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The Best Carrot Cake Recipe
4.9 from 1,292 votes

The Best Carrot Cake Recipe

This carrot cake combines grated carrots and optional walnuts with a spiced batter made from cinnamon and nutmeg, along with a balanced mix of sugars, flour, oil, and eggs. It bakes into moist, tender layers that pair well with a creamy cream cheese frosting. The recipe includes detailed baking instructions and tips on pan types and frosting quantities to achieve the best texture and flavor.

Prep Time
30 mins
Cook Time
40 mins
Total Time
1 hr 10 mins
Servings: 14 slices
Calories: 533 kcal
Course: Cake
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

  • 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 cup light brown sugar firmly packed, or dark brown sugar
  • 1 ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1 cup neutral cooking oil use canola, avocado, or vegetable oil, generic cooking oil
  • ½ cup butter melted, unsalted
  • 4 large egg room temperature
  • 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 3 cups carrot peel before grating, grated
  • 1 cup walnuts optional, chopped, or pecans
Cream Cheese Frosting³
  • ½ cup cup (1 stick) butter softened, unsalted
  • 8 oz cream cheese softened (brick-style, not spreadable)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 4 cups powdered sugar

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Preheat oven to 350F (175C) and prepare two 8-inch pans⁴ (see note for using different sized pans) by lining the bottoms with parchment paper and lightly greasing and flouring the sides.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk together your flour, sugars, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
  3. Add your canola oil and melted butter and stir well (batter will be pretty stiff and thick at this point, I usually use an electric mixer or my stand mixer to combine everything nicely).
  4. Add eggs, one at a time, stirring well after each addition.
  5. Stir in vanilla extract.
  6. Stir in carrots and nuts (if using) until ingredients are well-combined.
  7. Evenly divide carrot cake batter into prepared baking pans and bake on 350F (175C) for 40 minutes (toothpick inserted in center should come out mostly clean with only few moist crumbs).
  8. Allow cakes to cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then run a knife around the edge and invert onto cooling rack to cool completely.
  9. Allow cake to cool completely before covering with cream cheese frosting.
Cream Cheese Frosting
  1. Combine butter and cream cheese in a large bowl and use an electric mixer to beat until creamy, well-combined, and lump-free.
  2. Add vanilla extract and sprinkle salt into the bowl and stir well to combine.
  3. With mixer on low, gradually add powdered sugar until ingredients are completely combined (be sure to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl with a spatula).
  4. Once your cake has cooled completely, cover with frosting.

Notes

  • Both light and dark brown sugar work; dark brown sugar adds slightly more moisture and richness.
  • Peel and finely grate about 4 large carrots for best texture; avoid using matchstick carrots which are too thick.
  • Adjust cream cheese frosting quantity to taste; doubling allows for more frosting and decorative piping.
  • Baking times vary by pan size and material; use the toothpick test to check doneness.
  • Store carrot cake in an airtight container; refrigerate if keeping longer than 48 hours to maintain freshness.

Nutrition Information

Serving 1slice (calories calculated with frosting but without optional nuts) Calories 533kcal (27%) Carbohydrates 86g (29%) Protein 7g (14%) Fat 19g (29%) Saturated Fat 8g (40%) Polyunsaturated Fat 5g (29%) Monounsaturated Fat 4g (20%) Trans Fat 1g (50%) Cholesterol 88mg (29%) Sodium 448mg (19%) Potassium 195mg (4%) Fiber 2g (8%) Sugar 65g (130%) Vitamin A 4283IU (86%) Vitamin C 1mg (1%) Calcium 84mg (8%) Iron 2mg (11%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 14 slices

Amount Per Serving

Calories 533

% Daily Value*

Serving 1slice (calories calculated with frosting but without optional nuts)
Calories 533kcal 27%
Carbohydrates 86g 29%
Protein 7g 14%
Fat 19g 29%
Saturated Fat 8g 40%
Polyunsaturated Fat 5g 29%
Monounsaturated Fat 4g 20%
Trans Fat 1g 50%
Cholesterol 88mg 29%
Sodium 448mg 19%
Potassium 195mg 4%
Fiber 2g 8%
Sugar 65g 130%
Vitamin A 4283IU 86%
Vitamin C 1mg 1%
Calcium 84mg 8%
Iron 2mg 11%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.