With just a hint of cinnamon and plenty of grated carrots, with raisins, and walnuts, you will love this Best Carrot Cake recipe! This 3 layer cake is covered with sweet cream cheese frosting and is my favorite cake to make for special occasions.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
This homemade carrot cake is one of the bests out there, below are some of my favorite things about this recipe:
Rave reviews: anytime I make this carrot cake for a birthday, it gets rave reviews from my friends and family
Feeds a crowd: this two layer cake has 16 generous servings making it the best carrot cake to make for parties, potlucks, baby showers, and birthdays.
Just enough spice: cinnamon is the only spice in this carrot cake and it's all you really need
🥘 Ingredients
All purpose flour
Granulated white sugar
Cinnamon
Baking soda
Canola oil or vegetable oil: this is essential in giving this cake a moist crumb.
Large eggs: eggs should be at room temperature before using.
Pure vanilla extract: flavoring makes a big difference so be sure to buy a good quality vanilla extract.
Fresh carrots: buy these whole and shred them yourself using a box shredder or food processor.
Chopped Walnuts
Dark Raisins
Cream cheese
Unsalted Butter
Confectioners' sugar: also known as powdered sugar
🔪 Instructions
For the cake
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Prepare (3) round 9-inch pans by spraying with non-stick cooking spray and lining with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl combine the flour, sugar, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt.
- In a separate bowl, using an electric hand mixer at medium-high speed, mix together the oil, eggs, and vanilla until fully incorporated.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until combined, making sure to scrape the sides of the bowl down with a rubber spatula to incorporate all the ingredients.
- Stir in the shredded carrots, chopped walnuts, and raisins.
- Distribute the cake batter evenly between the 3 baking pans.
- Bake for 40 minutes, or until cake bounces back when lightly touched on the top or a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
- Remove the cake from the oven and let cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes.
- Turn the cake out of the cake pans onto a cooling rack allowing the cake to cool completely.
For the frosting
- Mix cream cheese and butter together in a large bowl using a hand mixer at medium speed until smooth.
- Add the vanilla extract and gradually add the confectioners' sugar, mixing until creamy and completely combined.
- Frost the cake layers, then frost the top of the cake and sides of the cake using just enough frosting to create a crumb coat.
- Spread remaining icing over the crumb coat, Decorate with chopped walnuts (if using).
🙋 Recipe FAQ's
While you can do this, you will not get the same results. The texture and moisture of the cake will change (it will be more dry and dense). Oil give a produces a moister cake with a lighter texture.
It is likely the cake was underbaked.
The age old toothpick test. Stick a toothpick in the center of the cake. If it comes out clean, it is done. If it comes out with crumb, it needs to bake longer.
A crumb coat is a thin layer of icing spread on a cake layer to "glue" the crumbs to the cake sealing in moisture and providing a base for additional frosting.
💭 Tips
- Shred the carrots with the smallest holes of a box cheese grater or in a food processor with the shredding blade.
- Bake the carrot cake in a 9x13 cake pan and extend the baking time to 45 minutes, or until it passes the bake test.
- To reduce the amount of oil, replace ¾ cup of the oil with ¾ cup of unsweetened applesauce.
📖 Variations
- Swap the dark raisins for golden raisins or dried cranberries.
- Leave out the raisins and stir in 1 cup of well drained crushed pineapple
- Replace 1 cup of the granulated sugar with 1 cup of light or dark brown sugar.
🍽 Equipment
Box grater: used to shred the carrots
Parchment Paper: to line the cake pan
9-inch round cake pans: you will need 3 of these
Offset spatula: for spreading the icing on the cake.
Serving Suggestions
This this easy carrot cake recipe is delicious with scoop of ice cream or a cup of hot coffee or tea.
Storage
Cake should be stored in an airtight container to prevent it from drying out and can be stored in a variety of ways:
Room temperature: can be stored up to 3 days at room temp.
Refrigerate: store in the fridge up to 5 days.
Freeze: in a freezer safe container, cake can be stored up to 3 months.
Related Recipes
I love these Sugar Free Carrot Cake Cupcakes!
The classic Carrot Cupcakes topped with Cream Cheese Frosting
Carrot Cake Energy Bites are healthy and delicious way to snack.
Honey Glazed Carrots are a delicious side dish with a hint of honey and red pepper.
Carrot Bundt Cake is a copycat recipe for Nothing Bundt Cakes recipe.
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When you make this recipe, please comment below and let me know what you think. I'd love it if you tag me on Instagram @grumpyshoneybunch or #grumpyshoneybunch so I can see your photos!
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📖 Recipe
Best Carrot Cake
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Ingredients
For the cake
- 2 cups flour
- 1½ cups granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1½ cups olive oil
- 4 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 4 cups grated carrots
- 1 cup chopped walnuts
- 1 cup raisins
For the frosting
- 16 ounces ⅓ less fat cream cheese , softened
- ½ cup salted butter
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 16 ounces confectioners' sugar
- 1½ cup chopped walnuts (optional)
Instructions
For the cake
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Prepare (3) 9 inch round cake pans by spraying with non-stick cooking spray and lining with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl combine the flour, sugar, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt. Using an electric hand mixer at medium-high speed, or KitchenAid with a paddle attachment, mix together the canola oil, eggs, and vanilla.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until combined.
- Stir in the carrots, walnuts, and raisins. Distribute the cake batter evenly between the 3 baking pans. Bake for 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
- Remove the cake from the oven and let cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Turn the cake out of the cake pans and return the cake to the wire rack, allowing it to cool completely.
For the frosting
- Mix cream cheese and butter together in a large bowl using a hand mixer at medium speed until smooth.
- Add the vanilla extract and gradually add the confectioners' sugar, mixing until creamy and completely combined.
- Frost the cake layers, then frost the top and sides of the cake. Decorate with chopped walnuts (if using).
Sheena @ Hot Eats and Cool Reads says
This looks like a perfect carrot cake!! Just delicious!!
Yvonne [Tried and Tasty] says
Wow, that looks so moist & delicious!
Sara Glover says
Oh this sounds so good! Thanks for sharing!
Christie Daruwalla says
Oh no! What a shame. So glad it all worked out in the end. I am sure this cake was a great way to end the night.
Stephanie Daigneault says
Thank you SO much for posting this! My dad made the best carrot cake and when he passed 10 years ago we could not find it written anywhere. This looks very, very similar. It was really THE BEST!
anyonita green says
This carrot cake looks downright GORGEOUS! Carrot cake is my absolute favorite but I've never tried making one myself, but there's no way I can resist this one! 🙂 Beautiful!
Mary Ellen says
Hi Shelby, I would of done the same thing I think. I can only imagine the panic you felt when that dish broke! The carrot cake looks fantastic!
Jenne says
I love carrot cake! I need to really try this one at home.
Mama.Mommy.Mom. says
My daughter (who is 7) will pass up any other dessert for a slice of carrot cake! She would be SO happy if I made this for her.
Nicky Omohundro says
Carrot Cake is one of my favorite cakes. Slightly healthier than other cakes, it's moist and delicious. This recipe looks quite tasty. I hope Grumpy enjoyed his birthday.
~~louise~~ says
I really don't know why I haven't commented before Shelby. You have such an inviting blog. I guess I should tell you that I just checked to see if I had the ingredients to bake up a Carrot Cake today too, lol...It happens to be snowing again and Carrot Cake is sounding mighty good after reading your post! Thank you!
~~louise~~ says
Hi Shelby,
I have been a lurker on your blog for quite a while now but today I feel compelled to comment after reading your lasagna story. It sounds like you just picked up the pieces and started again, Kudos to you! I'm not sure I would have had the patience. "Grumpy" was so sweet to encourage you not to worry about it too:) Lasagna is no easy meal to prepare especially twice!
The carrot cake looks awesome! I'm sure it was heavenly and enjoyed by all. Thank you so much for sharing your mishap with us and the final delicious looking meal. Louise
P.s. I just happen have a Carrot Cake Pinterest board so, I will be pinning your yummy looking cake:)
honeyb says
Hi Louise, thank you so much for leaving a comment to let me know you had read my post. It means a lot when someone does that - especially when they have been a "lurker" as you state. I'm happy to have compelled you to let me know you were here! Thank you for pinning!