The best, classic, spiced soft, moist, quick and easy carrot cake recipe, homemade from scratch with simple ingredients. Covered in cream cheese frosting!
After countless trial and errors, I have the perfect Easter cake to share with all of you. It's packed with wonderful spices like nutmeg and cinnamon. This simple cake recipe is made with basic ingredients that I bet you already have in your kitchen pantry. I also have a great recipe for Carrot Cupcakes you'll want to try!
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How to make classic easy homemade carrot cake recipe from scratch?
- Mix together- Eggs, oil, vanilla extract, and sugar in a large mixing bowl.
- Whisk together- Flour, baking powder, baking soda and spices in a separate bowl.
- Combine- Dry and wet mixture, along with the carrots.
- Fold in- Walnuts.
- Pour batter- Into a round cake pan.
- Bake cake- Until cooked all the way through.
- Allow cooling- Of the cake completely before frosting.
- Frost and decorate- Using cream cheese frosting and piping tips.
- Sprinkle- Chopped walnuts along the bottom of the cake. Enjoy!
Variations for best carrot cake
Layer cake- You can turn this into a layered cake by doubling the recipe and using multiple cake pans, then use frosting to stack the cakes together.
Add extracts to cake- Such as almond, maple, lemon, or others. If you add 1 teaspoon orange extract, it will add an incredible fruity flavor to this cake.
Use different frostings- Although the classic choice is cream cheese frosting there are some other great options to choose from. For example, Maple Frosting, Marshmallow Frosting, Brown Sugar Frosting, Caramel Frosting, or Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting would be great to try.
Try different decoration/toppings- I did some piping and made cute carrot shapes to go on top, but you can also make fondant carrots, use various little candies or chopped candy, or sprinkle on crushed up cookies.
Change spices- I am not a huge fan of cloves, but this is a great option to use in this recipe if you do. You can also adjust the amount of spice to your preference.
Tips and Techniques
- Don't replace granulated sugar with brown sugar- Because they each have distinct flavor and color and this cake is best with brown sugar.
- Use both baking powder and baking soda- Do not omit one with the other, because they are two distinct ingredients that create two different outcomes and you will need both working together to make this cake work right.
- Make sure your oven is calibrated properly- Because you want to be sure the cake bakes evenly at the proper temperature.
- Don't use small eggs in this recipe- Because it won't give the same results. Large eggs must be used.
- Don't frost warm cake- Because the frosting will melt off and it will be difficult to frost. Cool the cake completely before adding any decoration.
Storage
Fridge- Store in a covered container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Freezer- Store in a covered container in the freezer for up to 1 month. I recommend leaving off the frosting to freeze it and then applying frosting after it thaws.
More Easter desserts
Recipe
Moist Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
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Ingredients
- 2 Eggs Large
- ¾ cup Oil
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
- 1 cup Granulated sugar
- 1.5 cups All-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon Baking powder
- 1 teaspoon Baking soda
- 1 teaspoon Cinnamon powder
- ¼ teaspoon Nutmeg powder
- ¼ teaspoon Ginger powder
- 1.5 cups Carrots Shredded
- ¼ cup Walnuts Finely chopped, Coated in flour to prevent sinking
- 2 cups Cream cheese frosting
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, add eggs, oil, vanilla extract, sugar and mix until smooth. Keep aside.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger.
- Dump this dry mixture into the wet mixture, along with the carrots and mix until just combined.
- Fold in walnuts.
- Pour batter in a greased/ floured round cake pan (Dimensions: 9x2).
- Bake at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes or until an inserted toothpick in the center comes out clean.
- Allow the cake to cool down completely.
- Then, ice it in cream cheese frosting.
- Decorate, using the round tip and star tip.
- Sprinkle chopped walnuts along the bottom of the cake. Enjoy!
Notes
- Read all my tips above.
- Leftovers can be stored in a covered container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Nutrition
An automated tool is used to calculate the nutritional information. As such, I cannot guarantee the accuracy of the nutritional information provided for any recipe on this site.
Alexandria Colfax
I made this cake last year for my boyfriends birthday, how ever I forgot to save the site. since then i have made many others and he has always compared it to this cake. so happy i found this just in time for his birthday this year.
Abeer Rizvi
Awwww... I am so glad you found my recipe again.
KellyC
Made this and my whole family was absolutely obsessed with it! I'm requesting it as my birthday cake this year
Carmen Elena Trigueros
Hi! can you please share me the cream cheese cover recipe or is it somewhere else on your site? cuz I couldn't find it. Thanks.
Abeer Rizvi
It's actually a clickable link in the recipe card above: https://cakewhiz.com/best-cream-cheese-frosting-recipe-piping/
Lori
Might be a silly question but the oil is it vegetable oil? Not olive correct?
Abeer Rizvi
I have actually used light olive oil without any issues. But, you can also use vegetable oil.
Nikki
First time making recipe yesterday for a birthday cake AND it's frign AMAZING!!! the texture, the flavor, the bake. Just marvelous.
Nancy
I want to make this cake in a Bundt pan as I am taking it to a gathering. The recipient specifically asked for a carrot cake. Do you have any suggestion on how long to bake in a Bundt pan? It looks to yummy not to try this recipe.
Abeer Rizvi
Honestly, I haven't made this in a bundt pan to know what changes need to be made. Sorry.
Gabriela
My cake ID in the oven now but it dough was very thick is that how it is supposed to be?
Abeer Rizvi
Yes, it's a thick batter.
Sue
Wondering why you say do not change granulated sugar with brown sugar and there isn’t brown sugar in the recipe…
Abeer Rizvi
Because unfortunately, someone did replace it with brown sugar and obviously it didn't turn out right. As you know, both the sugars are not interchangeable but sometimes, it's important to clearly say that in the post too.