The Best Carrot Cake with Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting
This is hands-down the best carrot cake ever! Simple, with no secret or special ingredients, this delicious carrot cake with whipped cream cheese frosting is soft, tender and unbelievably moist.
Since I’ve successfully been making this carrot cake recipe for more than ten years now, I’m taking it from its “unbelievable” status straight up to “best ever.”
I have tried so many variations of carrot cake over the years, it isn’t even funny, and every time, I come back to this tried-and-true favorite when I want a wonderful, classic, no-fuss, best carrot cake.
With Easter quickly approaching and carrot cake season in full force around my house, this amazing and simple carrot cake needed a little moment in the spotlight again.
I’m a little particular about how I like my carrot cake (shocker, I know – me? having opinions? who knew).
And actually, carrot cake itself can be quite polarizing. I’ve received some very, shall I say, animated emails and comments over the years about how carrot cake SHOULD and SHOULD NOT be made.
For instance, if I offered this short 3-survey questionnaire to the public, I know for certain the responses would be passionate and varied:
1) Does pineapple belong in carrot cake?
2) What about nuts? Should they be in carrot cake batter or not?
3) Sorry to even bring this up, but I have to ask: how do you feel about raisins in your carrot cake?
Some of you long-term readers could undoubtedly tell everyone how I feel about #’s 1-3 up there.
In short: I’m a carrot cake purist. For me, personally, I’d rather leave out the frilly, lumpy, distracting ingredients and have straight up, classic, moist carrot cake all the livelong day.
And don’t forget the cream cheese frosting, of course.
It’s a pretty basic cream cheese frosting, as far as cream cheese frostings go, but I learned a decade ago when I first started making it, that the hint of sour cream in the frosting is what sets it apart from all of its cream cheese frosting competitors.
Ultra-creamy, it has that very slightly hint of tanginess that offsets the sweetness and makes you want to dive headfirst into the bowl of frosting.
Even though I often find ways to keep nuts out of the inside of *most* of my desserts, there’s something a little magical about the toasty crunch of pecans garnishing the outside of cream cheese frosted carrot cake.
See? I can be open minded. Sometimes.
Just don’t go take a mile where I gave an inch, and throw those pecans farther than they need to go. As long as they stay on the outside of the cake, we’re good.
I suppose the great news in all of this is that because this carrot cake is so amazing, it will do well with whatever add-in you choose to toss in the cake batter (within reason, of course).
If you are more open minded than I am, go crazy and make this your own! I’m actually quite interested to hear what you consider to be the perfect carrot cake.
Thankfully there’s enough carrot cake variations to go around for all the carrot cake opinions and lovers in the world (even you pineapple people).
For me, though, this is hands-down the best carrot cake ever!
You can see from the comments that I’m not the only one who feels that way, either.
I’ve added notes to the recipe to answer many commonly answered questions about this cake, but overall, the recipe hasn’t changed over the years (although I have made notes to make the method simpler).
FAQs for The Best Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
Yes, that should work!
Yes, many people have done that and it works out well!
If it’s frosted, yes. I usually take it out a couple hours before I want to serve it.
The Best Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
Cake:
- 2 ½ cups (355 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 ¼ teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
- ½ teaspoon table salt
- 1 pound medium carrots, 6 to 7 large carrots, ends trimmed and peeled or unpeeled (I never peel them)
- 1 ½ cups (318 g) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (106 g) packed light brown sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 1 ½ cups vegetable, canola or other neutral-flavored oil (see note)
Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 8 ounces (227 g) cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- 5 tablespoons butter, softened to room temperature
- 1 tablespoon sour cream, light or regular
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ¼ cups (143 g) powdered sugar
- Toasted, chopped pecans, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Adjust an oven rack to the middle position.
- Lightly grease a 9X13-inch baking pan with cooking spray or lightly grease and flour two 9-inch round baking pans. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and salt; set aside.
- In a food processor fitted with large or fine shredding disk (or using a box grater and shredding by hand), shred the carrots for about 3 cups total.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or in large bowl using a hand-held mixer OR by hand with a whisk), beat the granulated sugar, brown sugar, and eggs on medium-high speed until thoroughly combined, about 45 seconds.
- Reduce the speed to medium and with the mixer running, add oil in a slow, steady stream, being careful to pour oil against the inside of the bowl.
- Increase the speed to high (or just whisk like crazy) and mix until the batter is light in color and well emulsified, about 45 seconds to 1 minute longer.
- Stir in the carrots and dry ingredients by hand until incorporated and no streaks of flour remain (don’t overmix).
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan(s) and bake until a toothpick or skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, about 32 minutes for 9-inch round pans and 40 minutes for a 9X13-inch pan.
- Let the cakes cool for about 10 minutes in the pan and then invert them onto a cooling rack to cool completely (the 9X13-inch cake can be cooled completely in the pan if you don’t plan to invert and ice all the sides).
- For the frosting (see note below about doubling for a layer cake), mix the cream cheese, butter, sour cream, and vanilla at medium high speed in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or in a large bowl using handheld mixer) until well combined, about 30 seconds, scraping down the bowl with rubber spatula as needed.
- Add the powdered sugar and mix until very fluffy, about 1-2 minutes.
- Frost the cake and garnish with toasted, chopped pecans, if desired.
Notes
Recommended Products
Recipe Source: Cooks Illustrated (with my notes included)
Recipe originally posted March 2008; updated with new photos, recipe notes and commentary.
392 Comments on “The Best Carrot Cake with Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting”
I made this cake for Easter and it was fabulous and so well received by the guests.Someone said it tasted better than something you’d get at a high end restaurant. I followed the recipe as noted. The only change I made was I omitted the cloves/nutmeg. In replace I just added another 1/4tsp cinnamon.The only reason I didn’t give this a 5star is because of the icing. While it tastes fabulous it can be a bit challenging to work with. I did note it was verrry soft after making. I placed it in the fridge for an hour and it was still very soft but i was able to assemble the cake and put a thin crumb coat on it. I put the cake back in the fridge another hr to firm up more before I added a little more.Even with these steps I was only able to very thinly coat the sides of the cake. I believe it would’ve just slide down had I iced it thicker. Its definitely not an icing you can pipe with.I had leftover icing in the fridge and even by the next morning it didn’t thicken much. That being said I’d use it again because it tasted so good. Thank you for sharing this great recipe with me. I will definitely make it again.
Just want to thank you again for including weighted measurements!
Do you recommend squeezing out the excess liquid from the grated carrots?
I don’t squeeze out the liquid before using the carrots in the cake.
Yes,Amazing Carrot cake.
So moist and delicious
Jim
This is the best and easiest carrot cake. My husband asks me to make this a lot, he loves it so much! Thanks Mel
I make this cake every year for a birthday. I cook mine in a bunt pan for a little over an hour. We are at high altitude in Colorado and it turns out amazing. The frosting is not too sweet and over powering. Depending on who the cake is for, I do add some crushed pineapple. Thank you for this wonderful recipe.
My now most requested cake that I make. It’s amazing. I like to make it with Cake by Courtney’s white chocolate buttercream, because we aren’t as big of fans of cream cheese.
My crew appreciated this cake, but we all felt like it was spicier than other carrot cake recipes we’ve had. I did not have ground cloves, so I ground some whole cloves in my spice grinder and used those. I wonder if the freshness of that led to the extra spiciness. Either way, we thought the cake was good.
Yep—you’re correct about fresh ground cloves versus already ground cloves. I’ve discovered this myself.
The cake is amazing – probably the best recipe I have ever used.
The frosting? Was very thin – it should have had at least double the sugar, I think. It was still delicious and I have less than half a sheetcake left after dinner, but will do different frosting next time.
Hi Denise,
I’ve made this cake many times over the past 7 yrs. Usually after I mix the icing, its a bit too runny/soft. This is just due to friction of the mixing process which generates heat, plus the ingredients are brought to room temperature before mixing. I always have to chill the icing before layering my cakes. It becomes stiff much like cream cheese once it’s been chilled. Hope you’ll try it again..its very tasty.
I’ve been making this Carrot Cake for over 20 years. It is the absolute best recipe.
I found the recipe in Cooks Illustrated Baking Book. Everything I’ve made from their books has been the absolute best!
Great cake – followed recipe ingredients exactly and it was delicious. Very moist – realized I only had 8” pans so made a triple layer (25 min bake time) – doubled frosting as suggested. The perfect Easter dinner dessert. What I love about your recipes is that I trust them so even trying a “new” recipe is safe without a test run. You are the best!
Thanks so much, Lexi! Happy Easter!
Never add pineapple, but any carrot cake MUST have nuts and raisins!
I made this as a test run for Easter. I’ve made a lot of carrot cake recipes and I can say this is the best. So soft and moist. Delicious! I’m getting rid of all the other recipes and keeping this one. The sour cream in the frosting is brilliant. And the cake is so so good.
Mediocre – oily and heavy.
Though the recipe turned out and claims to be moist. Be mindful that this is only because the cake is an oily one.
I personally found this recipe to be basic, no wow factor! It tasted like carrot muffin you would buy in the grocery store isle.
This is truly the best carrot cake. I’ve been making it at least once a year for the past 4 years, and it never fails to get compliments from family and friends. Super moist and delicious.
Yes, I made this amazing cake a few years ago, to enter into an auction at church. One man bid $40.00 (!) and won. A recent widower, he was seriously craving carrot cake, and this hit the spot! He was so EXCITED that he phoned his daughter to describe how THRILLED he was with his delicious purchase! Later, his daughter tearfully thanked me… for making her dad smile during such a difficult time. Thank-you for this recipe, Mel. Good food can “touch” people in powerful ways.
Oh, I love this story. Thank you for sharing!
I was thinking while reading your recipe that it sounds very similar to the carrot cake I make. Then when I saw that it came originally from Cooks Illustrated, I knew it was the exact same as mine.
I also don’t like all the extra’s that some people feel are necessary for carrot cake.
This is the only carrot cake I make. It is absolutely amazing.
PS. I use the juice from 1/2 a lemon in cream cheese frosting to get that little zing.
Hey! My family is a HUGE carrot cake fan, so I made this for Thanksgiving this year. It was a hit!! I added pecans, golden raisins, and pineapple to the cake. (A cup each) Turned out perfectly! Thanks Mel!
Carrot cake is a favorite in my family! Can I add nuts, raisins, and pineapple? If so, about how much of each?
I haven’t tried those add-ins but you could definitely experiment!
Hii Mel, I made this cake for my pastor’s birthday at church and everyone loved it so much, it was requested by a church member for her mom’s 80th birthday coming up this weekend! Thank you so much for sharing your wonderful recipe with us, it is loved by so many!
I have a couple of questions before making the cake again, would using coconut oil affect the flavor of the cake and also, can I use swiss meringue cream cheese frosting in place of the original frosting in the cake?
Thanks,
Cleopatra.
I’m glad this cake was a hit at church! I haven’t tried either of those changes, but I think they would work fine. The coconut oil may lend a slightly different flavor and texture to the cake.
This is now our Easter Sunday traditional dessert, it really is best ever! I don’t think I ever really like carrot cake until I made this. I’m a no nuts (and most definitely no raisins!) kind of girl so I skipped the pecans. The icing is perfection.
The cake looks amazing and I am going to make it tomorrow for my friend’s birthday per his request. I’m wondering if I could use pastry and cake flour rather than all-purpose and what the difference would be?
I haven’t tried altering the flour type – you could experiment. It will likely change the texture/density of the cake.
Could I still use the frosting recipe but add coloring so I can decorate it or would that hurt the recipe?
Yes, that should work just fine.
Yum! I baked this carrot cake for Easter dinner dessert. My husband and family declared this cake the Winner! Thank you for another fantastic recipe, Mel!
We thought we hated carrot cake but this is for sure the best cake I have ever made- who knew? Doubled the icing for layer cake except for cream cheese (kept only 8oz for doubled recipe) and added extra icing sugar to replace the rest of the cream cheese to avoid too strong cream cheese flavor and was dreamy- new Easter tradition- thanks Mel!
I have made this carrot cake year after year and I’m obsessed. This recipe turned me into a carrot cake lover! Question…if I’m making it today (Saturday) but want to have my friends try it on Tuesday, will it be ok? How long can I keep it in the fridge?
Hi Danielle, sorry for the delay in responding. This cake actually keeps quite well in the refrigerator for several days. Should be ok!
I need help! I prefer smooth carrot cake but I am making one for a dear friend and he loves it full of raisins, crushed pineapple and nuts. I have seen comments here about adding stuff but was hoping for more guidance on proportions, etc.
I’m not entirely sure, Aubrey, since I’m like you and far prefer carrot cake with no add-ins. But I think you could try adding raisins and walnuts just fine. The crushed pineapple has me worried because the extra moisture might mess with the cake consistency. You might have better luck searching for a tested recipe that has all those add-ins already.
I need help! I prefer smooth carrot cake but am making one for a dear friend’s birthday and he likes everything but the kitchen sink. Now I need help. Could I make a variation of this recipe that includes raisins, walnuts and crushed pineapple? Or do you have a recommendation. I have a reputation to uphold but have no idea what to do this one!
Absolutely decadent!!! My son requested a carrot cake for his birthday. I’m so glad you had a recipe. I’ve never made carrot cake before. I’m so glad I can trust your recipes knowing they will turn out amazing for the first time!!!!
Could I half the mixture and use in a 9 inch springform pan? the only one I have
Yes, I think so!
so yummy. i used walnuts instead of pecans. can i use this recipe for cupcakes?
Yes! Many people have done that with good results!
THE BEST!
Added raisins and some pecans in the batter and toasted pecans at 250 for a half hour (butter, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves) for the topping.
Only one piece left of 9×13 cake for 11 people!
Hi! Could I use packed dark brown sugar instead of light brown sugar? Thankss!
Sure! The cake will have a slightly richer flavor and chewier texture but should work out ok!
Hey there. I’m making this for mother’s day and was wondering about high altitude conversions. Do you have any suggestions?
I don’t live at high altitude, so I’m not totally sure, but I’ve heard adding a few more tablespoons flour and slightly decreasing the leavening agent should help (king arthur flour has some good high altitude tips)
Thank you! I didn’t find a comment below about making it with gluten free all purpose flour. But I did bake it with the gluten free flour and WOW it’s fluffy and so moist and rose beautifully! It was great! A must try and GLUTEN FREE friendly!!!!!
Ohhh and I left it for 12 more minutes , so 44 min total because at 32 min it was not bouncing back.
Going to try this for Mother’s Day! Can I switch the all purpose flour for gluten free all purpose flour? If so, do I use the same amount? Thank you Mel
I haven’t tried a gluten free version but I believe others in the comments have used gluten free flour with good results!
Maybe this is too late to ask but I made this cake for Easter (and I’ve made the America’s Test Kitchen one it is based on) and have had the same problem with both. The cake sinks in the middle, somewhat dramatically. What am I doing wrong?
The taste was of course amazing, – in fact I just finished a piece tonight, because someone has to help with the leftovers!
Delicious! I love spice cake, and this carrot cake reminds me of it, but in a lighter, springy-ish sort of way. 🙂 I’ve also never made carrot cake before, but I knew I could trust your recipe, Mel. I baked in a 9×13, and it turned out wonderfully. My family has already requested it again. 🙂
This was so delicious and tasty! We did a two layer cake and made a 1 1/2 recipe of the frosting and thought that was plenty. We also used 1/2 applesauce and 1/2 oil. Thank you so much!
Funny story. My grandma’s lasagne and carrot cake are two top reasons my dad says he married my mom and every year this is always everyone’s favorite cake recipe. After I grew up, married and moved away I couldn’t find her recipe on Easter. She must have been in church because when I called she didn’t answer either. Knowing that Mel has NEVER led me astray I looked up this recipe and made it. I LOVED it! Next year we went to a family easter dinner and I took my recipe. Without telling anyone. My mom took a bite and looked at me with wide eyes and said, “this isn’t MY recipe!” Guilt written ALL over my face I said, “nope.” She said, “its SOOO good!!!!” Turns out, they’ve never adored that recipe anyway! It was always just not quite right. The boys totally can’t tell the difference, but to the women, you have achieved carrot cake perfection. Thank you Mel. Our lives are now complete. Amen.
Haha, this is THE BEST story, Stacey! I loved it so much. Thanks for sharing! I think we all have recipes in our family history we make because…well, it’s just tradition. But maybe a new recipe isn’t always a bad thing?? 🙂
That’s hilarious. Reminds me of how my parents, brother, and I (grown adults at this point) were all sitting around talking about Thanksgiving dinner food. My mom used to always make that nasty traditional green bean casserole. I mentioned how I never liked it. My brother says “Seriously? I never liked it either.” My dad? “Yeah, me neither.” I turn to my mom “Sorry, Mom, I know how much you like it.” She says “Wait! I never liked it either. I just made it because I thought you guys did.” So we literally ate that stuff for decades because everyone was too afraid to admit they didn’t like it, including the woman who was preparing it. Needless to say, it’s off the Thanksgiving menu.
I love this recipe and have been making it for years. Has anyone else had problems with their carrots turning green. I read it’s an issue with PH balance and a reaction with the baking soda.
I live at sea level, should I change the baking time?
Thanks! You are always so helpful!
Just keep an eye on it! It’s hard for me to know exactly, but I made this cake a lot when we lived near sea level and it worked per the recipe.
Could you use coconut oil?
Also, could you use pre shredded carrots from a store bought bag?
Thanks!
The pre shredded carrots are much thicker than freshly grated carrots and I haven’t tried them, but you could experiment. Yes, you could use melted coconut oil.
I wouldn’t use the pre shredded carrots. While they’re undoubtedly easier, they are far drier than carrots you grate yourself. Dry carrots = drier cake.
Can you bake this is a bunt pan?
Also how many cups of grated carrots?
I haven’t tried a bundt pan but others in the comments have with good results. The shredded carrots should be right around 3 cups (I haven’t measured exactly, I usually use my kitchen scale to weigh the carrots before shredding).
Perfect carrot cake recipe❤.
Is this enough batter for three 8 inch cakes? Also, if I wanted to add chopped pecans, how much should I add/when should I add them?
I made a different carrot cake recipe this morning, and it completely failed. I really want to make your recipe instead, but I do not want to leave anything to chance! Thank you!!
I just made this recipe in 3 8″ round pans (I don’t have 9″ pans and I didn’t want 2 8″ pans to be too full). Each cake is only about an inch high, but it worked out fine. I had to bake them for about 28 minutes in my oven.
They will be thinner layers, but yes you could make 3 8-inch cake layers. If you want them thicker, try 1 1/2-ing the recipe. You can add pecans in with the dry ingredients.
For the frosting do you use salted or unsalted butter? Thank you
I use salted
I’m with you. No raisins, no nuts, and nooo pineapple. I didn’t even know pineapple was a thing people added to carrot cake until I read this blog post. I have never been disappointed in your recipes, so I’m excited to try this one this weekend!
Love carrot cake with crushed pineapple and nuts in the cake!
Is table salt NOT kosher salt? I’ve only ever baked with kosher salt.
No table salt is not the same as kosher salt.
So you use something like Morton’s salt in this recipe?
Morton’s makes both coarse, kosher salt and table salt – so you just want salt that is really fine and labeled table salt. You can use coarse, kosher salt but I’m not sure of the exact amount you would need – usually you need a bit more than table salt.
Hi Mel- this is the BEST carrot cake recipe. I’m thinking about mass-producing it and delivering then to our family for Easter (quarantine-style.)
Does this cake freeze well?
Thanks for sharing all of your amazing recipes!
Tami
Yes, it freezes great!
Lovely cake. Love it. Thanks.
Hi tami! Did you try freezing it frosted? Curious how it worked because we want to try for this year.
This is definitely the best carrot cake recipe. I did add about 2 Tbs. of well-drained crushed pineapple and a small handful of chopped raisins to the batter. Baked it in two 9-inch cake pans. Cook time of 32 minutes was perfect. I skimped on frosting between the two layers, and ended up with just enough to cover the whole cake. A double recipe of frosting would be way too much. Next time I make it, I might take another reviewer’s suggestions to re-process the carrots after the first processing, just to get them even more finely chopped. Perfect recipe, but there is NO WAY prep time is 20 minutes. Impossible.
I just finished prepping mine and it was 20 minutes. I didn’t peel the carrots.
Want to try this as a loaf but am unsure of baking time and temperature. I’m assuming I’ll need to use 2 pans?
Hi Mel! I apologize if this has already been asked. Have you ever baked this as a loaf? Any suggestions? I’m assuming you’d probably have to use 2 loaf pans, but I’m unsure of the baking time and temperature.
I think you would need two loaf pans but I haven’t tried it myself so I’m not 100% sure.
My sister-in-law has made this cake, and it was amazing! It was a little dry when I made it, which I know is likely my fault–I’m not a great baker! Just wondering what makes a cake turn out dry? Could the size of the grated carrots affect that? Or did I add too much flour? I just want to learn for next time because I love this cake!
Usually dry cakes are due to over baking and too much flour (can also be due to overmixing, but the other two factors are more important, I think).
If you use pre-grated carrots from the supermarket, the cake may be dry. Carrots you grate yourself add a lot of moisture to the cake.
Hi Mel, thank you for the recipe! What I love about your recipes is that they are somehow always so flexible, I can tinker with them and know that the final product will still be good. The same goes for this carrot cake!
I cut the sugar in half, reduced the oil by a third, and it still turned out delicious and super moist. Good enough to eat even without frosting!
In fact, it is maybe even a teeny tiny bit on the greasy side – probably because I didn’t use enough sugar to soak up the oil? Next time I will try reducing the oil in half as well.
Thanks again for another simple, yummy and foolproof recipe!
This is a fantastic recipe! Being a whole foodie, I used whole wheat flour, sucanat as sweetener, and all organic ingredients. Even with the modifications, my whole junk food loving extended family LOVED it, They even asked for the recipe! Thanks a zillion!
Could you do this in a Bundt pan? How long would you bake it for?
Probably! I’d suggest 45-55 minutes.
I made this cake for Easter and was a hit. Everybody loved it.You were right no look further this is the ONE.
So happy to hear that, Kathy! Thank you!
I made this recipe last Easter, exactly as you wrote it. This Easter, my pregnant daughter asked me to put walnuts and raisins in it. I did as she asked, and I will NEVER leave the walnuts and raisins out again! I do appreciate your delicious smooth recipe, but the chewy-goodness of these additions… makes my family so stinkin’ happy! Also, your cream cheese frosting is RIDICULOUSLY delicious ~ YUMMM!!! Keep the recipes comin’, cutie!
Glad you guys found the perfect variation that your family loves. That’s all that matters! 🙂
Mel – I made this for Easter this year, and took leftovers to work. My boss and others told me this is the BEST carrot cake they have ever had. Thank you for another awesome recipe!! 🙂
Yessss! That made my day! Miss you, friend!
The cake is delicious! Last minute I was crazy and added a small can of crushed pineapple, drained, in one of the layers (and added some more flour to go along with it). I asked the family which layer they liked best and there was mixed reviews. It could be done, if that’s your thing. Both cakes were incredibly moist. The toasted pecans made the cake. Yum! That will never be an option at my house. I can’t wait to make this for my Mom!
I live at 6,000 feet and followed the directions exactly. My cake didn’t dome, but it raised and was cooked all the way through. I did have to bake each layer longer than the suggested 32 minutes. (just FYI)
Thanks for the detailed review, Katie!
My grandmother’s famous carrot cake has all the frills- walnuts, coconut, and pineapple. She has made this cake for more weddings than we can count! I can’t imagine trying a different recipe!
http://doubledippedlife.com/2009/10/carrot-cake.html?m=1
Dear Mel…..I followed exactly your recipe but for some reason the frosting didnt cover my entire cake. It was disappointing because i made it for Easter dinner. I am not sure why..maybe needs to double your frosting recipe. Now I have to hide part of the cake which is not covered with frosting from our guests
Darn, Kathy! I’m sorry! In the notes below the recipe directions, I give a quick note to double the frosting if making a layer cake instead of a 9X13 cake; I’m sorry if that wasn’t more prominent!
The best carrot cake I’ve ever made! I followed the recipe exactly except I doubled the frosting.
Thank you, Dona!
What altitude was this recipe made at? I am at 4700 feet.
5 stars. Yummy. Love Carrot cake
My Carrot Cake recipe is exactly the same as the one my great Grandmother gave to me many years ago, She had been making it forever. The one difference is she didn’t use 1/2 c. Brown sugar, she used all white sugar. I’m going to make with Brown sugar next time I make it. Great recipe and I have people beg me for it… I’ll just send them in your direction 🙂
I made 5 of these tonight. The first two cakes I made I used just less than a pound of carrots and the center of the cake collapsed. Crying real tears right now. Now I have to make two more tomorrow. Boo hoo. Anyway, the next three have turned out perfectly with a little more than a pound of carrots. Do not use fewer carrots. I practiced this cake and took it to my guinea pigs at work. One gal raved “IT WAS FULL OF VEGETABLES IT WAS AWESOME!” She made my day.
Oh man, Beth – so sorry those cakes didn’t work out – good reminder to the rest of us to follow the recipe to the pound, right?? You are a trooper. Glad your coworkers raved over the finished product!
And absolutely NO JIGGLE or hint of a jiggle. Actually, when it stops jiggling, wait 5 more minutes!! (This is for a 9×13 pan). I still had a dent when the jiggle was gone yesterday with all the carrots and about an hour of bake time. They are so worth it though. Can’t wait until tomorrow!
Hi Mel! I live in Colorado and I have not had great luck with cakes that have more baking powder and less baking soda- probably due to the altitude- do you have any high altitude suggestions? This looks great!
Hey Sara – I haven’t baked at high altitude in a lot of years now that I live at around 2,500 feet (used to live at 6,500 feet) but I remember a couple recommendations – to reduce the baking powder by about 1/4th and add a couple tablespoons more flour. I don’t know if that will provide no-fail results, but it should help a little. I think this chart from King Arthur Flour is super helpful! https://www.kingarthurflour.com/learn/high-altitude-baking.html
I am a fan of the more-the-better carrot cake with pineapple, coconuts, nuts and anything else i can come up with. That said, I have never had a carrot cake i didn’t like! I do find any carrot cake I have ever made is better the next day so I now plan on making it a day ahead.
Yes, I have to agree with the day ahead note!
Mel I am all about pure unadulterated smooth carrot only cake. Nothing added. Just beautiful carrots. And I go a step further with my carrot prep to make it even smoother. After I grate carrots in food processor, I measure. Then I put the carrots back in processor with the chopping blade to make very fine bits. Love the smooth texture this provides. Can you tell I don’t like chunks?!?!
Haha! Sounds like something I would do! Glad you’ve found a way to still LOVE carrot cake! 🙂
The Best….true story! This is the only carrot cake recipe I use & I constantly get requests for it. I always make cupcakes & they are perfect every time!
If you don’t mind, how many cupcakes did you get? Also, what temperature did you bake them and for about how long?
I have to take something to a potluck this weekend for my kids and I was thinking about making this, but cupcakes would work much better for a group of 5-10 year old boys.
You’d think I would remember more details having made them so many times….I get at least 24 cupcakes, seems like a few more. I bake at 350 but the time escapes me – I’d say start checking on them after 18 minutes.
I like raisins, coconut, and pineapple in a carrot cake and less oil with cream cheese frosting.
Thanks!
I love how there are so many different views about what the “perfect” carrot cake has to offer!
I have contemplated making this carrot cake a few times but I have a carrot cake recipe that I absolutely love that includes both pineapple and walnuts (GASP!). It always gets rave reviews with people saying it’s the best carrot cake they’ve ever eaten. I just love the moistness and flavor pineapple brings to the table. Perhaps I’ll send you the recipe in case you ever feel like trying something different (and perhaps sacrilegious!).
I love getting new recipes, Anna! If you have time, email it to me, that would be awesome. I should be more open minded about carrot cake. Haha.
I would love to try this recipe of yours, I live on the pineapple island (Hawaii) so that would be great here
Perfect carrot cake NEVER EVER has pineapple and ALWAYS has toasted walnuts and golden raisins. Then and ONLY THEN is it perfect.
I made this cake after carrot cake was requested for a birthday cake. I knew I wouldn’t be disappointed with your recipe and it was a HUGE success! The icing was so silky and smooth. Delicious!! Thanks for another great recipe Mel…keep ’em coming!
Thanks so much, Judy!
I need to make this into a wedding cake for 50 people. Any suggestions, tips,etc?
I don’t really know, Liz, without knowing what shape and size you want the cake. Do you know those details?
They have me very little instruction, other than for approximately 50 people. I was thinking a round cake, 3 or 4 tiers decorated with minimal buttercream flowers in fall colors. I think the rounds will freeze well, but a little concerned about structure. Thanks for any input you have,
Liz
I made this for Easter and it was excellent. And last Saturday I made it for a funeral luncheon and again it was very well-liked. I wanted to pipe a border rather than nuts, so I used the cream cheese frosting from Wicked Good Kitchen. that stuff is amazing.
In the cake, I used 1 cup oil and only 1 c. white sugar (kept the 1/2 c brown sugar) and it still tasted great with a pleasing texture and moistness.
I’ve never seen a cake disappear so quickly… made this for Easter dinner but we couldn’t wait that long – half of it was gone the night before! I love that the frosting wasn’t overly sweet, and the toasted pecans added the perfect finishing touch.
Just made my first carrot cake – requested by my 4 yr old – so good. Used half whole wheat pastry flour, subbed buttermilk for half the oil, and added some ginger to the spice mix. Really good cake, thx!
That’s interesting. I wonder how often you could sub buttermilk or another liquid for part of the oil. Thanks for the idea. It wouldn’t matter how carrot cake was made. In this house, we’d eat it all.
After having made this cake for years for our Easter dinner, I didn’t know what to serve for dessert this year because my family is now egg-and-dairy-free. I didn’t want to use a random carrot cake recipe, so I decided to just swap the 4 eggs for equivalent “flax eggs” (1/4 c. flaxseed mixed into 3/4 cup water, set aside in a bowl), and use Earth Balance “butter” for the butter and “vegan cream cheese” for the cream cheese. That’s a lot of swaps, and I wasn’t sure how it would turn out. I just wanted to report back that the cake was AWESOME, and indistinguishable from previous years’ versions once I refrigerated it. (The frosting was not as fluffy at first, but once we chilled it it was great.) Just wanted to pass along in case anyone else is looking for an egg-free or dairy-free version. I always cook mine in a bundt pan for 45ish minutes. Easy and pretty once frosted.
That’s amazing, Alicia! Thank you for sharing!
A definite keeper! Only used 1 batch of frosting for a 9 inch layer cake (frosted it in that trendy, pinterest-y naked cake style) and there was plenty of frosting to go around. Perfectly delicious! Full disclosure tho…. Am I the only one who feels like carrot cake is a fall cake? Maybe it’s just those warm spicy flavors… Maybe it’s just that I’m ready for fresh blueberries….
I made this a few years ago and loved it and decided to bake this On Thursday and my family ate it all by the next day. So I baked it again today for Easter. So I made this cake twice in one week haha. Thank you so much for such an easy and amazing Carrot cake.
Best. Carrot cake. Ever.
That is all.
I’ve been making your carrot cake recipe for my son’s birthday every year. He just turned 6 and requested carrot cake again – only to have my oven die a couple days before his birthday. But, salvation – my broiler element still worked! In case anyone ever wonders, you *can* cycle your broiler from hi/low/off to bake this carrot cake – and the cake was utterly delicious. I think its a sign of how much I trust your recipe that I had faith it would still be delicious – even in less than “traditional” cooking methods. 🙂 Thanks Mel!
That’s amazing! I don’t know that I’d ever have the guts to try that. You are amazing!
THANK YOU so much for sharing this recipe. It turned out just the way I was hoping- moist and cakey and not too dense. And the frosting was fabulous too! I made it for a party and the hostess’ all-time favorite cake is carrot, so I really needed this cake to impress. It definitely delivered. Everyone had seconds and even thirds! This is now my go-to carrot cake recipe!!
I made your carrot cake recicpe (using 9×13 pan) and I must say, this is a fantastic recipe! It was the easiest carrot cake I’ve ever made and including the carrot-food processor time, it mixed up very quickly.
But more importantly, the taste, flavors and texture are simple and delicious!
Thanks so much for your recipes, I can always count on them to be great.
I made this exactly as the recipe directed. I thought it was quite good, but my husband missed the nuts, coconut and raisins. So I cut back on the carrots and added all those other things the next time I made it. Then it was REALLY good.
I haven’t made yet so my rating is so I can ask a question but this does sound delicious — could I cut this recipe in half and bake in 9 square pan–? and could I add a can of crushed pineapple a small 8 oz can
You can definitely cut in half but I haven’t added pineapple so I’m not sure how that would work out.
Carrot cake is my absolute favorite dessert! This recipe is THE BEST! I just buy mini carrots and chop them in my food processor. The cream cheese frosting is AMAZING! Seriously, people who don’t even like carrot cake, eat this for the frosting alone.
I was wondering if you can use butter in place of the oil.?
I haven’t tried that – could definitely experiment!
Does anybody else get a crusty top to the layers? Assuming it’s the brown sugar. I am use to leveling cakes but this is some serious crust!
Mel, I had tried your salsa recipe and loved it and then I tried one of your salad recipes and loved it too, so….I decided to bake your Carrot Cake recipe and enter it in a Carrot Cake Baking Contest at one of the local supermarkets this morning and I came in 3rd place, the prize being a $25 dollar gift certificate. I had not “tried and tested” it before hand, so I was pleasantly surprised. (including mine, 12 cakes total) I had one lady come up and ask for your creamy frosting recipe, which I was happy to share with her and also gave her your website. Tasting my cake for the first time after the judging and photos were done, I have to say, that I also loved the frosting…(here comes the “but”) but, biting into the cake, the strong taste of cloves was not to my liking. In the future, I will increase the cinnamon and leave out the cloves. The winner, by the way, had everything in her carrot cake and it was very tasty. I personally enjoyed my carrot cake over the second place winner’s cake, but am still tickled pink that they chose mine for 3rd place. Thanks Mel…I’ll definitely be trying more of your delicious recipes.
Thanks for the fun comment! Glad the cake was so well-received and that you know what to do next time to make it even more your style! Congrats!
All I can taste is the oil. Won’t make this again.
You definitely didn’t make it right
once this cake is finished, does it need to be stored in refrigerator or will it be fine on the counter in a cake stand?
It’s fine at cool room temp for a few hours, but longer than that, I keep it in the fridge.
This is hands-down the best carrot cake I’ve ever tasted. So flavorful and moist. Been making it for a few years now, complete success every time. Thanks so much for this amazing recipe, it truly is the best!
Love from Iceland
Hi! This looks fabulous! I can’t wait to try it! Do you think it would work to bake it as a sheet cake in a 10″x15″ (or 12×17) jelly roll pan? If so, can recommend a baking time? Thanks so much for all of the delicious recipes!
I haven’t baked it in that size of pan. It works great in a 9X13-inch and might work fine but I don’t want it overflowing on you, so a lot will depend on how high the sides of your pan are.
Hi! I just had a question, I will be baking this cake tomorrow, but could i make the frosting today and store it in the fridge until then?
Yes, that should work – just make sure to take the frosting out in time to soften so it is spreadable.
Fabulous carrot cake! I did the applesauce/oil split and the cake was still super moist–not oily– even three days later when the last piece was eaten. I have to admit the only problem with the recipe was that it didn’t say if I should squeeze the juice out of the grated carrots or not. I checked out the original Cook’s Illustrated recipe and since they didn’t mention any squeezing, I left the carrots as is. Beautiful recipe, and easy to make since my husband volunteered to grate all those carrots for me.
What an awesome cake!
I had been craving carrot cake and made your recipe, amazing!
Thank you.
Thanks, Martha!
I made this for Easter. I’m not a fan of nutmeg so I adjusted the spices by adding a touch less of that and a touch more cinnamon. I also put in only 3 larger carrots and about a half cup of crushed pineapple (old habits die hard).This was the best carrot cake I have ever had without exception. Thank you for a fabulous recipe.
Thanks, Laura! And thanks for including your changes.
I made this a year ago for my son’s 1st birthday and since then I was diagnosed with celiac and have had to cut out dairy. When you reposted this recipe I was sad thinking I’d never be able to eat it again. But ingenuity soon beat up hopelessness and I made the cake with bob’s red mill gf baking 1 to 1 flour and it was amazing! The spices were a little dimmed (per the norm when subbing a gf flour) but it was moist and flavorful and didn’t sink in the middle and and and. .. I did have to increase the baking time by quite a bit and I found/created a different frosting (Buttercream with coconut oil instead of butter and soured almond milk to make it tangy) but honestly it was the best gf thing I’ve ever baked! This recipe is so good that it doesn’t need gluten to have amazing taste and structure!
I’m so happy to hear this!
Delicious! FYI: for me, a half recipe made 33 mini cupcakes or a six-inch pan two layer cake. (I grated the carrots much finer for the mini cupcakes since the baking time was so much shorter.)
I made this this last weekend and it was a HIT!!! I was worried that it wouldn’t get eaten (because weren’t having a lot of company), but the problem was that it got eaten a little too quickly! This is going to be a yearly tradition of ours for sure! Thanks for another winning recipe, Mel!
Thanks for reporting back, Jaci! Glad it was well-received.
I made this cake for Easter and everyone loved it! My husband went so far as to say it was as just like his favorite carrot cake from his favorite bakery! *fist bumps!* Oh, and I couldn’t get the image of me literally diving head first into a vat of cream cheese frosting while frosting and eating this cake. Ha!
Hahahahaha!
Last night everyone agreed this is absolutely delicious! It is my go to carrot cake recipe and cream cheese frosting recipe from this day forward!!!
So happy to hear that, Yvonne!
I need this to be in sheet cake form (feeding a crowd). I notice you also have a sheet carrot cake recipe on the site. Which one do you prefer? And has anyone ever tried this one as a sheet cake (12 x16)? Is the difference between the two recipes worth doing the math to convert it?
My heart was set on making this for Easter for a group of 12, but that group has turned into 21. I know you have a sheet cake carrot cake recipe, but wondering if this works as a sheet cake? Would you double ingredients or just settle for a thinner cake? I just don’t think the layered way will feed that many. Thanks Mel!
Hi Jenny – it’s been a long time, but I remember making this recipe in a large, rimmed baking sheet pan (like, 12X17 or so) and it seemed to work fine. If you try it, just make sure not to overfill the pan. I think I remember that one batch of this cake fit in a large pan, but I can’t remember exactly and don’t want it overflowing in your oven.
Mel~ I made this carrot cake this past weekend for my Dad’s birthday. Carrot cake is his absolute favorite and he said it was the best he had ever had! I am not a huge fan of carrot cake but this one will now be on regular rotation at our house for special treats!
That’s the best compliment, Jessica!
Hi Mel – I am wondering if I make this cake today (Wednesday) and keep it tightly wrapped (unfrosted), if it will be okay on Saturday.
If you aren’t going to frost it, I would wrap the layers in plastic wrap and freeze if you need it to hang out that long.
I did not make the cake (hope to in near future), but did use the frosting recipe for your carrot sheet cake recipe…amazing! I needed to double the batch, and then had leftovers that I used to eat just about anything and everything with. The sour cream indeed does give it that certain something, and with the added taste of carrot cake…yum!!!
Have you ever tried crushed pineapple in your frosting? Specifically on carrot cake, it is quite delightful!
I haven’t, but someone else told me about that once – said it was divine!
It really is! Trying your carrot cake today to see if it beats my go-to recipe! Thanks for all the recipes you have added to my rotation over the years, you are my go to!
I baked this cake so many times( at last 10 times) … it is the best carrot cake!
Do you use convection setting when baking? Your post about the cookies the other day got me thinking you use often while baking – I hardly ever do. If so, do you have to adjust the temp or time? I’d like to use my convection feature more often, but feel like when I do it doesn’t work out. I’m sensing a “Let’s Talk” post about convection feature 😉 Come to think about it, a “Let’s Talk” post would be great on the difference between neutral oils. I always want to try avocado oil but chicken out and stick to whatever is listed in the recipe. Thanks Mel, my family would starve without your blog!
Hi Jan – I do use my convection bake often – but I always test the recipes I post on standard bake (and unless I specify in the recipe, it’s meant to be standard baked, not convection baked). Having said that, most recipes can be adapted to convection bake (I always do 25 degrees lower). Maybe you are right – some posts are in order! (And if you can find avocado oil, you should use it – it’s my fave!)
Wow. This does look amazing. I’m going to give a try for an Easter pot-luck we were invited to. I’ll leave off the nuts though. I feel like these days, everyone is allergic to something – is that an LA thing? Anyway. Simple and delicious sounds perfect.
Don’t mind me while I drool all over my keyboard.. Ha! Such a wonderful idea, I absolutely love carrot cake. I’ll be using this recipe at home!
I hope you’re having a wonderful Thursday,
Michael
https://www.mileinmyglasses.co.uk
This reads like my Grandma used to make I think she added cut up raisins as well. Can’t wait to make it!
Oh crap this is a BAD time to start a diet
Mel–I am going to make this, because I have yet to dislike ANYTHING you post. The roasted asparagus and penne with balsamic was AHHH-mazing! 🙂 So thanks for that one!
We have a Mexican restaurant down here in TX called Rosa’s, and my family seems to think that they make THE BEST carrot cake. They add walnuts, but very finely chopped walnuts, to the cake itself. It’s not overly spiced and the cream cheese frosting is fabulous (unlike any cream cheese frosting I’ve ever had… makes me wonder if there’s copious amounts of butter, as it’s not overly sweet or tangy?) Anyway, thought I’d share, as you asked what we thought made for great carrot cake. My family’s vote is with Rosa’s Café, and my vote is for any cake LOADED with cream cheese frosting 🙂 Thanks, Mel! Keep up the awesome-ness and have a great week!
This looks amazing! I’m totally making this on Easter Sunday!
Paige
http://thehappyflammily.com
Can I just say, I LOVE that you are reposting these classics and updating them. I remember making this in 2008 and ever since then. I’m with you about just carrots. My husband is more the everything but the kitchen sink kinda carrot cake guy usually–but he also LOVES this recipe. And it’s comforting to know it’s still the best!
Thanks, Emily!
It looks delicious! Will try it soon! Thank you!
My sister-in-law makes a carrot cake with EVERYTHING in it: raisins, pineapple, nuts, coconut, chocolate chips, etc. It’s actually very good, but I prefer mine either plain (but with tons of cream cheese frosting) or with lots of chocolate chips (and still tons of cream cheese frosting). Nuts are okay with me. As soon as I get back to the USA and an oven I will make this. I make many of your recipes that don’t require an oven (it’s way too hot to use one here in the Philippines, even if I had one) but you would be humored by the many substitutions I use in the recipes. Thanks Mel, your site is a sweet tie to home.
Thanks, Ann! It would be a kick to see what kinds of substitutions find their way into recipes – you are a trooper!
Can’t wait to try this one- Sounds delicious!
Just last night, I was explaining to my son, who thought I hated carrot cake, I love it, as long as it doesn’t have “stuff” in it.
Thanks!
Well….my idea of the perfect carrot cake is no carrot cake. Chocolate all the way for me!
I love carrot cake but developed a cinnamon allergy several years ago. Do you happen to know if this cake would be good without the cinnamon? Or maybe there is a substitute? It is definitely one of the foods i miss since not being able to eat cinnamon.
Hey Angie – I’ve never made it without cinnamon but I’d say it’s definitely worth a try! I’d probably bump up the other spices just a bit.
Hi! I’m allergic to carrots, do you think I could substitute broccoli instead? Just kidding!!
I just wanted to high-five another supporter of cake purism, as it should be. A long time ago, I had flown out to meet the family that I would later claim as in-laws. My husband’s father enjoys being in the kitchen and made quite a meal. Carrot cake was the dessert, and it was alllllllll in there. Raisins, pineapple, and nuts everywhere. But smile and chew! The things we eat for those we love. 🙂
Hahaha….both to your initial question and to your grin and bear it attitude about the kitchen sink carrot cake. Seriously, made me laugh out loud. And if you had been honestly asking about subbing something for the carrots, I probably would have quit blogging for good. 🙂
My husband adores carrot cake and I can’t wait to try your recipe and see if it can rival his mom’s. ;p I’m wondering though, if I could substitute butter for the oil in the cake batter (or half butter half oil for that matter)? I just personally LOVE butter and love the buttery flavor in my cakes. Do you think it would affect the texture of the cake if i do the substitution? If it’s possible to substitute, how would you do it to preserve the texture of the cake? Thanks for sharing all your awesome recipes!
I’d probably do half oil/half butter (and melt the butter). Good luck!
I made this for the first time last Easter when it was just your “unbelievable” carrot cake. I completely agree, best ever! And you are 100% correct there should never, ever, under any circumstances be raisins in carrot cake or any of that other junk! Blah! I think that’s why I never loved carrot cake before, it was always wrong, now that I’ve made yours, I’m a fan and it will most likely be our Easter staple forever!
You forgot to ask if coconut belongs in carrot cake. (I’m with you, by the way, although I wouldn’t even bother putting nuts on the frosting.)
Haha, yes, the coconut is a very valid question as well.
I second the motion for the favorite carrot cake! This carrot cake is so yummy. I’ve brought it to several family functions and it always gets rave reviews. I’ve even made a dairy free icing when I was df with coconut cream and it was so so yummy. One of the best things I ate while being df for my nursing daughters allergies.
Yum! The coconut cream substitution sounds delish!
I made these at least three times over the past three months, including last week. This is the best carrot cake EVER!!! I just bought more carrots to make more. I have used this recipe for carrot cake cupcakes too, and it is just as wonderful! Thank you for changing my carrot cake world and sharing this recipe.
That makes me so happy, Debby! Glad you love it.
Mel.. your cake sounds great but I really wanted to share my ” BEST ” carrot cake recipe with U & your followers
4 eggs
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup canola oil
2 cups grated carrot
2 cups grated apple
Whisk tog in large mixing bowl then Add right over top of above ingredients:
2 cups flour
2 tsp bkg pwdr
2 tsp bkg soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup poppy seeds, optional
1/2 cup sesame seeds
Handful dried currents, optional but adds a nice texture
Bake 350 30_40 min in 8×8 pan
Icing: for Mexico.. cream cheese comes in 190 or if lucky to find 210 gm pkgs
3 pkgs Philadelphia cream cheese..room temp
1/2 cup soft butter
1 cup icing sugar, sifted
1 tsp vanilla
Beat creamcheese w electric mixer ; add butter; beat till well combined
Add icing sugar , beat till well combined & then vanilla till blended
This is my revised recipe that I originally got from a deli in Portland Oregon about 35 years ago !
I always make these as cupcakes & they are perfection! IF I don’t bring these to family functions (both sides) I get a tremendous amount of grief, lol!
That’s hilarious! It’s great to hear from others that this recipe works well as cupcakes!
did you find the cupcakes didn’t rise? in wondering how to make it so they rise nicely
This carrot cake is so good that when I burnt it terribly in an old school toaster oven from a yard sale, I was able to cut off all black crispy parts, frost & serve to ten family members for my mil’s birthday a couple of weeks ago. Compliments abounded; ev ry one loved it! (My Bosch gas range bit the dust, REFUSING to heat up the DAY of the birthday!) Fortunately, I was able to have a new GE gas range delivered the next week–I am Inlove w it! Thx for helping this kitchen queen have so much confidence that She was able to turn crispy blackened mess into delicious carrot cake. (People honestly couldn’t get over how delicious it was.) I usually make this cake w no add ins but may try all 3 at some point, since crushed pineapple, nuts & raisins appeal to me. I’ve done the pecans on top Once or twice & loved it. I will try & look at this pic in the future to remind me to top w pecans.
Oh my gosh, Lauren! That’s quite a dramatic carrot cake story! I CANNOT believe you salvaged that cake. You are my hero.
It actually was pretty dramatic; I should have taken pix! I wanted to mention that I served this carrot cake w vanilla BEAN ice cream which complimented the cake perfectly. Thx, Mel, for the heads up re: not pealing the carrots–I love that time saver!
Alright, mel. The picture alone is cookbook worthy
I am with you!! No, no and no! Nuts to the outside only!! Thank you for such a delicious recipe!! Needed this one for the upcoming holiday!!!
My daughter wants carrot cake for her birthday this weekend, but it needs to be decorated like a skunk! Can you pipe the cream cheese frosting? Thanks for another AMAZING recipe!
This version of cream cheese frosting would be way too soft to pipe, I think. Good luck with that skunk! 🙂
Good Morning,
Your recipe sounds very good, I was wondering if I could cook and mash the carrots in stead of shredding them; would that be ok as it would be much easier for me, an older senior? Please advise. Thank you
Could certainly try, George! Don’t know how it would affect the texture of the cake, though.
I made this cake this week, and it was very good! But I have one question…I had left a sheet of aluminum foil on the bottom rack from when I seasoned some cast iron skillets earlier in the week when I cooked the cake. I cooked it for the required time, and when I tested in the center with a toothpick, it came out clean. I let it cool in the 9” x 11” pan for about 15 minutes. The middle of the cake sunk a little, but I wasn’t too worried. When I flipped it onto the cooling rack, sadly it kind of fell apart because the middle was pretty much completely raw, while the sides were quite well done. I ended up cutting off the cooked edges and frosting them as cake bars, and put the rest back in the oven and made “carrot cake crumble” with all the pieces. Do you think maybe the aluminum foil someone affected the heat conduction in the oven or something like that? I’ve never had such a problem before! The cake was delicious! It just didn’t come out very pretty.
Hey Mel – that’s a great question and honestly, I don’t know, but it seems as though the cake probably just needed more time in the oven. Every oven can differ on exact oven temperature and I’m guessing a few extra minutes would help the cake regardless if there is aluminum foil in the oven.
Hi mel! I tried to do this carrot cake by Reading all’ positive comments you Have. I don t know if i Have the wrong Cup mesure but i think there is too much sugar in this cake: with my Cup mesure is more than 400gr of sugar and when i tasted the cake it was too much. Could you traslate the recipe in grams?maybe i have the wrong Cup mesure but this is the only One i found in Italy(where i live);-) thank you very much Sara
Hi Sara – there are several online calculators that can help you translate the cake into grams. Sorry I can’t do that for you (I’m not familiar with the conversions and don’t want to mess you up!).
There are 200 grams in a cup. I’m sure it will taste much better with the correct amount!
Make that 200 grams per cup for granulated sugar. Brown sugar is 220 grams per cup. Hope this helps.
I made this cake today for dinner/dessert with my family and the grandparents. It was absolutely THE best carrot cake I have ever had. Everyone loved it! And I am so glad that there is a little left that I can eat tomorrow!!! Once again, you have shared an absolutely awesome recipe! Thank you for all you do.
This was the best carrot cake I’ve ever had or made, and I sorta consider myself a carrot cake connoisseur. I made the recipe exactly as written, but I added a tsp of ground ginger for a little kick. I made it in two 9″ pans and although they fell in the center (I live at 6100 feet so I’m used to this!) it was nothing an extra dollop of the yummy frosting couldn’t cover. This was our Easter dessert and I just finished the last piece today – still as good as ever! Although now I’m sad we’re out of carrot cake :(!! Thanks for the awesome recipe, Mel!
I live at 7000 feet. If you use 3/4 cup of applesauce and oil each, reduce baking powder to 1 teaspoon. and baking soda to 3/4 teaspoon. and reduce the white sugar to 1 cup and brown sugar per recipe, you won’t have any problems. Add two eggs.
Also, preheat to 375 degrees and reduce the heat to 350 when you put the cakes in.
If you do muffins instead, bake at 375 degrees, watch at about 12 minutes for doneness, and make the above changes, except for the sugar, you can use 1 1/4 cup, the same for brown sugar, and 1 1/4 baking powder and 1/2 tsp baking soda. The cupcakes set faster and are going to be beautiful! GOOD Luck!
In case anyone wants to make this into a bunt cake, it works fine. I baked it at 350 for 50-60 minutes.
Hi, just wanted to say thank you for this recipe. It worked beautifully. I made it in a 9″ square tin and 6 muffins. Gifts for my neighbours for Easter. Delicious!
You said to use medium sized carrots, could I use baby carrots instead? Thanks!
Sure!
Should I refrigerate this cake if I plan to make it ahead of time?
If it’s frosted, yes. I usually take it out a couple hours before I want to serve it.
As any one made this with out a standing mixer? Did it still turn out well? Thanks! Ps Mel I love all your receipes!!!
I haven’t tried it but I’m guessing you could whisk/stir and it would be fine.
Can you make this recipe into cupcakes?
I believe so – check the comment thread as I believe many other commenters have tried it.
Hi Mel! LOVE this carrot cake. I made it for my Bible study and everyone said it was the best carrot cake they had ever had. I wanted to do it in cupcake form soon- have you done this? I’m guessing I only need to change the amount of time it is in the oven.
It’s been a while so I don’t remember how they turned out or how many they made but I know several people up in the comment thread have made this recipe as cupcakes with good results. 🙂
Great, thank you! I’m looking forward to trying more of your recipes. 🙂
Hi Mel! I don’t normally comment on the recipes that I try online but I had to tell you how much I loved this cake! It was so delicious – made it for my husbands birthday and he couldn’t have been happier either! The frosting was amazing as well – so much more fluffy than traditional cream cheese frostings (at least that I have found)! Actually left me wanting more instead of regretting dessert like I usually do. Amazing recipe!
I just had one question – I didn’t use walnuts in it this time as the hubs isn’t a fan, but I love nuts in my cakes and cookies. Have you ever tried making this with nuts (walnuts or pecans) in it? How much would you suggest using?
Thanks again for an great recipe! Going in the keeper file for sure!
Hi Brittainy – I haven’t used nuts in the actual cake batter (since I’m in the camp of never put nuts in my desserts 🙂 but I think you could certainly try it. Maybe start with 1 cup chopped and see how that goes. Good luck!
I made this carrot cake for the first time and brought it to work and it was such a success I will definitely use this for my go to recipe from now on. I used my kitchen aid grater attachment and what a bonus.
Hi Mel,
I need to make a wine bottle/crate cake for a friend next weekend, and she’s requested carrot cake (which I’ve never made before). The cake ‘crate’ is going to be 2 9×13’s stacked, and was wondering if this cake is sturdy enough to stack without crumbling apart. I’ve always made a heavier cake (like madeira) or mud cakes when I need to stack, so this ‘light, but not rich carrot cake’ that she wants has me a little worried.
Thanks so much!!
I stack several 9-inch layers and it works fine so I think the two 9X13-inch layers should be ok although I haven’t tried it that way myself.
Thanks so much Mel. If the weight of several 9″ layers hasn’t crushed the bottom cakes on yours, then I think (fingers crossed) this would actually work.
Going to make this later today so I can try it first (any excuse to eat cake right LOL). Now I just need the grocery store to open so I can get carrots.
Mel, I just had to tell you how amazing this cake is! Everyone who’s tried it, LOVED it! Usually it takes me a few tries of a new cake flavor before I find one I really like, but this one is winner – I don’t have to try any others!
Thanks again for sharing!!
Glad to hear it, Stacie – that’s awesome!
Hi Mel…I have been following your website for about 4 years and tell everybody about it! Your recipes comprise about 80% of my weekly menu 🙂 my son turns 3 next week and is surprisingly requesting a “carrot applesauce cake”. Do you know if I could sub the oil in here with applesauce?
Hi Ruth – that’s a pretty cute request from your 3-year old! I haven’t tried subbing all the oil out for applesauce but I’m guessing it stands a pretty good chance of working (and I think others in the comments have done it).
It helps to know that you use the dip and level method when measuring by volume for your recipes. I’m an obsessive recipe tester (almost 2,000!) and find that the norm is to spoon and level flour when measuring by volume. Many recipes caution NOT to dip and level. Cook’s Illustrated is one of the exceptions. I think it’s great when both measurements are given in a recipe, but it’s also helpful to know which method is used or the end result may not be what’s pictured. Those extra, or fewer, tablespoons of flour can make quite a difference! Thanks!!
I quickly scrolled through all the comments and couldn’t see that anyone has asked this question. Do you measure the flour by volume or weight when making this cake? CI has a heavy hand when it comes to flour. Their 1 cup of all-purpose flour weighs 5 oz. However, most volume/weight charts vary from 4.25 to 4.5 oz. for 1 cup of all-purpose flour, measured by lightly spooning the flour into a measuring cup and levelling with a knife. My weight for 1 cup of all-purpose flour is 4.5 oz. Therefore, if I were to make this cake using a volume measure I would only have 11.25 oz. of flour, which is considerably less than 12.5 oz. It would be helpful to know which measurement you use. Thank you.
Hi Sadie, I use the weight measures for the recipe – I actually just did a post about measuring vs. weighing flour. I use the dip and level method and my cups of flour always weigh right around 5 ounces. It’s really difficult to use the dip and level method and get a cup of flour that weighs in the 4-ounce range and since that’s how I measure my flour (if a recipe doesn’t have weight measures), I go with the 5 ounce/per cup rule of thumb. If a recipe includes both weight and volume, I always encourage readers to use the weight if they have a kitchen scale since it will be more accurate (good case in point that when you measure your flour by volume, it weighs less than mine). Hope that helps!
How would I alter this recipe for high altitude? This is my favorite carrot cake recipe ever.
Try googling high altitude adjustments. Good luck!
Thanks for the recipe!
Since I have only one round baking pan (9inch x 2.5inch), I’ll have to bake and cool the first cake, then bake the remaining half of the batter. So for how much time would I have to bake half of the batter?
Thanks!
The baking time shouldn’t change if you are still using the same size pan as indicated in the recipe (even if you are just baking one pan at a time).
Made this carrot cake for Easter and it was a HUGE hit. I used your whipped cream cheese icing though instead of the one accompanying the recipe. Even non-dessert eaters wanted seconds!
Hi Mel 🙂 First off I just wanted to say that I recently found your site (I’m mad I’ve been wasting my time with all those other ones all this time) I LOOOOVE your recipes and tips!! Your site quickly became my go-to!! Everything I’ve tried so far has gotten nothing but praise! So thanks for that!! And I love knowing that I’m not the only measuring junky out there 😉
Ok, now the reason I’m posting on this particular recipe isn’t actually because of the carrot cake, which by the way I’m soooo going to try it soon! My question actually has to do with the cream cheese frosting. I have been searching for what seems like forever for the perfect cream cheese frosting recipe. Every one I’ve tried in the past comes out too runny. So when I saw this one, I thought I couldn’t go wrong, but come to find out the problem can’t be the recipe, it has to be me. When trying to make this frosting, and all the others for that matter, I stuck to the recipe. Or at least I thought I did. When it came out runny again, I tried adding more sugar and butter, but that didn’t help. I really don’t know what I’m doing wrong. :'( Do you have any idea what it could be or have any suggestions? I would really appreciate it!!!!! Thanks for making my kitchen life easier with all of your hard work!!! 🙂
Hi Dalia! Thanks for your kind words! About the frosting, what kind of cream cheese are you using? Full fat or light (neufchâtel)? Light cream cheese will definitely make the frosting much softer/runnier.
Hi again! I use full fat every time.
I JUST made this cake for Easter after all these years of this being on your website.
So sad.
For those who have yet to make this cake, it lives up to the hype for sure.
I baked it in a bundt pan and it took almost 10 minutes longer. Just fyi.
Very pretty, very good.
Such a delicious cake!! just the right level of sweetness, very moist and balanced flavours. Went down a treat! Thank you Mel
Hi Mel! I’m super excited to make this for Easter this year, I love all the recipes I’ve made from your site! I was wondering, I saw people posting about putting it in the fridge, but I thought that would make it more dry. Do you store this in the fridge, since it has cream cheese frosting? I am hoping to make it the day before Easter, so I just wanted to find out how to store it overnight! Thanks!
Hi Molly – if I’m storing this for longer than 4 hours, I cover it with a cake dome and put it in the refrigerator. It doesn’t dry the cake out, especially if the cake is well sealed with frosting. I try and take the cake out of the refrigerator a couple hours before serving to soften up a little.
This is the best carrot cake I have ever tasted! Incredibly moist, but not too moist, and so much flavor!! I’ve made cream cheese icing in the past, but who knew adding sour cream would perfect it. I made 3 thin 9-inch pans with this recipe, doubled the icing, and still had some icing left over so the kids did some awesome decorating! Thank you for your amazing recipes, you made me famous in my family, lol!
I was wondering if you could sub coconut oil (melted obviously lol) instead of canola or vegetable oil?
Wondering the same thing!
Yes, that should work fine!
Am I missing something,, where are the nuts for the frosting? Are they walnuts or pecan?
I don’t always add them to the cake – that’s why they aren’t in the recipe – but I usually use chopped pecans.
Hi Mel! I had (emphasis on had) a go to carrot cake recipe until I made this one last night. I am a cupcake kind of gal so I did cupcakes using my large cookie scoop to fill and they turned out perfect, yielded 28 – baked up so nice & even & didn’t sink in the middle. They were sooooo delicious & tender! I have tried several of your recipes & haven’t been let down yet. Keep up the awesomeness!
Hi Mel~ I’m a long time reader and recipe tryer (??)!! I’m such a fan! 🙂 This carrot cake is making an appearance (again!!) for Easter and I was wondering if I can make it a day ahead? Do I need to refrigerate it or just let it sit at room temp? Should I refrigerate the cakes and wait to frost it? Help! Thank you 🙂
Hi Laurel – yes, you can definitely make this a day ahead of time. Make it and frost it (the frosting helps keep it moist overnight) – then cover it as best you can (in a cake carrier or lightly covered in plastic wrap) and refrigerate. I like to take it out 1-2 hours before serving to let the frosting soften just a bit. Good luck!
Could you bake this in a bundt pan?
Heidi – I have never tried but certainly worth experimenting. Good luck!
I have and it came out awesome!
Mel, just wanted to check back. I just made the cake, successfully subbing half applesauce for half the oil, and adding approximately a cup of toasted pecans and a cup of raisins. It was delicious and much loved by the birthday boy. Thank you so much for such a wonderful recipe base.
Thanks for checking back, Melissa – so glad it worked out!
Hi Mel,
Just wanted to thank you for providing an amazing carrot cake recipe. I am not usually a fan of carrot cake (or cream cheese) but this turned out perfectly! I sprinkled chopped pecans on top like in the photo, so it’s easier for people to remove if they don’t like nuts (rather than baking the nuts in the cake). Icing was perfect too. I’m so glad someone sent me the link to your blog, because I made the freezable burritos awhile back, as well as the tikka masala chicken, and both of those turned out very well, so I figured your carrot cake would be too 🙂 Thanks for providing this site to all of us.
Thanks, Mel! I’ll let you know how it turns out — I prefer my cake without, but the husband really wants them in there! I read another recipe similar in size and it looks like it was a cup of each!
I would love to make this with the addition of nuts and raisins! How much of each would you suggest? I’m thinking pecans!
Rebecca – I haven’t added either of these before, so you will have to experiment. Maybe a cup of each? And if you toss them with the flour they won’t have a tendency to sink to the bottom while baking. Good luck.
Hi, Quick question. I know that I can add nuts to this without issue, but do you think that I can add raisins without any issues? I cannot wait to make this! Thanks in advance.
Melissa – I think that would work just fine.
Hi Mel , we absolutely love this carrot cake !! I was wondering if you have ever baked this cake ahead of time and frozen it? I was hoping to make them into cupcakes and freeze them for Easter morning..
Anne – Yes, this cake freezes great.
Hi Mel, If I’m going to make ahead (i’m totally a cooking novice) and want to freeze, do I freeze when it is still warm or after it has cooled completely? is there a trick to freezing so the cake doesn’t dry out?
I always bake it and let it cool before I freeze it. I turn it out of the pans onto a cooling rack and let cool completely and then wrap each layer separately in plastic wrap and slide it into a gallon freezer ziploc bag and pop in the freezer.
This was a PERFECT carrot cake. I tried a different recipe last year for my son’s birthday (carrot is his favorite kind of cake), and while it was fine, it was disappointing. There is nothing disappointing about this one. I’m having trouble restraining myself from eating the entire cake.
Hi Mel! I am wondering since you perfected your yellow cake, would you think this cake would taste better with cake flour? If so…how much would I use in this recipe? I also wondered with doubling the cream cheese icing…how much I set aside to pipe happy birthday? Thank you.
Melissa – Yellow cake so far is the only cake that has needed (as in, no subs) cake flour. Funny enough chocolate cake and others, like carrot cake, do just fine without it because of the other ingredients that help tenderize and make it light and moist. So for this carrot cake, I’ll keep making it with all-purpose flour. You could certainly try cake flour but might have to adjust the amounts so there is enough structure to the cake. I’d probably set aside a cup or so to pipe happy birthday.
Hi Mel,
Would this cake work if I used two nine inch heart shaped Wilton pans instead of 2 rounds? I also wondered with this icing…I know I couldn’t pipe with the cream cheese icing – but can I still write happy birthday on it and have it not mush into the cream cheese icing? Any cake decorating tips to make it more birthdayish (new word) would be appreciated…I may just make your new cupcake recipe instead but thought I’d ask if you had any thoughts. Thank you!
Melissa – The frosting is pretty sturdy so I think you could definitely pipe happy birthday on top of it. I haven’t used the Wilton heart-shaped pans but it should work fine, just keep an eye on baking time. I’m actually making this for my son’s birthday in two weeks (his request) – I’m probably going to make the icing as smooth as possible (instead of swirly) and then pipe large dots around the bottom in a border. Good luck!
This carrot cake was absolutely delicious! This is the third recipe of yours that I have tried (sweet & sour chicken and cheesecake) and each one has been complete perfection. After each one, my husband comments on what a good cook/baker I am…and I tell him it’s all you! Your recipes are so clear and easy to follow that even I can’t screw them up. Thank you for creating such amazing recipes. You are now my official go-to blog when I’m looking for a recipe that is guaranteed to turn out perfect.
I made this cake on Saturday and it was fabulous! The cake itself was super moist and flavorful and then the addition of the cream cheese frosting was so good! I also did mine in two 9 inch pans and then added chopped pecans to the top. I plan on making this recipe as cupcakes next time around and also maybe substituting applesauce for the oil and adding less sugar just to see if I can make a lower fat version 🙂 Carrot Cake is one of my husband’s favorite desserts so he was more than thrilled when I told him I was making it. Thanks for another great recipe!
I made this amazing cake for New Years and it was incredible! What a great way to start a new year!:))
Umm I only have 8 1/2 oz of cream cheese and have the rest of the ingredients. Would I have to decrease the powdered sugar a bit for a 9-inch cake?
Hello, I want to try these, but I have to ask, what do you mean by ground cloves? Is this fresh garlic that is pounded and minced? Or can I use the garlic powder in the small McCormick bottles? Thank you!
Pau – ground cloves is more of a fragrant spice (not like garlic at all). Please don’t substitute garlic! It’s more like a nutmeg or cinnamon type spice.
Hello, I want to try these, but I have to ask, what do you mean by ground cloves? Is thia fresh garlic that is pounded and minced? Or can I use the garlic powder in the small McCormick bottles? Thanks!
How do you think this frosting would be on some fabulous pumpkin cupcakes?! I have a good cupcake recipe, but still looking for that perfect cream cheese frosting (although I do LOVE the one on the pumpkin bar recipe you have posted!)
Rebecca – this frosting would be divine on pumpkin cupcakes. Yum!
Wanted to let you know that I also made this cake today and it was great. Really moist and loved the flavour; I made a mistake and used only 1 cup of oil but didn’t seem to really matter at all; still really moist.
I only have baby carrots. Do you recall how many cups the carrots ended up being when shredded?
Isabella – I’ve never measured – do you have a scale to weigh the one pound?
Hi Mel…
Are those chopped pecans or walnuts on the cake?
Joyce – they are chopped pecans.
This carrot cake was amazing! We made it for Easter and had to give 1/2 of it away because we couldn’t stop eating it!
Quick question: we made this in 2 circular pans and layered it with your yummy frosting. For some reason the middle of both of the cake cakes sunk in a little bit. Any ideas why? It still tasted amazing, but I was curious how I could avoid that in the future. Help!
Hi Denise – not sure why that happens; sometimes it’s due to different altitudes or variance in oven temperature. You might try baking a few minutes longer or baking 25 degrees lower and adding a few more minutes to the time.
This cake is fabulous it’s so moist and delicious! We had carrot cake for dessert on Easter and I have been sneaking a leftover slice for breakfast, lunch and dinner everyday. (Don’t make this cake if you’re trying to cut back on sweets, it’s so good, you’ll have to have another slice.) This frosting is great too (it has that wonderful cream cheese flavor without being overly sweet. Yum!) Thanks for posting this terrific recipe. It’s a keeper!
Excited to try this!! Will let you know how delicious it turns out!!! 🙂
Could I make this as cupcakes?
Claira – I’ve never made the cake as cupcakes, although I’m sure it would work. You’ll have to experiment with baking time (cut down significantly from recipe) and figure out the yield. Good luck!
I’ve halved this recipe twice to make a small batch of cupcakes, and with a little guesstimation on the spices (I just went ahead and used the full amount for ground cloves), it turned out fantastic! The frosting is great, too. I had a cupcake for breakfast, second breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks…. I think you catch my drift. Great recipe. I think next time I make it I’ll switch the brown and white sugars, because I love the taste of brown sugar. 🙂 Thanks for the awesome recipe!
I always use this recipe just as written and it’s fabulous. Last time I think the whole room went silent when dessert was served because everyone was so focused on eating it! haha
Do you think it would be totally crazy to try layering it with cheesecake similar to your red velvet/cheesecake recipe? I may have to make that an experiment! 🙂
Hi Mel, do you think the cream cheese frosting is the right consistency to pipe roses on cupcakes like you showed in your tie n dye tutorial?
Anne – the frosting is a bit on the soft side but if you added more powdered sugar (maybe just a cup?), I think it would be fine for piping.
Heavenly for sure! My boys were afraid of the carrots, so maybe I’ll use a food processor next time.
YOU SHOULD USE 3 JARS OF BABY FOOD CARROTS IN PLACE OF THE GRATED CARROTS — IT MAKES THE SMOOTHEST CARROT CAKE EVER…..
d
I made this cake today for my Mom’s birthday! I must say, this is THE best carrot cake I have ever made! Thank you for sharing the recipe 🙂
Elizabeth – generally applesauce is a good substitution for oil but I haven’t subbed all the oil in this cake so you’ll have to experiment with that. I’ve never subbed the pumpkin spice, either, but it’s probably worth a try.
Also could you possible sub pumpkin spice for the cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves?
could you maybe sub sour cream instead of canola or veg oil in the cake???
A good substitute for the oil would be coconut oil which, as you may or may not know, is coming into its own finally as the best kind of oil for almost everything. Canola not so much anymore. It’s more pricey but worth the extra for health reasons.
The last time I sent my husband to the store for food, I wrote down “large bag of carrots” and I had no idea they even MADE a bag so big as the one he came home with. It takes up half of my shelf in the fridge! So I need to make a good carrot cake and soon! Will use the coconut oil instead of the other, though. This stuff works on the exterior of the body as well as the interior!
I took this recipe and switched it up a little – substituted whole wheat flour for the all purpose, and used half applesauce, half oil. Made these into muffins for our breakfast and the kids are begging for more! Can only imagine how delicious “the real thing” is!! Thanks for another great one Mel!
This carrot cake lives up to its name….unbelievable! It was better than the carrot cake we had at our wedding….and that was pretty dang good! The only thing I had to change was the amount of oil. I didn’t have enough, so I used 3/4 c veg oil and 3/4 c apple sauce. It was perfectly moist, and the frosting was delish. Will definitley make again. Thanks!
I just made this cake this weekend for my daughter-in-law’s birthday. I didn’t have 9″ pans so I used 3-8″ pans. It worked great and looked impressive. Thanks for another great recipe!
Christine – if you read through the comments, I’m pretty sure that there are others who have subbed out some of the oil and have detailed their results. Good luck!
This looks amazingly good! And all the reviews have convinced me to make it as well 😀 But I’m just a little worried about the amount of oil? Would it destroy the recipe to reduce it, or perhaps sub some (if not all) with applesauce?
So I made this recipe on fiat for my father-in-law’s birthday… I have never made carryout cake… But things like that never hold me back!! I love the challenge! And this succinctly was not a challenge…super easy to prepare and so delicious! I agree that it tasted better (more moist) after sitting in the fridge. My bake time was one again different (from the altitude I suppose) and was done in about 25 minutes for 2-9 inch pans! Everyone loved it… Including my 10 month old son… Because on grandpa’s birthday t the grandson can get away with anything!
I’ve never made a bad carrot cake and I always thought carrot cake recipes were just about the same. I made this in a pan that had twelve 2 1/2″x 2 1/2″ squares (kinda like square cupcakes) to send to my husband’s office. Comments back were unbelievable! I don’t know how this one was different (maybe all the oil?!!!…..I generally sub at least half oil for applesauce) but it is definitely in his office Top Three! I did add 1 1/2 cups chopped walnuts (I gotta have nuts!).
You are RIGHT! This was the best carrot cake!
I needed a cake recipe for my husband’s birthday with about 3 hours to bake and make an entire meal for 14. NO problem! I am so glad I found this recipe first.
I am going to make just the cake as a cake with no frosting it was so moist and yummy. Everyone loves that there we no nuts in the cake…..we all agreed we didnt like hidden nuts in anything 🙂
lindseylu8 – yes, the 1 1/2 cups oil is correct but that’s great if your substitution of buttermilk and oil worked out!
does this really call for 1.5 cups of oil and no water or milk? Seems like a lot of oil when I was making it last night so I did 3/4 cup oil & 3/4 cup buttermilk & it came out really well. Just curious about the 1.5 cups of oil. Thanks for the recipe !!!
Anna – you could definitely try a substitution. As for it turning out the same, I can’t tell you 100% since I’ve never tried it. If you haven’t already, read through the comments above to see if anyone else has tried it. Good luck!
Could you substitute something for part of the oil, say applesauce, and it turn out the same?
For Father’s Day my husband requested carrot cake. I’ve never made a carrot cake–but I knew you’d help me out, and sure enough you didn’t fail me! This was a delicious and moist cake and was a huge hit. I’m so glad to have a great recipe to add to the arsenal! Thanks as always.
Did anyone experience the cake go flat? Not totally flat just the middle. We stuck a fork in the middle and it came out clean. It looked perfect when it came out but after a few minutes the middle went down. I did the 9×13 size. Haven’t tried it yet tho but I’m sure its DELICIOUS! The things I’ve tried here has become a staple in my family….and we are VERY picky…well I am 😉 hehe I’ll let ya know how it turns out!! Thanks MEL YOU ARE AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Edna – I hope this tasted ok despite the flattened middle. I’ve never had that happen, but I’ve always baked it in 2 9-inch round pans.
Oh… forgot to add that we made it in a bundt pan. It was so easy. I know you said the carrot sheet cake recipe also on your site is easier than this one; honestly this was pretty dang easy. No need for me to try the other recipe… this is a keeper!
I, too, made this for Easter (OK… my 11 year old daughter did most of the work!). It…was…AWESOME!! Even my husband and youngest daughter, both carrot-cake haters, went back for more after the required “polite bite”. My husband kept sneaking slices yesterday.
I have to say, this cake is best straight from the fridge; it somehow becomes moister (although it was moist at room temperature as well). PERFECTION!! Thanks, Melanie!
The cupcakes turned out amazing! I ended up cooking them for about 15 minutes, and it made about 30 cupcakes. I usually don’t like carrot cake either, but I think it’s because of the usual addition of raisins, which I hate. I didn’t get to bring this to Easter dinner because my sister-in-law brought a carrot sheet cake, but I had to snicker at the fact that these were so much better! 🙂
I thought I would tell you that I made your carrot cake this weekend (actually, our entire Easter dinner was recipes from your site – crockpot ham, baked garlic mashed potatoes, 5 cup fruit salad) and it was a HUGE hit. I am a lifelong hater of carrot cake, but I knew my whole family would love it so I tried it out. I am a convert. From the first bite, I was sold. If only all carrot cakes tasted like this one!! Thanks to your wonderful recipes my first Easter dinner was a success! Can’t wait to try out some of your others… 🙂
I made this for Easter and everyone said exactly what I was thinking – this was the best carrot cake we’ve ever had! Thank you so much for sharing this recipe…I am so happy to have a keeper carrot cake!!! I love your blog so much and trust your recipes 100%. I have made so many and not one has been a failure!
made this today for tomorrow and every time i open the fridge it taunts me! funny story-i saw this recipe and thought “well i need to check americas test kitchen baking book cause they have the best cakes”. surprise! they are the same! your cooking time was way more accurate, about 35 minutes compared to the 25 in the book.
Hi Mel! Do you have any tips/suggestions for making this batter into cupcakes?
Hi Lori – I’ve never made it as cupcakes but I don’t know why it wouldn’t work. It is a fairly high rising cake, so I would only fill the muffin liners 1/2 to 2/3 full. You’ll probably get more than 24 cupcakes out of the batch, but that is just a guess. You’ll have to see as you go. And then I would probably bake them for 12-15 minutes – checking to ensure they aren’t over baking. Hope that helps a little!
I haven’t tried making this carrot cake…yet. Because I’m slightly obsessed with your carrot sheet cake (and, of course, the frosting :)) Just curious, which is your favorite?
Joyce – if you really nailed me down (because I love them both!), I’d go with the layered carrot cake. It is my first carrot cake love and is so beyond delicious, I want to run upstairs and make it immediately – just typing this!
I made this last weekend and we gobbled it all up! I have tried a few carrot cake recipes, and this one was by far the best! Thanks again!!!
This has been my choice for my birthday dessert for two years running. It is nothing less than heavenly. I like to think the carrots balance out everything else in the cake to make it healthy. Hey, it’s my birthday, so I can think what I want:)
Danielle – it’s totally healthy in my book, if that matters at all.
*coffee (two e’s) oops!
ummm, *blush* i may not have mentioned a time or two in between that i’ve made it. seriously addicted. my son and i had some for breakfast. carrot cake + coffe = breakfast of champs!! 😀
mmmmmmmm, i made this AGAIN for company last night. such a great yummy easy fabulous cake 🙂 i know i already told you this but it seems to me it needed to be said again. i *adore* this cake. mmm!!! the first time i had carrots to use up cuz i accidentally bought a big bag and realized when i got home i already had a bag in the fridge…now i buy carrots like crazy so i *have* to use them up!!! 😉 this cake is greatness. it’s my heroin on a fork!!!
mia – again?? I wish you were here to make it for me on your third time!
Jacquie – I agree that this carrot cake is one in a million. I’m so glad you liked it!
Hi! I made this carrot cake for Easter dessert and it was fabulous! I think the cream cheese frosting was the best I’ve ever had – definitely the best I’ve ever made. I did not expect such a small amount of sour cream could make such a difference, but it really does. Melanie, I think you should put this carrot cake in your Best Recipe section. Thanks!
mia – so glad you like this…it is one of my favorite cakes of all time!
i’ve made this twice now and it’s been a huge hit both times!!!! thank you for the awesome recipe! (recipes since i have many new faves off your site!!)
I made your carrot cake and I LOVED it!! Of course, it was a custom order so I added the pinapple, golden raisins, and added crushed walnuts to the icing (divine), and I LOVED your recipe! Thank you! Now let’s talk about stealing Mel’s recipes to make money. 🙂
That sounds amazing…I am bookmarking this recipe to try soon!
Okay you’ve definitely convinced me I too need to try out this carrot cake! I’ve made carrot cake before and was happy with it but I’ll always try a new one. Looks delicious!
Awww, I’m so flattered 1) you like my blog and 2) you tried a recipe from it. Oh my gosh, I KNOW this cake is so amazing. After we made it for my brother’s party we made it THREE more times! So good.Your pictures really do it justice, unlike mine, so thank you!Yum!
Oh my, oh my, oh my. Now THIS is a cake. A cake to ruin all other carrot cakes for you, I think!
I am visiting my parents for the holidays, and I made this for my dad’s birthday tonight. It was so moist and the texture was perfect! I made it in a bundt pan and it was very beautiful with the nuts on top. Thanks so much again for a wonderful recipe!
This looks like it should be in a magazine – beautiful!!
This looks so perfect! Much like all the other recipes on your blog, I’m sure I’m going to have to try this one too!
I made this finally! I was sold just by the gorgeous picture of it. And sure enough, when I made it the presentation was pretty! Especially with the chopped pecans sprinkled on top. What’s even better was that it tasted fantastic too! 🙂 It was very moist – to be on the safe side I set the timer for only 30 minutes since I did it in the 2 round pans too. I’m glad I did, because when I checked it, it was done! The frosting wasn’t as sweet as I expected, but when I tasted it with the cake I thought it complimented it well – it went with the cake just right. We all enjoyed this. Thanks Mel! 🙂
This will definitely have to become my go-to carrot cake recipe too. CI just gets it right every time. I love that you disintegrated the carrots so they aren’t big chunks, and I HATE nuts and raisins in carrot cake. I recently tried CI’s Spice Cake recipe and LOVED that one too.
I just made the Cook’s Illustrated Spice Cake today, along with the recipe from Cook’s Country, and loved them both too! The CI is a little more spicy with more of a normal cream (and I love the idea of using some spices in the cream cheese frosting!). The CC is more fluffy-buttery with a little less spice. Both are great and both will be making appearances again in my house 🙂
Normal “cream” is supposed to be normal “crumb.”
boy, i’m glad you doubled that frosting recipe–there’s nothing worse than skimpy frosting! i probably would’ve tripled it and saved a batch to nosh on, much to the chagrin of my hips and thighs… 🙂
Britta – oh, I LOVE this cake and have kind of forgotten about it until your comment. So thank you for the reminder! I’m glad to know it worked out in a bundt pan – I bet it was lovely. Thanks for letting me know!
I thought that I had found the perfect carrot cake recipe, but now I want to try this one!!
That carrot cake looks so good! The sour cream in the icing sounds interesting. I will have to try it.
I’ve been searching for the a good carrot recipe, I have to look no further! Thanks!