Classic Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
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This classic carrot cake is nicely spiced, ultra-moist, and topped with lavish swirls of cream cheese frosting.
When my kids were babies, I started a small baking business specializing in cakes and cupcakes, mostly for children’s birthday parties. Before I opened, I spent weeks testing recipes for all of the classic cake flavors. This is the carrot cake that won me over. It is perfectly spiced, ultra-moist, and topped with a luscious, not-too-sweet cream cheese frosting.
Unlike most carrot cakes, which are heavy and dense, this one is light with a fine texture. The secret, which I learned from Fine Cooking Magazine, is finely chopping the carrots in a food processor to the consistency of couscous rather than grating them.
For more classic cake recipes, check out my Vanilla Birthday Cake, Vanilla Cupcakes, Chocolate Cupcakes, Red Velvet Cupcakes, and the Chocolate Lover’s Birthday cake in my cookbook.
What You’ll Need To Make Carrot Cake
How to make Carrot Cake
Begin by soaking the currants in hot water to plump them up, then drain.
Combine the flour, spices, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl.
Whisk to blend.
Add 1/4 cup of the flour mixture to the drained currants and nuts.
Toss well; coating the currants and nuts with flour will prevent them from sinking to the bottom of the cake.
Next, add the carrots to a food processor fitted with the steel blade.
Process until finely chopped to the consistency of couscous.
Transfer the carrots to a bowl and wipe the processor bowl clean. Add the eggs, granulated sugar and brown sugar.
Process until smooth.
With the machine running, slowly pour in the oil.
Stir the wet ingredients into the flour mixture.
Add the carrots, currants and nuts.
The batter will look very orange!
Transfer the batter to a greased and floured 9×13-in cake pan.
Bake the cake for about 45 minutes, or until a tester comes out clean.
How to make Cream Cheese frosting
While the cake cools, make the cream cheese frosting. Combine the butter, cream cheese and vanilla in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat until smooth and creamy.
Gradually add the confectioners’ sugar.
Once all of the confectioners’ sugar is added, beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy.
Use an offset spatula to frost the cake.
Sprinkle nuts on top, if desired, and serve the cake directly from the pan.
Note: This cake can also be made as a 9-inch layer cake. You’ll have enough frosting for the middle and top of the cake; just leave the sides bare — it’s pretty that way.
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Classic Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
This classic carrot cake is nicely spiced, ultra-moist, and topped with lavish swirls of cream cheese frosting.
Ingredients
For the Cake
- ½ cup dried currants
- 1 pound carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
- 2¼ cups all purpose flour, spooned into measuring cup and leveled-off with knife
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ¾ cup pecans or walnuts, coarsely chopped
- 4 large eggs
- 1½ cups granulated sugar
- ½ cup packed dark brown sugar
- 1¼ cups vegetable oil
For the Frosting
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened
- 1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 cups confectioners' sugar
- Pinch salt
- ½ cup pecans or walnuts, coarsely chopped (optional)
Instructions
For the Cake
- Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 350°F. Butter and flour a 9x13-inch heavy-duty metal cake pan, or spray the pan with a nonstick cooking spray with flour, like Baker's Joy or Pam with Flour.
- Soak the currants in ½ cup hot tap water for 15 minutes. Drain and set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice and cloves. Transfer ¼ cup of this mixture to a small bowl and add the drained currants and the chopped nuts; toss to combine.
- In a food processor fitted with the steel blade, process the carrots until very finely chopped, to about the consistency of couscous. Transfer to a small bowl, then rinse out the food processor bowl (you’ll use it again).
- In the bowl of the food processor (again, fitted with the steel blade), mix the eggs and sugars until blended. With the machine running, slowly add the oil in a steady stream until combined. Using a rubber spatula, scrape the mixture into the flour mixture. Stir with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula until well combined, then stir in the carrots and the currant-nut mixture.
- Scrape the batter into the prepared pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean, about 45 minutes. Let cool on a rack to room temperature.
For the Frosting
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or large bowl if using a hand mixer), combine the cream cheese, butter, vanilla and salt. Mix on low speed until combined, then increase the speed to medium-high and beat until aerated and light, about 2 minutes. Gradually add the confectioners' sugar, mixing on low to combine. Once all of the sugar is mixed in, increase the speed to medium-high and beat until fluffy, about 1 minute.
- Using an offset spatula, spread the frosting over the cooled cake, swirling artistically. Sprinkle the nuts on top of the cake, if using, and serve the cake straight from the pan.
- Note: This cake can also be made as a 9-inch layer cake. You'll have enough frosting for the middle and top of the cake; just leave the sides bare -- it's pretty that way.
- Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The cake can be frozen (without the icing) for up to 3 months. After it is completely cooled, double-wrap it securely with aluminum foil or plastic freezer wrap, or place it in heavy-duty freezer bag. Thaw on the countertop the night before you plan to eat it. Ice the cake prior to serving.
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (24 servings)
- Calories: 401
- Fat: 23 g
- Saturated fat: 6 g
- Carbohydrates: 46 g
- Sugar: 35 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Sodium: 246 mg
- Cholesterol: 52 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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I made the recipe exactly as written and I’d advise everyone to the same because it is perfection! The best cake I’ve ever made. My only challenge was finding currants (maybe because it was Thanksgiving week?), but thanks to my husband for going to 3 grocery stores :-). I received many compliments on this cake!
Oh my goodness! This is the best carrot cake I have ever made. I brought it to work at the hospital and the doctors and nurses all raved about it! This will be my go-to carrot cake recipe! Thank you so much for this recipe!
Made this today and added crushed pineapple and walnuts (no currants) ~ cake so so moist and delicious. Icing I changed up to cream cheese, butter, vanilla, MAPLE SYRUP, icing sugar, & a pinch of salt… so so yummy and creamy and compliments the cake. Love this recipe!
I made the recipe as cupcakes for dessert (after our granddaughter’s baptism today). This was my first time making them and they were a huge hit! Everyone there commented how delicious they were. I made the recipe exactly as written other than switching vegetable oil for avocado oil. I baked the cupcakes for about 22 minutes. We also had food catered for the luncheon but I was told this was the best thing on the menu!
Also, for friends and family that eat gluten free, I made a batch of cupcakes with almond flour (instead of white flour), coconut sugar (instead of white granulated sugar), and avocado oil (instead of vegetable oil). The batter was a lot darker than the other batch, but these were yummy as well 😋
Many thanks to you, Jenn. Your recipes are always a hit!!
Hello Jen: Can cranberries be substituted for currants in this recipe? My family are not fans of raisins. If they aren’t, can they be left out? Thank you.
Yes, it’s fine to use cranberries (as long as you’re referring to the dried ones). 🙂
I made this cake for a family get together and it was a big hit with everyone. I omitted the currants and substituted toasted pecans for the walnuts. And in order to reduce some of the oil I substituted half a cup of unsweetened applesauce for half a cup of the oil. Didn’t have allspice so used ground ginger instead. The cake was moist, tender and delicious. I will definitely make it again.
I made this for the first time and brought it to a pot-luck with about 75 people. Out of about 20 desserts, most were store-bought. This carrot cake was very quickly gone. There were so many compliments, and requests for the recipe. I directed them to this site. It was such a hit.
Most people were surprised that I made it and not my wife. I am the designated baker.
So I highly recommend this recipe!
can I use sweetened coconut flakes in this recipe?
Sure, Lisa, I think it would be fine to add some coconut to this. Enjoy!
Hi, I made this cake yesterday for my brother, it is delicious! My brother -and the neighbors, loved it! I used melted butter, as per your previous recommendation, since I prefer it instead of oil. I have a question, can I add more carrots, and how much more?
So glad it was a hit! I wouldn’t recommend adding more carrots to it though — it will make the cake too wet.
Hi. I usually weigh my flour instead of using a measuring cup. How much would 2 1/4 cups weigh? Thanks
Hi Celeste, It’s the equivalent of 293 grams of flour. And just a heads up that the great majority of my recipes (including this one) include conversions to metric/weight measurements. To view them, scroll down to the recipe, and immediately under the recipe title on the right side, you’ll see a little toggle. If you move it from “cup measures” to metric, you’ll see measurements that will work for you. Hope that helps!
Thanks! One last question: Are the “dried currants” true currants, or Zante currants, which are tiny grapes?
I actually didn’t know that there was a difference! Either one will work nicely here.
Hi Michele, While it varies by brand, most salted butter has approximately 1/4 tsp. salt per stick, so you can use the salted butter and reduce the salt in the recipe as needed. Hope that helps and that you enjoy the cake!
Hi Jenn,
I’m a huge fan of yours. Your recipes are so well written and very detailed. I love it. I have a question regarding the frosting. I am not a huge fan of very sweet frosting. Will it be okay to cut down the sugar to 1 cup instead of 3 cups?
Thanks.
Lucy
Hi Lucy, It’s fine to reduce the sugar, but keep in mind the frosting may not stiffen up adequately. I would just add it until the consistency seems right. Hope that helps!
Thanks Jenn.
Hi,
I have made your banana loaf many times and it was so delicious, with amazing banana flavour, and light airy texture. It was so so good the first day and ate half of it straight out of the oven. It even tastes much better the next day !!! I would like to bake the carrot cake in a loaf pan, 5 by 9 by reducing half the portion. What temperature would you bake it and how long?
Hi Helen, so glad you like the banana bread! If you’d like to halve this recipe and bake it in a 9 x 5“ loaf pan, I’d reduce the temperature to 325°. Bake time will be different but I’m not sure by how much; I’d start checking it at about 55 minutes. Please LMK how it turns out!
Thank you Jenn for this awesome recipe! It was amazing! I made a layer cake and decorated it with toasted nuts on top for a retirement party. Didn’t have currants so used regular small raisins. People went crazy for it! Definitely one of the best carrot cakes I’ve ever tasted! Super moist and not overly sweet!
Can I leave out BOTH the nuts & currants? Will I totally ruin the cake that way?
Sure, L, that shouldn’t be a problem. Enjoy!
Can you add chocolate chips?
Hi Dana, I’ve never added chocolate chips to carrot cake, but I think it’s fine if you’d like to. Hope you enjoy!
If I halve the ingredients will it fit in a 9″ loaf pan? I just don’t want to make such a large cake.
Hi Andi, that should be fine. The bake time will be different so keep a close eye on it. Hope you enjoy!
I love your recipes and just juiced a bag of carrots and I was wondering if I can substitute the food processed carrots and instead use the carrot pulp from the juicer. The logical part of me says that this won’t work because all it is has pulp and there’s no longer any juice in the carrot, but I thought maybe someone else can provide some professional and experienced insight. Thanks so much.
Hi Tania, My gut says it wouldn’t work — I’m sorry!
I used 3 carrots. I decreased the amount of oil and sugar. I added a little bit of milk. I did the estimate based on experience. This cake was wonderful and soft. I am thinking of adding some crushed pineapple next time and I will adjust the moisture content accordingly. I love your website and all your recipes are foolproof.
This is not remotely close to Jenn’s already perfected recipe. Good grief. I have made Jenn’s carrot cake recipe as written and it is perfect every time. I highly recommend it!
Hi Jenn,
Can I use grapeseed oil instead of vegetable oil?
Joyce
Sure, Joyce, that should work. 🙂
Hi Jenn,
If I want to add crushed pineapple should I use the juice too? I have not made this cake yet. Do you recommend adding crushed pineapple?
Thank you,
Hi Barbara, I’ve never added crushed pineapple to this but I think as long as you drain the pineapple really well, it will be fine; I’d add just a few extra tablespoons of flour. Hope you enjoy!
Amazing, as usual! I made this for a neighbor who is both gluten- and dairy-free. I subbed the flour with King Arthur’s GF cup-for-cup and the cream cheese with dairy-free cream cheese with a few splashes of lemon juice to add the tang that was missing from the dairy-free cream cheese. I baked in two 8-inch round pans for around 45 minutes. I leveled the cakes and ate the scraps with some leftover icing and it was amazing!!! Will have to try this again with the “regular” ingredients.
This tastes soo good! I honestly even like the base alone without icing. My icing came out more yellow than yours did, any idea why?
Hi Suzana, Glad you like it! The color difference could be due to the type of butter you used – some are more yellow than others.
My husband brought home a huge bag of shredded carrots from his employe. What to do? Carrot cake. I only had raisins. Loved the trick of coating them in flour so they don’t sink in the batter. I used 1/2 cup oil and the the balance apple sauce. I also cut back the granulated sugar to 1/2 cup. The cake was incredibly moist and with the icing we didn’t miss the sugar at all. This is definitely one to make again.
Hi Jenn,
We don’t necessarily love raisins. Do we need to adjust the carrot cake recipe if we omit them?
Love your recipes…thank you so much, Jenn.
DW from Atlanta area
Hi DW, it’s fine to omit them with no other modifications. (And so glad you like the recipes!)
Hello, can I substitute the oil with unsalted butter?
Yes, as long as you melt it. Hope you enjoy!
Thank you, I really appreciate that you always answer all our questions. You are the best!
💗
My daughter has a nut allergy. What can I substitute for nuts? Oats? Or will the cake be fine without the extra texture?
Hi Cheri, It’s fine to omit the nuts — enjoy!
Can I use olive oil vs. vegetable oil? Or perhaps applesauce? What would be an appropriate substitute?
Hi Jamie, I wouldn’t recommend olive oil here as it has a definitive flavor that I don’t think would work well with the cake. You could use half vegetable oil and half applesauce if you’d like. Please let me know how it turns out if you try it!
I’ve been using your recipe for a year or two now and its fantastic. Two questions though.
I recently purchased a convection oven which seems to dry it out more. I’ve dropped the temp 25′ and cooking time by about a third, so its not overcooked, but does seem to be drier than before. Any thoughts?
Also, had a request from someone who loves the cake to add a liquor next time, maybe Grand Marnier. Any thoughts on that?
Hi Steve, so glad you like the cake! Regarding your convection oven, you’ve done the right thing by reducing the oven temperature by 25°. I don’t think convection is a great setting to use for baking though. I’m assuming you have a traditional setting as well? If so I would definitely use that for baking. And regarding the Grand Marnier, I think you could get away with adding about 2 tablespoons to the cake batter. Hope that helps!
Hi Jenn,
Can I shred the carrots in the food processor with the shredding blade or does it have to processed very fine?
Thanks
Hi Innaya, That’s fine, just keep in mind that the cake will be a bit more dense. Hope you enjoy!
Hi Jenn
I made this recipe in to cupcakes today for a party.
I got exactly 30 cupcakes. I fill the liners 1/4 cup , cooking time 20 minutes.
I add it 8 onces canned crushed pineapple.
They were delicious and moist everyone loved it .
Thanks Jenn for this amazing recipe🥕🥕
I made this with Cup4Cup gluten-free flour (+ 1.5tsp xantham gum) and the whole family loved it. I mean REALLY loved it. By far the best gluten-free cake. I reduced white sugar by 1/4 cup and cut oil to 1 cup, and it was great. Can’t recommend it enough for celiacs. I had a super fine shredder on my box grater that worked perfectly – clearly the fine shreds contribute to the moistest cake ever. My non-gluten-free kids couldn’t tell it was gf. Note – I served icing as a dollop on each piece and 2 kids said it was so good it didn’t even need icing. Thank you!
Hi Jenn, question about the frosting. How long would it last in the refrigerator once prepared and could it be frozen? I’d like to bake the batter up as cupcakes – and pace ourselves as we eat through them. Love, love, love your recipes and helpful hints. Can’t wait for your new cookbook!! Thanks from Canada.
So glad you like the recipes, Liz! The frosting should last nicely in the fridge for up to a week. I don’t think it would freeze well though.
Hi jenn
For cupcakes is going to be the same temperature?
What about cooking time?
Hi Fanny, the oven temperature can stay the same; you’ll just need to adjust the baking time. They should take 20 to 25 minutes. Enjoy!
Best tasting carrot cake by far with delicious icing!
Hi. I made this over the weekend…first time I’ve baked it in over a year…and oh my wow…so good. I only had three eggs so decided to use a cup of crushed pineapple to make up for the last egg …and oh my the cake came out so moist, and delicious! I also used a potpourri of nuts and finely chopped them in my food processor with the cream cheese and again turned out amazing! My finicky brother in law could not stop eating the cake or the frosting and announcing how amazing this carrot cake is!
Thank you for your amazing recipe! Such a godsend to use for left over carrots!
Thank you Jen for another baking success. Made this for work colleagues & they all echoed it was THE BEST CARROT CAKE EVER!!
I love baking with your recipes but it is an absolute joy to listen to people compliment your recipes.
Many thanks for all your fantastic baking ideas.
Hi Jen! Would it affect the recipe if I left out the nuts? Nut allergies in this household.
Thanks!
No, it’s perfectly fine to leave out the nuts. Hope you enjoy! 🙂
Hello 🙂
I tried out the cake and just took it out of the oven to check it – been in with 180 C for 40 minutes. The cake had risen a lot from the middle looking a bit like a pyramid and it unfortunately failed the toothpick test – it came back gooey.
Any ideas why it might have risen in the middle and why it could be gooey after so long in the oven?
Put it back in for 20 minutes and hoping for the best 🙈
Hi P, Sorry you had a problem with the timing on this! Did you use a 9×13-inch baking dish? How did the cake come out?
This is delicious and moist. I substituted the following: used Cup4Cup flour(gluten free) and raisin. I reduced the amount of sugar as well. This turned out incredible with all the modifications I made.
This carrot cake was soooo moist and flavorful, I loved all the spices added! The cream cheese frosting was also delicious. I made this into 2 circle pans and it worked out great!
Hi Jenn
Could i use grape seed oil instead of vegetable oil?
Thanks so much
Sure. Hope you enjoy!
I love this carrot cake recipe we make it every year for Easter
It’s the best one we have tried over the years and super easy to make
Super moist and frosting is just right
Have printed and laminated this recipe as it’s truly the tastiest one we have tried
Thank you for sharing your great recipes with us all
Hi Jenn, My family is not a fan of fruit baked in cakes. Can I omit the currants? Will it dry out the cake if I do?
Thanks,
Kelly
Hi Kelly, It’s fine to omit the currants — the cake will still be plenty moist. Hope you enjoy!
Hi Jenn¡
For this recipe how many cupcakes could be?
I want to make for easter.
Thanks for this wonderful recipe ❤the best carrot cake¡ 🥕🥕🥕🤗
Hi Fanny, Glad you like it! It should make 24 cupcakes. Enjoy!
Hi Jenn,
Do you have an idea of (1) the ease of your recipe made into a round cake and (2) how many times to do the cake for 2 10″ layers?
Thanks so much for getting back to me (in advance).
Hi Lynn, I think you’ll need to make 1.5 times the recipe. Please LMK how it turns out if you try it!
Super moist and delicious carrot cake. We don’t like raisins/currants in any cake, but we love coconut. I added about 1/2-3/4 cup coconut to the batter and the frosting. I used pecans in the cake. Since my husband and I couldn’t possibly eat all this we shared with neighbors. Everyone loved it! Truly delicious!
Hello Jenn,
Can use grapeseed oil as a substitute for the vegetable oil?
Sure – enjoy!
I made this cake the other day for my daughter. It was a huge hit! The cake was perfectly moist and well balanced with the cream cheese frosting. This will be my go-to carrot cake recipe from now on!
OMG! Best carrot cake I’ve ever made. We don’t like currants so I left them out. We love coconut so I added a cup of unsweetened coconut to the batter and some to the frosting. We shared with our neighbors (it’s a huge cake!) and also got 5 stars.❤️