheese, softened at room temp
- 1 stick, 8 Tbsp or 113 grams of butter, softened at room temp
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 1/2 cups walnuts, toasted on a skillet and coarsely chopped
Instructions
How to Make the Vintage Carrot Cake Layers:
- Prep: Preheat oven to 350˚. Butter two 9" round cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper.
- In a stand mixer, whisk 4 eggs and 1 cup sugar on high speed 3 min until thick and fluffy. With mixer on medium speed, add 1 cup oil in a steady stream. Whisk in 1 tsp vanilla.
- Sift 1 tsp baking soda and 1/4 tsp baking powder into 2 cups of flour and whisk the dry ingredients together well. With the mixer on medium low, add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients in fourths, scraping down the bowl as needed. Once flour is fully incorporated, use a spatula to fold in 3 cups of carrots just until evenly combined.
- Divide dough in to two round baking pans and bake at 350˚ for 30-35 min or until toothpick comes out clean (mine was perfect at 30 min). Let cake layers cool in their cake pans for 10 minutes then remove from pans and cool to room temp on a wire rack before slicing layers in half.
How to Make Cream Cheese Frosting:
- Once cake layers are at room temp, make your frosting: With the wisk attachment on med/low speed, cream together 1 stick butter with 2 cups powdered sugar, scraping the bowl as needed (2-3 min).
- With the mixer medium speed, add cream cheese, one chunk at a time. After all the cream cheese is in, set the mixer to high speed and beat the frosting until smooth, fluffy and no lumps remain (5 minutes), scraping down the bowl a couple of times to make sure you don’t have stray cream cheese stuck to the bowl.
How to Assemble the Best Carrot Cake:
- Place the first layer, cut-side-up on a cake platter. Spread enough frosting to cover the top and sprinkle with 2-3 Tbsp of chopped walnuts. Repeat with remaining cake layers and spread remaining frosting around the sides. Decorate the top layer with remaining chopped nuts around the top border and sides of the cake.
Notes
* to measure flour, scoop into your measuring cup and scrape off the top.
Nutrition Per Serving
Filed Under
More European-Style Cakes
I feel spoiled having grown up enjoying my Mom’s European cakes instead of boxed cakes – I can always spot the difference between a homemade cake and a store-bought one or a shortcut cake. If you love cakes that aren’t as sweet as American cakes but definitely have plenty of character and exciting flavors, check out these European-inspired cake recipes. There are so many treasures in this list!
- Italian Tiramisu
- Himmelstorte (Heaven Cake)
- Chocolate Souffle
- Almond Cake
- Baklava
- Blackberry Cake
- Poppy Seed Cake
- Black Forest Cake
Hi Natasha,
Do you think this recipe would be suitable for cupcakes? Would you cut it in half for that?
Hi Anna! I haven’t tried this specific recipe in cupcakes. But here is what one of my viewers said- “I also make them in mini-bite cupcake size and bake them off at 350 for 15 min. and they turn out so good too!” Hope that helps.
Definitely, thanks! I love how much lighter this recipe is compared to other carrot cakes. Going to try these as cupcakes for my Son’s birthday!
Hey Natasha, love love love your recipes!! question for you, is there a carrot cake that has cream cheese as an ingredient besides the frosting? i went to my local bakery and they told me their carrot care is their best seller as they incorporate cream cheese in the ingredients. i havent been able to find any recipe online that has this option and wondering if its a thing. would you know?
Hi Mary! I am not sure, but possibly. Sorry I can’t be more help.
Thanks for your reply. We just love your recipe and will continue making it! It never fails to please the family!
Love, loved this recipe. I always went out to bakeries to buy carrot cake but not anymore. I went w/o the walnuts. Our family is not much of nut eaters and it was perfect!
I would like to make carrot roll as well. What changes would I need to this recipe to make that happen?
Hi Josie! I’m so glad you loved it. I am not sure how this would work for a roll cake, I worry it won’t hold. I recommend using my roll cake recipe for roll cakes. You can use the search bar above to view some options.
Hi Natasha, I love your recipes. One question about the carrot cake. The butter use is unsalted?
Thank you..
Hi Fulvia! It’s unsalted. 🙂
Very disappointed that on recipe it says no where to add chopped walnuts to cake batter itself, however on video it does?
Hi Lisa, on the printable recipe card, you will see that we have walnuts mentioned in step one of How to Assemble the Best Carrot Cake: “Place the first layer, cut-side-up on a cake platter. Spread enough frosting to cover the top and sprinkle with 2-3 Tbsp of chopped walnuts.” I reviewed the video to be sure, but we didn’t add walnuts to the batter either. Are you possibly referring to a different recipe? I wish I could be more helpful.
Grand baby cake the best carrot cake you’ll ever eat i’ve tried a lot and this is the only one I will ever make again
Hi. How many raisins and walnuts would I add to the cake?
My husband likes it with raisins and walnuts.
Hi Annette! I do not have an exact amount, I would just add this based on consistency and preference, just be careful so you don’t overwhelm the batter.
Hi Natasha,
TQ for sharing this recipe. I tried but little change from granu sugar to 3/4 cup of brown sugar. I prefer less sweet. It turns out as great! I have been looking for carrot cake out there but not to my liking, it’s DENSED. Finally I found this! TQ so much.
Hi Kenz! I’m so glad you finally found a recipe you love. Thank you for sharing.
Unfortunately this doesn’t fill the carrot cake craving, I wish I would have read through the ingredients prior to making it. It is very much a plain white cake with added carrots, it lacks the spice and flavor that is usually loaded in a carrot cake! I LOVE most all recipes from this site, but this one needs fixing.
Delicious cake! This is the very first carrot cake recipe that I tried and it was phenomenal! The cream cheese frosting balanced everything out, and it wasn’t too sweet. My family loved it! Thanks, Natasha, for such an amazing recipe!
You’re welcome! I’m so happy you enjoyed it, Amy!
This cake was ok but missing something like spice. Cinnamon or nutmeg just something,
Hi Asia! You may enjoy our other carrot cake recipe.
Hi Natasha,
I made this cake yesterday for a birthday. All I can say is WOW!!! What I loved most about it was that it was not too sweet, like store bought cakes. Also, the amount of carrots that went into it. I was in Heaven! So delicious! Wish I could share a picture of this deliciousness!
Thank you for sharing your recipe! 🎂♥️
So glad you love the cake! Thank you for your good comments and feedback, Josie.
I never see anybody so organize, such a precure to watch you and follow your recipe, everything looks so easy and sample. Beside everything else you are beautiful young lady. When do you have time to keep so nice and neat.
Thank you for that wonderful compliment, Beverly!
A good friend of mine is a huge Carrot Cake fan. About 2 years ago, she asked me to make a Carrot Cake for her for her birthday. I had never made a Carrot cake before, and I have loved all of the recipes that I have tried form Natasha’s Kitchen thus far– She absolutely loved this Carrot Cake and requests me to make a Carrot Cake for her on a regular basis!
Thank you for choosing this recipe to try, I’m glad she loved it!
Natasha, I love your recipes however, this carrot cake needs cinnamon, walnuts or pecans and raisins in the cake for enhanced flavor. The frosting is AMAZING! I’m going to make the cake again with spices stated above. Love your videos.
Hi Linda, I think you will love the carrot cake cupcakes that we will be posting next week. They are more of an American-style Carrot Cake base and are wonderful.
You can use whatever you want, this is a Natasha’s recipe, you should never criticize. Keep it to yourself.