Homemade Carrot Cake
Easy Carrot Cake Recipe is made with layers of spiced cake, carrots, pineapple juice & nuts and topped with an amazing cream cheese frosting!
Why We Love Carrot Cake
- There’s always a wonderful reason to make a beautiful homemade carrot cake, like birthdays, bridal or baby showers, holidays, it’s Wednesday…
- Moist, rich, and filling, there are so many flavors to love in this carrot cake recipe, from the cinnamon ginger spiced cake to the sweet cream cheese frosting!
- This carrot cake is made from scratch and is an ode to carrots. So there are no pineapple chunks or bits of coconut, just sweet carrots and delicious pecans!
- Simple yet elegant, this scrumptious carrot cake is a show-stopper and the perfect way to make any day feel special!
Ingredients You’ll Need to Make This Simple Carrot Cake Recipe
DRY INGREDIENTS: To make this cake you will need all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ground cinnamon, ground ginger, and ground nutmeg. You’ll need chopped pecans as well, but if you prefer walnuts go ahead a swap them in.
WET INGREDIENTS: Set out a few eggs to come up to room temperature. You will also need sour cream, vegetable oil, pineapple juice, and vanilla extract.
CARROTS: Purchase a few medium-sized carrots. If you want to cut down on prep time, you can purchase a 10-ounce bag of shredded carrots instead.
CREAM CHEESE FROSTING FOR CARROT CAKE: To make the frosting you will need softened cream cheese, room temperature unsalted butter, vanilla extract, powdered sugar, and milk.
GARNISH: I like to decorate this cake with pecan halves and more chopped pecans. You can use whatever you prefer or serve the cake with just the frosting as the finishing touch.
How to Make Carrot Cake
Jump to RecipeSTEP 1 Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and grease and flour two 8-inch pans. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger together.
STEP 2 Using a stand mixer (or a large mixing bowl and a hand mixer), beat together the oil and sugar. Add in the egg, vanilla extract, and sour cream and mix until combined and smooth.
STEP 3 Mix half of the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Then add the pineapple juice and mix. Add the remaining dry ingredients and mix until the cake batter is just combined. Using a spatula, fold in the pecans and shredded carrots.
STEP 4 Pour half of the batter into each pan and smooth evenly. Bake the cakes for 35-40 minutes, or until a tester comes out clean.
STEP 5 Remove the cakes from the oven and allow them to cool for 20 minutes in the pan on a wire rack. Run a knife around the edges and then turn the cakes out onto the rack. (If you have any trouble getting the cakes out, you can let them cool in the pans the entire time.)
STEP 6 To make the frosting, beat the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla together. Add the powdered sugar and beat until smooth. (If the frosting is too thick, thin it with a little milk. If it’s too thin, add some more powdered sugar.)
STEP 7 Level the top of each cake with a serrated knife. Save the scraps for a little treat for yourself. Or you can crumble them up, add a big spoonful of frosting, and make carrot cake truffles.
STEP 8 Place one cake on a cake plate or serving platter, cut side up, and spread a thick layer of frosting even over the top. Place the second cake on top, cut side down, this will make the top nice and even. Frost the entire cake. Garnish with pecan halves and chopped pecans. Keep refrigerated until you are ready to serve.
Tips & Tricks
- Pre-shredded carrots are a good option but are typically drier and can be more noticeable in the cake, so for best results, grate the carrots yourself.
- If you are a carrot cake with coconut lover be sure to add 1/2 cup of shredded coconut to the batter when you add the carrots and nuts!
- Also, if you love raisins and/or pineapple in your carrot cake, you can add an 8-ounce can of drained crushed pineapple, and 1/2 cup raisins to the batter when you fold in the carrots and pecans.
- Carrot cake is a wonderful cake to make the day before, but remember to store the cake covered in the fridge whenever you’re not enjoying it. You can store it for up to five days or wrap it well and freeze for up to three months.
The Best Carrot Cake Recipe FAQ
What does carrot cake taste like?
Carrot cake is a huge favorite because it tastes like a spice cake with pecans and a drool-worthy cream cheese frosting. The flecks of carrots don’t really provide any flavor but do add to the rich moistness of the cake, along with pretty pops of color. The pineapple juice in this recipe also helps to add moisture to the cake, as well as a little delicious sweetness.
Is carrot cake healthier than regular cake?
Anytime you add a veggie to baked goods there are some nutritional benefits! In the case of carrot cake, adding carrots slightly increases the vitamin A and fiber of the cake. Does this make the cake healthy? No. Carrot cake is a rich, decadent dessert that has sugar and all the other goodies that make your sweet tooth happy!
Why is carrot cake so high in calories?
The high-calorie count in this carrot cake comes mainly from a few ingredients, namely the sugar, oil, sour cream, and cream cheese frosting. These ingredients make the cake incredibly moist and delicious, so you need each one to make this perfect cake! Be sure to share this cake with all your favorite people so that you don’t have to worry about all the calories!
Other Recipes You May Like
- Lemon Raspberry Cake
- Lemon Bundt Cake with Strawberry Frosting
- Homemade Chocolate Cake
- Mom’s Best Ever Coconut Cake
- Homemade Red Velvet Cake
Homemade Carrot Cake Recipe
Ingredients
Carrot Cake
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¾ cup vegetable oil
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4 ounces sour cream
- ¼ cup pineapple juice
- 5 medium carrots peeled and grated (3 cups)
- ¼ cup pecans finely chopped
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon milk plus more as needed
- Pecan halves for garnish
Instructions
Cake
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour two 8-inch cake pans. Set aside.
- In a medium mixing bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger until well combined. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat together the oil and sugar until combined. Add the eggs and vanilla and mix until completely incorporated. Add the sour cream and mix until smooth.
- Add half of the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix. Add the pineapple juice and mix. Add the rest of the dry ingredients, and mix until just combined.
- Stir in the carrots and chopped pecans into the cake batter with a rubber spatula. Pour the batter into the prepared cake pans, half in each pan. Smooth into an even layer and tap the pan on the counter to help remove any air pockets.
- Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the edges pull away from the pan slightly and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Carefully remove the cakes from the oven. Cool for 20 minutes in the pans. Run a knife around the edge and then transfer the cakes to a wire rack to cool completely. (If you have trouble getting the cakes out, you can let them cool in the pans the whole time so they don't break.)
Frosting
- In a medium mixing bowl, beat together the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla until combined. Add the powdered sugar and beat until smooth. If the frosting is too thick, add 1 tablespoon of milk and beat the frosting again. If it's still too thick add 1 more tablespoon of milk and beat until smooth.
Assembly
- Level each of the cakes using a serrated knife. Place one cake layer, cut side up, on a cake plate or serving platter. Generously frost the top of the cake layer.
- Place the second cake layer on top of the first, cut side down, so that you have a flat top to the cake. Cover the top and sides of the cake with the remaining frosting.
- Place 12 pecan halves evenly around the outer edge of the cake. If desired, add some chopped pecans around the bottom edge of the cake. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Notes
- A 10-ounce bag of pre-shredded carrots from the store can be substituted for whole carrots if you want to save prep time.
- To make your cake look a little fancier, you can also coat the sides with chopped pecans.
- If you’re into raisins, coconut, and/or pineapple in your carrot cake, you can add an 8-ounce can of crushed pineapple that has been drained, 1/2 cup of shredded coconut, and/or 1/2 cup of raisins to the batter when you add in the carrots & pecans.
Nutrition
All nutritional information is based on third party calculations and is only an estimate. Each recipe and nutritional value will vary depending on the brands you use, measuring methods and portion sizes per household.
This month for feast & devour we’re cooking with carrots! From sweet to savory there are recipes for every-bunny. Ha! See what I did there. #nerd So grab a big bunch of carrots and get your favorite recipes by clicking the links below!
- Homemade Carrot Cake from Bread Booze Bacon
- Blue Ribbon Carrot Sheet Cake from I Heart Eating
- Paleo Maple Carrot Cupcakes from Cooking with Curls
- Carrot Orzo from Home.Made.Interest.
- Carrot Orange Punch from Sugar & Soul
- Carrot Cake Pancakes from Bread Booze Bacon
- Carrot Cake Sandwich Cookies from Celebrating Sweets
- Maple Butter Carrots from The Two Bite Club
- Mini Carrot Cake Loaves from It Bakes Me Happy
This recipe doesn’t say when to add the carrots…. I almost just made a carrot cake with no carrots! Haha! hopefully it turns out good, you may want to update the recipe. Thank you for sharing!
OMG! I can’t believe I missed that step!! Thank you so much for letting me know Stacee! I really appreciate it!!
How long do you bake for cupcakes?
I haven’t made this recipe as cupcakes, but based on your standard cake mix time differences, I’d say 20-25 minutes. You could even check the cupcakes for done-ness (toothpick in the center) as early as 18 minutes and go from there. Hope this helps!
Hi Julie. 2nd time I have made ur cake,cake GREAT,. I can,t seem to get the frosting
Right,still runny. Could u suggest something else.
Sorry to be such a bore.
Thanks Chris.
Hi Chris! If the frosting is not thick enough you can try two things. Option 1) Add more powdered sugar until it’s thick enough. Option 2) Chill the frosting for 30+ minutes until it’s firmer. This chilling time lets the butter and cream cheese chill down and solidify more.
I have this problem too in the summer with my frostings. Arizona gets so hot!