With its outstanding spice flavor, super moist crumb, and velvety cream cheese frosting, this is truly the best carrot cake. Use brown sugar and toasted pecans for deeper flavor.
I don’t call it carrot cake. I call it “birthday cake.” It’s my one and only choice on my big day. I’ve adopted this tradition and make my own carrot birthday cake each year. And, of course, we never limit it to only once per year. This is always my top choice for Easter dessert recipes and I love making it for spring brunches, baby showers, and our community’s new bake sale.
In fact, this carrot cake recipe is so popular around here that I stopped asking what everyone wants for dessert! Because it’s always this!
And, finally, I firmly believe that the ONLY thing that competes with carrot cake is a batch of carrot cake cupcakes.
What Does This Carrot Cake Taste Like?
This carrot cake sets the standard for carrot cakes everywhere. It’s deeply moist and filled with toasted pecans. Most of its flavor comes from brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and carrots. Ginger adds the most delicious zing, but it isn’t overpowering at all. The cake is dense, but each forkful tastes super soft and extra lush. If made ahead, the flavor intensifies and the cream cheese frosting seeps into the layers, creating an even more tender bite.
So if you’re looking for a make-ahead cake whose taste and texture won’t be compromised, make this! It’s a total classic and 1 taste converts everyone, even those silly people who “don’t like carrot cake”. Who ARE you people?! 😉
Let’s Make It!
This carrot cake is pretty easy, but let’s walk through the process together.
Begin by toasting pecans in the oven. Spread them on a baking sheet and bake for about 8 minutes. Toasting the nuts is optional, but you won’t regret doing it. Toasting pecans creates an unparalleled deep nutty flavor—I love using them in my hummingbird Bundt cake and pecan pie cheesecake, too. Let the nuts cool down for a couple minutes, then start the carrot cake batter. Begin with 2 mixing bowls. Whisk the dry ingredients together in 1 bowl, then the wet ingredients in another bowl. Combine the two, along with shredded carrots and the toasted nuts. You don’t need a mixer for the cake batter!
Instead of a layer cake, you can bake this recipe in a 9×13-inch pan. It’s also perfect as the bottom tier for a homemade wedding cake!
How to Make Carrot Cake Moist
If it isn’t stick-to-the-back-of-your-fork moist, it’s just not worth it. So I worked to create an EXTRA moist carrot cake. Don’t skip these ingredients:
- Brown Sugar: I’ve come across a lot of carrot cake recipes that are sweetened with mostly granulated sugar. That’s great, but granulated sugar doesn’t do much for the cake besides sweeten it. Brown sugar not only sweetens cake, it produces so much flavor and moisture. It’s just… the best!
- Oil: Cakes need fat to make them soft and tender. When preparing cakes without super strong flavors such as vanilla cake and white cake, I prefer to use butter as the fat. Butter also gives them flavor. But for cakes like chocolate cake and carrot cake that have flavor from other ingredients, I find flavorless oil is the best choice.
- Applesauce: To prevent the cake from tasting too moist (wet) and oily, I add some applesauce. You could even use crushed pineapple, too! These flavors pair beautifully with brown sugar and spices.
- Freshly Shredded Carrots: My #1 tip for carrot cakes is to shred whole carrots at home. Do not use packaged pre-shredded carrots because they are hard and dry. You need about 4 large carrots for this recipe. And when you grate them, you’ll notice how wet they are. That is PRIME moisture for your baked cake and you don’t want to skip it! Same principle applies when using zucchini in my zucchini cake, too.
Cream Cheese Frosting
The carrot cake frosting? Well, that’s easy too. It’s so smooth, tangy, and glides on the cake seamlessly. I call it spreadable cheesecake and it tastes unbelievable with this cake’s deep spice flavor.
Ingredients: You need brick-style cream cheese, butter, confectioners’ sugar, vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt. The salt helps offset the sweetness.
If you’re looking to pipe decoration with this cream cheese frosting, chill it in the refrigerator for 20 minutes first. This guarantees the creamy frosting will hold its shape.
And if you’re not a fan of cream cheese frosting, these vanilla frostings will work just as well: vanilla buttercream, Swiss meringue buttercream, and not-so-sweet whipped frosting.
There’s no emotion quite like sadness you’ll experience when that last slice is gone!
Carrot Cake Success Tips
- Line your cake pans with parchment. Place your cake pans on a large sheet of parchment paper. Trace the bottom of the cake pan with a pencil, then cut the circles. Grease the pan and the parchment paper. Parchment paper rounds guarantee the cakes won’t stick!
- Make it ahead. One of the BEST parts about carrot cake is that it gets better with time, even after 1 full day. The flavors mingle, the moisture prevails, and the cream cheese frosting sets into the layers. It’s ridiculously good! You can make and frost the cake 1 day in advance. Keep it covered in the refrigerator and bring to room temperature, if desired, before serving.
- Use freshly grated carrots. Grate them yourself.
My Favorite Carrot Cake Recipe
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 3 hours, 30 minutes
- Yield: serves 10-12
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
With its outstanding spice flavor, super moist crumb, and velvety cream cheese frosting, this is truly the best carrot cake. Use brown sugar and toasted pecans for deeper flavor.
Ingredients
- 2 cups (260g) chopped pecans (1 cup for cake, 1 cup for garnish. Nuts are optional.)*
- 1 and 1/2 cups (300g) packed light or dark brown sugar
- 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
- 1 cup (240ml) vegetable oil or canola oil (or melted coconut oil)*
- 4 large eggs
- 3/4 cup (133g) smooth unsweetened applesauce
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 and 1/2 cups (312g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 2 cups (260g) grated carrots (about 4 large)
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 16 ounces (452g) full-fat brick cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- 1/2 cup (8 Tbsp; 113g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 4 cups (480g) confectioners’ sugar
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- pinch of salt, to taste
Instructions
- Make the cake: Preheat oven to 300°F (149°C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Spread the chopped pecans on the sheet and toast for 7-8 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 10-15 minutes.
- Turn the oven up to 350°F (177°C). Grease two or three 9-inch cake pans, line with parchment paper rounds, then grease the parchment paper. Parchment paper helps the cakes seamlessly release from the pans. (If it’s helpful, see this parchment paper rounds for cakes video & post.)
- Whisk the brown sugar, granulated sugar, oil, eggs, applesauce, and vanilla together in a large bowl until combined and no brown sugar lumps remain. In another large bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves together. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and, using a rubber spatula or wooden spoon, fold the ingredients together until just combined. Fold in the carrots and 1 cup of the toasted pecans. (The rest of the pecans are for garnish.)
- Pour/spoon the batter evenly into the cake pans. If using three cake pans, bake for 20-24 minutes. If using two cake pans, bake for 30-35 minutes. Test the center with a toothpick. If it comes out clean, the cakes are done. If not, continue to bake until cooked through. Do not over-bake. Allow the cakes to cool completely in the pans set on a wire rack. The cakes must be completely cool before frosting and assembling.
- Make the frosting: In a large bowl using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a whisk or paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese and butter together on medium-high speed until smooth, about 2 minutes. Add the confectioners’ sugar, vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt. Beat on low speed for 30 seconds, then increase to high speed and beat for 3 minutes until completely combined and creamy. Add more confectioners’ sugar if frosting is too thin, a little milk if frosting is too thick, or an extra pinch of salt if frosting is too sweet. Frosting should be soft, but not runny.
- Assemble and frost:Â First, using a large serrated knife or cake leveler, layer off the tops of the cakes to create a flat surface. Place 1 cake layer on your cake turntable, cake stand, or serving plate. Evenly cover the top with frosting. Top with 2nd layer, more frosting, and then top with the 3rd layer. Spread remaining frosting all over the top and sides. Decorate the sides and top of the cake with the remaining toasted pecans. Refrigerate cake for at least 15-20 minutes before slicing. This helps the cake hold its shape when cutting.
- Cover leftover frosted cake tightly and store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Notes
- Make Ahead & Freezing Instructions: The cake layers can be baked, cooled, and covered tightly at room temperature overnight. Likewise, the frosting can be prepared then covered and refrigerated overnight. When ready to decorate, let the frosting sit at room temperature to slightly soften for 15 minutes, then give it one more mix with the mixer on medium speed for about 1 minute before frosting cake. Frosted cake or unfrosted cake layers can be frozen up to 2-3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and bring to room temperature before decorating/serving.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): Baking Sheet | Silicone Baking Mat or Parchment Paper | Box Grater | Glass Mixing Bowl | Whisk | Wooden Spoon | Silicone Spatula | 9-inch Round Cake Pans | Electric Mixer (Handheld or Stand) | Cake Turntable | Icing Spatula | Cake Carrier (for storage)
- Nuts: If desired, you can substitute the pecans with walnuts. Or feel free to skip the nuts if you want a nut-free carrot cake. No other changes to the recipe required.
- Applesauce: Instead of applesauce, you can use 3/4 cup crushed pineapple if desired. Slightly drain the canned crushed pineapple first. You want it the consistency of applesauce—not too watery. You could also use 3/4 cup mashed bananas, sour cream, plain yogurt, or canned pumpkin puree.
- Carrots:Â My #1 tip for carrot cakes is to grate whole carrots at home. Do not use packaged pre-shredded carrots because they are hard and dry.
- Oil: If using melted coconut oil, make sure all of the other cake batter ingredients (carrots included) are room temperature. Otherwise, the melted coconut oil will begin to solidify before the batter goes into the oven.
- Cream Cheese: Use bricks of real cream cheese. Not cream cheese spread.
- 9×13 Inch Cake: Simply pour the batter into a greased and lightly floured 9×13-inch pan and bake for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Carrot Bundt Cake: Use a 10-12 cup generously greased Bundt pan. Bake for 55-75 minutes. All ovens and bundt pans are different, so that’s why the bake time varies. Keep a close eye on it.
- Add-Ins: If you’d like to add raisins or coconut, reduce the pecans (or leave them out) to 1/2 cup. Then, add 1 cup of raisins or shredded coconut. Stick to around 1 – 1.5 cups total add-ins. Or you can leave the cake plain without any add-ins.
- Carrot Cake Cupcakes: Fill cupcake liners 2/3 full. Bake at 350°F (177°C) for 20-22 minutes. Yields about 2 dozen. Or try my carrot cake cupcakes recipe.
Quick question…. Can I use this recipe for Carrot Cake pops??
Hi Sam,I don’t see why not! It would make a lot of cake pops but you can follow our assembly directions in our post on cake pops.
Sally, I love your recipes, but now live at 5,280 ft. How would I adjust this to bake a mile high?
Hi Giuliano, I wish we could help, but have no experience baking at high altitude. Some readers have found this chart helpful: https://www.kingarthurflour.com/learn/high-altitude-baking.html
This cake is amazing! For anyone omitting sugar, I used one cup of a maple syrup and honey mix and it was the perfect sweetness. I also just used lactose-free cream cheese, a few tablespoons of oat milk and icing sugar for the topping and inner layer which works really well (one pack of cream cheese + as much icing sugar as was needed to create the right consistency).
I made this carrot cake and added 1/2 c of raisins that I soaked in water to plump them up and cut the pecans to 1/2 c. I made the 3 layers and it came out so delicious. This recipe has been added to my favorites. Great recipe.
This recipe was amazing!! I turned it into mini cakelets and they were perfectly moist with a bit of a caramelized crust on the outside. Absolutely scrumptious! I did not have applesauce so I replaced it with sweet potato puree. It worked perfectly and even added to the carrot orange color! I will be using this recipe for years to come, thank you for sharing!
I’ve made this as a cake before and it was AMAZING. I’m pretty much exclusively baking desserts from your website now! Your frostings in particular blow all others out of the water. Quick question – I know you have notes on here about cupcakes, but would I be able to make mini cupcakes instead? Or should I use your Super Moist recipe instead? How does making a mini cupcake change the baking time or oven temp? Thank you!
Hi Kristen, so happy you love this cake! For mini cupcakes, we suggest using this Carrot Cake Cupcakes recipe (a smaller batch) and following the mini cupcake directions included in step 3. See recipe notes for flavor changes and optional add ins!
I made this Carrot Cake for my wife’s birthday. It came out so delicious. She loved it. Just amazing. All the flavors come together very well.
Better than any we have ever tasted.
Hey Sally, whenever I search a recipe and you’re site comes up it’s the first I go to. Thank you. Wondering if you’ve tried this cake with fresh ginger and how you think that would taste?
Hi Aveh, You should be able to use finely grated fresh ginger but keep in mind that ground ginger is much stronger in flavor than fresh ginger.
I made it in a 9 x 13 Glass Pan. I cut the Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe in half for the 9×13 Cake.
Baked for 30mins. Perfection! I did add 1/2 Cup of Shredded Coconut and 1/2 Cup of Raisin and cut the Pecans to 3/4 Cup. Super Moist and Full of Flavor!!! My New Go-To Carrot Cake Recipe!
I’m very excited to try this recipe, but I have a question: I just have one 9 inch springform pan that I want to use. Can I just bake it in there and put the frosting only on top? Or maybe slicing it in the middle after its baked to make a layer of frosting in between? Its just for 6 people so I dont necessarily aim at several layers I guess.
Hi Zuzu! This will be too much batter for a 9 inch springform pan. I would use this smaller carrot cake recipe instead! https://sallysbakingaddiction.com/super-moist-carrot-cake/
I made this cake just yesterday and it’s absolutely delicious. I cut down on the sugar (used about 2/3 of the amounts of both brown sugar and granulated sugar in the recipe) and decided against frosting as we are trying to eat less sweet at home. I also used fresh carrots, which I grated myself, and I made my own applesauce. Instead of pecans, I used a mix of walnuts, pecans, and macadamia nuts, and used 0.4 olive oil rather than canola. The result was fantastic. It’s so moist! It’s the first carrot cake I make that doesn’t inevitably become drier than it should. The taste is amazing. I will be making it again very soon. Lovely recipe. Thank you so much!
This cooked up BEAUTIFULLY! I am not typically a huge fan of cream cheese frosting. But this frosting is perfect, not too sweet not too tart and a great texture.
Made this as pie break during Thanksgiving dinner this year and the cake was a massive hit! Highly recommend.
What I did:
– Got fresh carrots from supermarket and freshly grated them as Sally suggested
– Reduced the sugar by 15-20% in frosting and cake
– Oiled the pan and the parchment paper and the cakes slid out perfectly
Best carrot cake ever! It was moist and the spices are just right! My coworkers all loved it and asked for the recipe. I love the way the recipe is written and also the notes at the bottom which answer questions you may have. Thank you so much!
Hi sally I made this cake it was delicious we all loved it but the only thing was my cake had sunk in the middle I don’t know what happened I left it out to cool I came back and it had sunk any idea why? Or how can I make it better next time? But overall great recipe!!!
Hi Alyssa, A cake that sinks in the middle is often under-baked. If it still seems a bit raw in the center next time bake it for a minute or two longer.
I’ve tried this one twice, and while it should be good and does eventually come out good, I always have to cook it at least 2x the baking time. I did 2 pans for 30-35 mins at 350 both times. This second time it just *won’t cook*!!!! I don’t get it. It’s freaking *wet* in the middle. I’m really frustrated because I guess now all I can do is throw it out.
Better than any carrot cake I’ve had! Especially store bought. My new favorite thing to bake.
Oh my gosh! These are the best carrot cake and cream cheese icing recipes I’ve EVER made (and I’ve been baking for 45 years!)
The cake is so moist and the icing has just the right sweetness/cream cheese combination.
I baked mine in a 9 x 13 glass pan for 40 minutes. It’s my definite favourite and I’ve passed it on to my adult kids. Thanks for sharing!
Loved this recipe!
I made this cake for my grandpa’s birthday and he loved it!
I don’t often comment on recipes. But I have to say this carrot cake is tried and true. I make it for most occasions and have made 4 times already this year for celebrations. Thank you !
I love to keep the cake recipe (I always add a little less sugar to be honest) and I’ve found 275 g of a mix of sugars is good for my taste. I make my own cream cheese frosting with lemon zest, cinnamon, vanilla and salted butter to taste 🙂 . Thank you Sally!- there are not many other recipes online I can say will be in my “lifetime” recipe book.
Best. Carrot Cake. Ever! I am not a huge carrot cake person (and even so I really liked this cake!) but my Mom is and asked for one for her birthday. I made the cake per the recipe but left out the clove and cut back on the nutmeg and ginger a smidge. It made a big 3 layer cake! My Dad wanted to send some home with me but I said just freeze it in slices to enjoy later. I asked him about it and he said it never made it to the freezer. It was so good they couldn’t stop eating it! So moist and full of flavor!
If I want to make a tall, four-layer cake, should I double this recipe? Excited to try it out for my grandmother’s birthday soon!
Hi Georgie, We recommend that you make the recipe twice instead of doubling it for the best texture. You can make each recipe in two pans instead of three – If using two cake pans, the bake time will be 30-35 minutes. We hope your grandmother has a great birthday!
I love this cake! I am an experienced home baker, but had never made a carrot cake. This recipe is amazing and the result was so professional looking! I love your recipes Sally! They are so clear and methodical. I made your Lemon Meringue Pie a few months ago and it was the bomb. Posted a picture on Instagram!
I am rating four stars because the cake is amazing but the icing method is off. I followed the recipe and it turned soupy so I had to throw it out and start again. When making cream cheese icing it’s best to beat the butter first and then add the cream cheese because otherwise you can over whip the cream cheese, which causes the liquid in the cream cheese to dissolve the sugar and makes it liquid instead of fluffy. Also I used a tablespoon of flour to coat the nuts and coconut before adding them to the mixture. Great recipe. Thanks!!!
Made this recipe today. Its good, its moist, but for me it is lacking that punch of flavor to make this an excellent recipe. I will keep looking for my favorite carrot cake recipe.
I am not a great baker – I’m about 50/50 on success. But this cake was flawless when I needed it to be. My husband’s birthday cake! I was so proud when the guys at the office told him it was the best cake they’d ever had. I have noticed, men in general, like spice flavored cakes. Thank you. Im so encouraged Im thinking about buying some 6″ pans to make as Christmas gifts. Thank you very much.
Hi! I am about to try this cake for my birthday!
I would like to add a 3rd layer and was wondering what changes need to be made to do that? This is my first time baking a cake, wish me luck!
Hi Makeda, you can certainly make this cake into 3 layers. Use 9-inch cake pans and bake for 20-24 minutes. Hope you have a wonderful birthday!
Wow! This cake was incredible! Easy to put together and tasted fabulous. I made the following changes to cake recipe: 1/3 cup sugar instead of the 1/2 cup sugar (with goal of not having overwhelmingy sweet cake) and crushed pineapple instead of applesauce. Cake was moist, flavorful and also presented beautifully as a three layered cake. I only have one cake pan, so I was up late baking that third layer, but it was worth it! Also, that icing is so simple, light and perfect with this cake! Recipe makes more than enough icing. I made it for family and friends at a labor day cook out and received rave reviews.
Tip: I cooked the cake layers the night before and let them cool at room temperature, wrapped individually in plastic wrap to make sure they stayed fresh. Placed the layers in the freezer a few hours before icing so that they were easier to work with (not fully frozen). Thought it might be helpful for others as making layered cakes was a pretty new experience for me and I read this somewhere else!
I baked this for a family holiday dessert. After I started, I realized I didn’t have either pineapple or regular applesauce. I substituted two snack cups of unsweetened cherry applesauce, decreased the oil to 3/4 cup and increased carrots to 3 cups. I also missed the part about “chopped ” pecans and used pecan halves. I also made it in a 9×13 pan and baked for 45 minutes. This is one of the best cakes ever! Toasting the pecans really adds to the flavor. It was moist and carrotty. Not too sweet. I used my own cream cheese frosting recipe. Next time I will add raisins. This is a very forgiving recipe that can handle tinkering and still come out delicious! Thanks for sharing!
Outstanding! I really appreciate having both cup & weight measures and even better, a recipe that is easily halved if required. I reduced the sugar to 150g total on the recommendation of a previous baker from NZ and left out the nuts completely due to co-worker preference. I have so much delicious icing left over I’ll be baking another carrot cake soon. It received rave reviews from my office.