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+ servings
slice of carrot cake on a plate.

The Best Carrot Cake Recipe

Angelina Papanikolaou
This easy, from-scratch carrot cake recipe uses simple ingredients to make the best moist and perfectly spiced cake. Paired with fluffy cream cheese frosting, this is the only carrot cake recipe you need!
5 from 6 votes
Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 2 hours
Course Cake
Cuisine American
Servings 12 servings
Calories 706 kcal

Equipment

  • Kitchen scale
  • Stand mixer
  • 8-inch cake pans
  • Off-set spatula

Ingredients 

  • 1 1/2 cups butter room temperature
  • 1 3/4 cups brown sugar (light or dark)
  • 5 eggs whisked
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • orange zest from 1 medium orange
  • 3 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1 1/2 cups milk room temperature
  • 6 oz grated carrots, about 3 large

Cream Cheese Frosting

  • 12 oz cream cheese room temperature
  • 6 oz butter room temperature
  • 6 1/4 cups confectioner's sugar

For Assembly

  • Caramel Sauce optional
  • chopped walnuts optional

Instructions 

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare three 8-inch cake pans by greasing with butter or nonstick spray and then lining the bottoms with parchment paper.
  • Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
  • Lightly beat the eggs and vanilla extract in a glass measuring cup.
  • Add the butter and brown sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on medium high speed until light and fluffy, about 8-10 minutes.
  • Add the whisked eggs to the butter/sugar mixture and beat the mixture until light and fluffy, Mix in the orange zest.
  • Add the dry ingredients alternating with the milk until completely blended and smooth. Begin and end with the dry ingredients.
  • Add the grated carrots to the batter and mix on low speed until combined.
  • Evenly divide the batter between the three prepared cake pans and bake in a preheated oven for 30-35 minutes. You will know that the cake layers are done baking when the tops spring back when lightly pressed in and a wooden skewer or toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the middle.
  • When the cake layers have finished baking, remove them from the oven and let them cool for 5 minutes in the pans before removing them. Transfer the cake layers to a cooling rack to cool completely.

Cream Cheese Frosting

  • Beat the cream cheese and butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, until creamy. Slowly add the confectioners sugar, one cup at a time. Beat on medium high speed until smooth and fluffy.

Assembly

  • To assemble the cake, place 1 layer on a cake stand and spread a layer of cream cheese frosting on top. Use an offset spatula to even out the frosting. Repeat with the remaining two cake layers and spread the remaining frosting over the top and sides of the cake. If you’d like, decorate your cake with caramel sauce and chopped walnuts.

Notes

  • Gluten Free: To make gluten free carrot cake, substitute the flour with a 1:1 gluten free baking flour. I always have great success with Bob's Red Mill gluten free baking flour.
  • You will know that the cake layers are done baking when the tops spring back if lightly pressed down and when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
  • Make ahead: If you are preparing the cake in advance, keep it in the refrigerator. Before you are ready to serve the cake, remove it from the fridge and let it sit at room temperature for 20-30 minutes. 
  • Store carrot cake: Store any leftovers covered in the refrigerator. When storing frosted cakes in the refrigerator, I always chill them for about 15 minutes to harden the frosting. Then, I loosely cover the cake in plastic wrap or place it in a cake keeper. This Carrot Layer Cake can be stored for up to 1 week covered in the refrigerator.

Nutrition

Serving: 1sliceCalories: 706kcalCarbohydrates: 128gProtein: 9gFat: 47gSaturated Fat: 29gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 194mgSodium: 850mgPotassium: 243mgFiber: 1gSugar: 35gVitamin A: 3961IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 171mgIron: 2mg
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