Carrot Cake
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Sugar, spice, and everything nice – that’s what this carrot cake is made of! You’ll love the perfect blend of warm spices, the cake’s irresistible texture, and of course, the rich cream cheese frosting.
When my kids were little, I started a small baking business focused on making cakes and cupcakes that were not only beautiful but also delicious. During that time, I devoted weeks to perfecting my recipes for all the classic cake flavors. This is the carrot cake recipe that won me over. It’s got the perfect mix of spices, an ultra-moist crumb, and a luscious cream cheese frosting. But what really sets it apart is its texture; while many carrot cakes tend to be heavy and dense, this one is light and tender.
You can make the recipe as a 9-inch layer cake or a 9×13-inch sheet cake. And if you’re on the lookout for more tried-and-true cake recipes, be sure to check out my Vanilla Birthday Cake, Chocolate Lover’s Chocolate Cake, and classic Yellow Cake. Each one comes with practical tips to help take your cake baking to the next level.
Table of Contents
“Made this for Easter as a 9-inch layer cake, and it was wildly popular. Everyone thought it was less oily than a typical carrot cake (good thing!) and that the icing was light and fluffy.”
What You’ll Need To Make Carrot Cake
For the Cake
- Dried currants: Add sweetness and bursts of flavor throughout the cake. Feel free to omit them if you’re not a fan.
- All-purpose flour: Forms the structure of the cake.
- Baking soda: Acts as a leavening agent, helping the cake rise.
- Cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, cloves: Provide warm, aromatic spice notes that enhance the flavor of the cake.
- Pecans or walnuts: Contribute a crunchy texture and nutty flavor to the cake. Feel free to leave them out if you prefer your carrot cake without nuts.
- Eggs: Bind the ingredients together and add moisture.
- Granulated sugar: Sweetens the cake and contributes to its tenderness.
- Dark brown sugar: Adds depth of flavor, moisture, and a slightly caramelized taste to the cake.
- Vegetable oil: Provides moisture and helps keep the cake tender.
- Finely shredded carrots: The star ingredient, adding moisture, sweetness, and a distinct carrot flavor to the cake.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
For the Frosting
- Cream cheese: Forms the base of the frosting, providing creaminess and tanginess.
- Butter: Adds richness and enhances the flavor of the frosting.
- Vanilla extract: Infuses the frosting with a subtle vanilla flavor.
- Confectioners’ sugar: Sweetens the frosting and helps achieve the desired consistency.
- Pecans or walnuts: Optional addition for decorating the cake.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Make the Carrot Cake
Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 350°F. Spray two 9-inch cake pans (or a 9×13-inch cake pan) with nonstick cooking spray with flour, like Baker’s Joy or Pam with Flour. Line the bottom of each pan with parchment paper; lightly spray the paper with nonstick spray with flour.
In a small bowl, soak the currants in ½ cup hot tap water for 15 minutes. Drain and set aside.
In a medium 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 chopped nuts; toss to combine.
In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until blended. Add the oil and whisk until evenly combined.
Add the flour mixture, carrots, and the currant-nut mixture.
Stir with a rubber spatula until evenly incorporated.
Scrape the batter evenly into the prepared pans.
Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cakes comes out clean, about 40 minutes. Let cool in the pans on a rack for about 30 minutes, then invert the cakes onto the rack, remove parchment paper, and cool completely.
Step 2: Make the Cream Cheese Frosting
Once the cake layers are cool, make the cream cheese 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 4 cups of 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.
Step 3: Assemble and Frost the Cake
When the cake layers are completely cool, place one cake layer on a cake platter or serving plate. Using an offset spatula or butter knife, spread half of the frosting over the first layer.
Top with the second layer, then spread the remaining frosting over the top of the cake, swirling decoratively. Sprinkle the nuts around the edges of the cake, if using.
Frequently Asked Questions
Absolutely! Carrot cake keeps beautifully. You can bake the cake layers a day in advance and store them wrapped in plastic wrap at room temperature. If you’ve already frosted the cake, keep it in the refrigerator. Just remember to bring it to room temperature before serving for the best flavor and texture.
Yes, carrot cake layers freeze nicely. To freeze, wrap the unfrosted cake layers individually in plastic wrap and then in aluminum foil to prevent freezer burn. They can be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to use them, thaw the layers overnight on the countertop before frosting and serving. Note: It’s best to freeze the cake unfrosted, as the frosting may not maintain its quality once frozen and thawed.
Absolutely! While currants and nuts add texture and flavor, they are not essential to the structure of the cake. You can omit them without affecting the overall result.
Video Tutorial
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Carrot Cake
Sugar, spice, and everything nice – that’s what this carrot cake is made of! You’ll love the perfect blend of warm spices, the cake’s irresistible texture, and of course, the rich cream cheese frosting.
Ingredients
For the Cake
- ½ cup dried currants
- 2¼ cups all purpose flour, spooned into measuring cup and leveled off
- 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
- 2½ cups (packed) finely shredded carrots, from 1 pound of carrots (see note)
For the Frosting
- 8 oz cream cheese, at room temperature
- 1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pinch salt
- 4 cups confectioners' sugar
- 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. Spray two 9-inch cake pans (or a 9x13-inch cake pan) with nonstick cooking spray with flour, like Baker’s Joy or Pam with Flour. Line the bottom of each pan with parchment paper; lightly spray the paper with nonstick spray with flour.
- In a small bowl, soak the currants in ½ cup hot tap water for 15 minutes. Drain and set aside.
- In a medium 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 chopped nuts; toss to combine.
- In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until blended. Add the oil and whisk until evenly combined. Add the flour mixture, carrots, and the currant-nut mixture, and stir with a rubber spatula until evenly incorporated.
- Scrape the batter evenly into the prepared pans. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cakes comes out clean, about 40 minutes for 9-inch layers or 45 minutes for a 9x13-inch sheet cake. Let cool in the pans on a rack for about 30 minutes, then invert the cakes onto the rack, remove the parchment paper, and cool completely.
For the Frosting
- In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or beaters, 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.
- After the cake layers have completely cooled, assemble and frost the cake. Decorate the edges with the nuts, if using. The cake keeps nicely for up to 3 days when stored under a cake dome in the refrigerator. Bring to room temperature before serving.
- Note: To shred the carrots, simply use the small holes on your handheld or box grater. If you prefer, you can also roughly chop the carrots, place them into a food processor fitted with the steel blade, and pulse them until they're very finely chopped, about the consistency of couscous.
- Note: This recipe provides just enough frosting to ice a 9-inch layer cake (or to generously frost a 9x13-inch sheet cake). For an extra generous layer of frosting on a layer cake, consider leaving the sides bare—it's pretty that way—or boost the frosting amount by 25% for fuller coverage. (The adjusted quantities would be: 10 oz of cream cheese, 10 tablespoons of butter, 1¼ teaspoons of vanilla extract, a generous pinch of salt, and 5 cups of confectioners' sugar.)
- Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The cake layers can be frozen for up to 3 months. To freeze, wrap the unfrosted cake layers individually in plastic wrap and then in aluminum foil to prevent freezer burn. They can be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months. When you're ready to use them, thaw the layers overnight on the countertop before frosting and serving. Note: It's best to freeze the cake unfrosted, as the frosting may not maintain its quality once frozen and thawed.
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 first made this recipe for Easter. I was not allowed to take home any leftovers as it was a big hit with the hostess! One tip from the recipe I particularly thought was helpful was to put the carrots in a food processor instead of grating them. The small couscous size pieces were a better way of doing it. I’m being asked to make it several times. No better carrot cake recipe out there!
I made this for my husband for his birthday yesterday and he said it was the best ever. Since he’s tried a lot, I thought I’d let you know. The chopped carrots were a big helpful tip.
Love your recipes and your generosity.
Oh wowza! This recipe looks amazeballs. I am going to add it to my bookmarks and make it soon. I have a weakness for carrot cake with cream cheese frosting.
Hi Jen,
Cake is delicious. I used 1/3 less fat cream cheese for the frosting and 3-1/2 cups confectioners sugar and it was delicious. Another great recipe from Jen.
Thanks
Fantastic recipe! Delicious and brings back childhood memories. I omitted the currants and it didn`t impact the taste. The icing was delicious! although I must add that the icing wasn`t as firm as I thought it would be., it wasn`t that thick. Maybe I whipped it up too long.
Does this need to be stored in the fridge because of the cream cheese frosting?
Hi Katrina, technically it should be refrigerated, but I’ve stored it on the counter and it’s been fine.
How would I adjust to use a loaf pan?
Hi Mary, You’d need two 8 x 4-inch loaf pans. I’d lower the baking temperature to 325°F. Bake time will also be different. I’d start checking them at 65 minutes. Please LMK how they turn out!
If I use raisins instead of currants do I still need to soak them in hot water?
While it’s not mandatory, I recommend it- it definitely helps to plump them up. Hope you enjoy!
Hi! So the recipe requires baking soda but no baking powder? Just want to be sure before I make a mistake. Thanks!
That’s correct– hope you enjoy!
Hi Jen,
If I were to make this cake with whole wheat flour instead of white flour, would it require any alterations or could I just go ahead with the recipe as is?
Looking forward to your answer
Vanita
Hi Vanita, I would suggest replacing only about 1/2 of the all-purpose flour with whole wheat and see how you like the results. I suspect using all whole wheat will affect the texture of the cake. LMK how it turns out!
For a long time I have been wanting to make an authentic American cheesecake. I made one once, but the recipe came from a Dutch magazine and was, though OK, a bit disappointing. Since all of your recipes I tried ended up in my cookbook, I gave this one a try and it was AMAZING! Of course I have no reference of significance, but the cake is easy to make, it is at the same time light and moist, sweet and spicy and just fingerlicking good! Today you were thought of from across the big pond while we were eating your heavenly good carrot cake out in the garden on the first sunny day of spring. Beautiful picture right? Thanks again Jen for another perfect recipe!
This is the absolute best carrot cake recipe! My husband doesn’t even like carrot cake but he ate 1/3 of this one in one night! The frosting has a wonderful light/whipped texture and is not too sweet. I think grinding up the carrots in the food processor really gives the cake a nice texture and lots of moisture! Thank you for this amazing recipe.
Carrot cake with homemade icing is delicious and lovely to serve. Using sheet cake pan, so it’s easy to cut into squares and serves a crowd! Adding this to my Easter Brunch menu, with your fabulous pumpkin bread recipe. Thank you for these wonderful recipes.
Easy, delish. left out the nuts. Family was crazy about it!!
Made this to try out for Easter and it was fabulous. Left out the nuts, personal preference, but it was still really good. Very moist, nice texture.
Carrot Cake is my favourite and this recipe certainly makes me like it even more.
I made in 9″ tins and sandwiched together but have just replaced my tins with 10″. How would I go about making enough batter for 2 10″
Glad you like the carrot cake! Are you tins round or square?
Hi Jen
I would like to make this in a springform pan and add a cream cheese layer , what r your thoughts ? Do u think that would work? Thanks for sharing your expertise.
Hi Maria, yes, I think that would work. I’d love to hear how it turns out!
Carrot cake is my husband’s favorite dessert, so, naturally, when I showed him how beautiful this site is, the first thing he noticed was the carrot cake photo! This recipe is FANTASTIC — moist, light, and beautifully spiced ! Before this cake I’ve made two-layer carrot cakes without raisins, which I generally find too big and distracting. But for this recipe I took a chance on the Zante currants, and I love them! They are perfectly sized and provide, with the walnuts, a nice bit of texture and flavor. I frosted the cake just as it is frosted in the photo. To me the cake’s flavor improved the following day, and it stayed fresh and moist for a week. Delicious for dessert and [guilty smile] breakfast.
Can I use raisins since no one sells currants where I live??
Sure Tiffany, raisins will work really well.
I’m really looking forward to making this. Love your recipes! Sorry to bother you, I just have one question – if I were to make this two days ahead before my party, do you think that’s too much time – would alter the taste and/or dry out?
Hi Jen, I think 2 days would be fine, but probably wouldn’t stretch it more than that for the best results. Enjoy!
You mentioned to bake in a heavy 9×13 heavy metal pan. Would it work in a glass pan? Thanks
Hi Abbie, Glass will work, although I’d keep an eye on it and reduce the heat by 25°F if it looks like it’s starting to brown around the edges. Enjoy!
Hi,
I live in France and I see you’ve spent some time here, so maybe you could help me by giving me an equivalent/substitution name of allspice and ground clove spices over here?
Thank you!
Hi Bianca, In France, ground cloves are called “girofle en poudre” and allspice is called “quatre-épices.” If you can’t find either of them, go ahead and replace with more cinnamon. Hope that helps!
This carrot cake is magnificent! The cake is the perfect density/moisture/taste and the frosting is divine… fluffy, flavorful and not too sweet! I made a 9″ layer cake and had enough frosting to cover the entire cake. As usual, every recipe I try of yours’ gets added to my cookbook. Thank you!
Oh this recipe looks divine Jenn! I want to make 2 9″ rounds instead of the 9″x13″ pan; what modifications do I need to make to baking time and/or temperature?
Thank you!
Hi Aileen, You don’t need to alter the temperature at all, but the baking time may be a tiny bit longer if at all. Hope you enjoy!
Jen, this carrot cake was amazing!! I may have blended the dry ingredients and wet ingredients too much, because it came out quite dense. Is that a possibility?
Although this cake had great reviews with family and friends, could I substitute the currants with pineapple bits? Just a preference for myself.
Thank you for sharing your wonderful and perfect recipes!!
Hi Beatrice, glad you liked the cake. It really shouldn’t be dense, but I don’t think over blending it would’ve caused that. Did you really finely chop the carrots in a food processor? (They should be the consistency of couscous.)
I did. Hmm.. this calls for a re-bake! May I substitute pineapple bits instead of currants? Just a personal preference.
Oh yes Beatrice, sorry I forgot to answer that! Sure, you can use pineapple bits here; I would just make sure they’re very well drained diced into small pieces.
Thank you for this recipe. Cake was delicious, everybody liked it. I made it for my one year old, so I skipped the nuts. I don’t own a food processor, so instead I used the regular mixer, and it worked fine! I will do it again and again. Tastes better after a few days. Cheers!
My son has a nut allergy. Do you have any recommendations for modifying this? Could you also recommend modifications if I skipped the currants too? My other son might not like them.
Hi Helena, you can omit the nuts and currants if you’d like. (If he likes raisins, you could replace the currants them.) Hope everyone enjoys!
Cake looks so moist and delicious, I can’t wait to try it out.
I am just curious to know if I would be getting the same result by skipping eggs. Would you recommend any other substitute for eggs?
Hi Deepa, Unfortunately, you can’t omit the eggs in this cake. So sorry!
If I wanted shredded coconut in the cake, where would be good place to put it? On top or actually in the cake?
I think that’s a matter of personal preference Amy. I think either would work!
Amazing recipe. Moist and delicious!
I made this recipe for my mother-in-law. She requested the recipe!! Thank you!!!
My daughter always loved the Costco carrot cake but they’ve stopped selling it at least in her area so for Mother’s Day her daughter made your cake. It was a hit with all the carrot cake lovers! Definitely a winner. Next time they will put all the frosting on (I thought 3/4 was just fine) but we were able to use the part they didn’t add when the girls made it into a glaze for cinnamon roll pancakes. We used raisins instead of currants but followed the rest exactly. Super duper!
The carrot cake was fabulous – very moist with a wonderful mix of spices. Best I have ever tasted
PS -jenn the metric for cream cheese is incorrect 12 ounces is 340 grams not 240 as stated .
So sorry about that, Lee Ann. Thank you for letting me know — it has been corrected!
I did discover one thing. I think your metric conversions are off. I calculate 12 ounces to equal 340 grams not 240. Just to let you know
You’re right LeAnn- thanks so much for pointing that out and I apologize for any confusion that may have caused! Please let me know if you see any other errors!
Tomorrow night will be a Jennifer full night as I just made the marinade for the chicken and the dressing for the crunchy Thai salad. But getting to the point – I made this in 2 9 inch cake pans. . What I am worried about is that I had more than enough icing to also ice the sides. What have I done wrong ? Fingers crossed it tastes good, it certainly looks fabulous.
No worries, Lee Ann — the recipe makes a lot of icing. Hope your dinner is a success!
Made this last weekend, followed the recipe exactly, and it was delicious, the best carrot cake I have ever tasted. I use your recipes a lot and have never been disappointed. Thank you so much and I hope your cookbook is a big success, I will definitely be buying one.
Made this cake on the weekend. A lovely moist cake with a delicious frosting. Love that cream cheese frosting!
This is a recipe I will be making again! 🙂
Amazing…..that’s all I can say! Followed recipe exactly. Everyone loved it!
Hi Jenn,
Just wanted to know if this recipe can be turned into cupcakes? If so, what would be the modification (ex: bake time). Thank you in advance for your help!
Sandra, I think that would work, but because the batter for the cake is so liquidy, I would forgo the cupcake liners and instead, grease and flour the cupcake pan (or use non-stick cooking spray with flour). I would start checking them for doneness after about 20 minutes.
OHMIGOD!!! It’s like you’re psychic!! I had carrot cake on the brain just now, pulled up your site and you just happened to have a recipe right there! Since your recipes are always amazing, I will have to give this a try.
I tried the Carrot Cake for Easter and it was a BIG hit! Thanks
Hi Jenn,
I just wanted to tell you that I made this carrot cake this past Easter Sunday and have received 6 formal requests for the receipe!! Everyone loved it! It was absolutely delicious and moist! Thank you so much for all your wonderful recipes.
BTW: Do you happen to have a lemon cupcake recipe somewhere out there? 🙂
THANK YOU AGAIN!
Glad everyone enjoyed it, Sandra! I don’t have a lemon cupcake recipe posted but I’ll add it to my list. 🙂
Can crushed pineapple be added to this recipe? Also, what is all purpose flour? Does that flour already have baking powder in it? Australia uses different descriptions.
Hi Beverly, I wouldn’t add crushed pineapple to this recipe — it will make the batter too liquid, and the cake will not have enough structure to rise properly. Sorry! And all purpose flour is just plain flour. It does not already have baking powder or salt in it. Hope that helps!
I made this cake for Easter lunch. It received rave reviews from my guests. The food processor preparation was brilliant. The soaked currants were much better than raisins. I especially loved the combination of spices. It’s an easy cake and tastes rich and elegant. Excellent with a good cup of coffee or tea. Thanks Jen for another showstopper.
Can you use canned carrots?
I’d stick with fresh, Dianna, as canned carrots might add too much moisture and throw the texture off.
I am eating this as I’m typing this. Amazing!!! So delicious! The cake is full of flavor and the icing is light. Once again, thank you for a delicious recipe that makes me feel like a rock star when I serve it to my family.
I have made many of your recipes and they are always wonderful; however, I made this carrot cake today and it totally fell in the middle and even around the edges it doesn’t seem to be done (although a toothpick came out clean). I used raisins instead of currants and avocado oil – could the avocado oil be the problem? Other than that, I followed the recipe exactly and I’ve never had a problem with my oven not cooking things properly
Hi Terry, So sorry you had trouble with the cake. I’ve made it dozens of times and never had that issue. I can’t say for sure about the avocado oil, as I’ve never baked it with it, but it sounds like the cake was likely just undercooked.
Just made this!!:)..It was amazing!!..best Carrot Cake I’ve ever made!! Thanks so much!!
HI Jenn! can you leave out the currants? And roughly how many carrots is one pound? Thanks Happy Easter
Hi Sara, Totally fine to omit the currants (and nuts, if you’d like) and there are about 6-8 medium (or 4 very large) carrots in a pound.
can this be made ahead of time and frozen ?
Hi Bohdanna, The cake can definitely be made ahead and frozen but not the frosting.
I don’t have a food processor,but I have a Vitamix. Do you think that would work okay for this recipe?
Hi Karen, I’m not sure how the Vitamix will do chopping the carrots — you could always just grate them really finely and use the vitamix for mixing the eggs, sugar and oil.