The Best Carrot Cake Recipe
A moist, tender carrot cake covered in a sweet cream cheese frosting. The perfect carrot cake recipe!
I have been searching for the best carrot cake on the planet and I found it! This is everything a carrot cake should be -- a moist spiced cake with a perfectly sweet cream cheese frosting.
I have eaten some really dry, flavorless carrot cakes in my day and I was determined to make a carrot cake that was so moist...it almost melts in your mouth. Since Easter is coming up, I wanted to figure the absolute best carrot cake recipe to bring to our family gathering. This is the best carrot cake I have ever tasted in my life so we had success!
What ingredients are in Carrot Cake?
The key ingredients are freshly grated carrots, oil, sugar, brown sugar, eggs, flour, baking soda, baking powder, and cinnamon. Golden raisins and pecans are optional. The frosting is made with butter, cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla.
I love to use oil when I make carrot cake since it makes it extra moist. There is plenty of butter in the frosting to bring the rich buttery flavor!
How to make the BEST Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting:
- In a large bowl, beat together oil, eggs, and sugars. Whip for 3 minutes.
- Grate the carrots. Add the carrot and rest of the dry ingredients. Mix just until combined. If you want to add raisins or pecans, fold them into the cake batter.
- Pour into greased cake pans (I use non-stick cooking spray). You can use three 8-inch cake pans or two 9-inch cake pans. I prefer to use 8-inch pans since it creates a taller cake.
- Bake just until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cook int he pans for 15 minutes and then turn onto a wire rack. Let the cake layers cool completely.
- Make the cream cheese frosting by whipping butter and softened cream cheese for 4 minutes. Scrape the sides of the bowl and add the powdered sugar and vanilla. Continue to beat for 1-2 minutes until light and fluffy.
- Spread cream cheese frosting over each layer. Cut into slices and serve.
MORE FAVORITE CAKE RECIPES FROM MODERN HONEY:
- LEMON Olive Oil Cake
- VANILLA Cupcakes
- YELLOW Cake with Chocolate Frosting
- Love at First Sight CHOCOLATE Cake
- Chocolate RASPBERRY Cake
- COCONUT Cake
- RED VELVET Cake
- Jeff's Best BANANA Cake
- Southern CARAMEL Cake
- BERRY Chantilly Cream Cake
Click to find some of my favorite cake pans -- 8-inch cake pan and 9-inch cake pan.
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The Best Carrot Cake Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 ¼ cups Canola or Vegetable Oil
- 2 cups Sugar
- ¾ cup Brown Sugar
- 6 large Eggs
- 2 ¼ cups Flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons Baking Soda
- 2 teaspoons Baking Powder
- ¾ teaspoon Salt
- 1-2 teaspoons Ground Cinnamon
- 1 ½ lbs. Carrots (peeled and finely grated)
- ¾ cup Chopped Pecans (optional)
Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 1 cup Butter (softened)
- (1) 8-ounce pkg. Cream Cheese (softened)
- 4 ½ cups Powdered Sugar
- 2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract (or scraped vanilla bean)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, beat together oil, sugar, brown sugar, and eggs for 3-4 minutes, until light and fluffy.
- Add dry ingredients and mix just until combined. Fold in grated carrots and pecans (if using). If you would like to add raisins, add ¾ cup.
- Spray cake pans with non-stick cooking spray. Use two 9-inch or three 8-inch cake pans. It can also make three 9-inch cake layers, although the layers will be thinner. Divide cake batter evenly between the pans.
- Bake 9-inch cake layers for 28-34 minutes. Bake three 8-inch cake layers for 22-28 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Let cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely. To help with frosting the cake, place the cake layers in the freezer for at least 30 minutes.
Cream Cheese Frosting:
- Whip softened butter and cream cheese for 3-4 minutes. Scrape the sides of the bowl. Add powdered sugar and vanilla and whip for 1-2 minutes longer. Frost the cake layers with cream cheese frosting.
Kelsey
I reduced the oil to 1 and 2/3 cups (LouAna) peanut oil and it was very moist and tender.
Making a second time today at families request for a birthday. It's that good!
Gale
So moist and delicious! Love the cream cheese frosting.
Debra Samsa
I’ve made carrot cakes in the past with great success but lost my favorite recipe. When I found this one I worried about all of the oil in the recipe and concerned about one review saying oil was coming out of the bottom of her pan. I did not have an issue with that but make sure you mix the wet ingredients very well. I served this at Easter and everyone was so happy with the results. I also made the lemon raspberry cake with great success as well!! Thank you for posting the most amazing cake recipes!!!!
Bev
Hi- do we use cake flour?
Carrie
Hi, could I make this cake gluten free by using same amount of gluten free flour? And would all the other ingredients stay the same? Btw, I’ve made your love at first sight chocolate cake and coconut cake and I absolutely LOVE them!
Amanda
I’ve made this cake before and everyone in the house loves it!
Has anyone made the cakes ahead of time and frozen them to use later? I want to try this because I’m making this for an event, and want to spend lots of time decorating!
How long is it ok to freeze for? How long the thaw it?
Sarah
Made this three times and will continue to! Love adding the pecans.
Emma
This was absolutely the best carrot cake I have ever had, my whole family even rated it best cake they had ever tasted, would defiantly make again, highly recommend
Michele
Hi all! I made this cake and it was hands-down the best cake I have ever made. It was so simple as well! My entire family gobbled it down! The cake is moist, the spices are a perfect combination and to top it off, the frosting!!! It’s perfect! So happy I came across your site - love your work and look forward to making more of your dynamite recipes!
Priya
Made this, loved it. But I found it wayyyy too "oily", like I had to drain out excess oil oozing from the bottom of the cake with tissue rolls, thrice!
Is this because I replaced canola oil with olive oil? Also, where you called for 2-1/4 oil, I used 1-3/4 olive oil and 1/2 cup butter. Is that why?
I am no baker. This is my third ever cake in life 😀 But after draining off all that oily ess, the cake was just pure heaven. Thanks!
Jules
Took most of yesterday to make- well worth the time and effort!!! This morning, I was eating cake for breakfast! Added well drained, crushed pineapple to the batter as recommended by another baker/reader which increased the baking time by 2-3 minutes . Yielded a 3 layer cake that was moist and decadent! Next time I will double the icing! This has to be the best carrot cake on the planet! Yummy! Thank you so much for your recipes! I love your website!
Samantha
I made this for Easter, added walnuts
Was a HUGE hit!!!!!!!!
Definitely my new fave
Madame Gina
Thank you, because I only have walnuts!
Amy
Have you ever made this in sheet cake form? I'm hoping to serve a crowd.
JJ
Add a small can of drained crushed pineapple. You will not regret it.
Heather
This is my favorite part of carrot cake!