My Best Carrot Cake recipe is moist, flavorful and topped with the fluffiest cream cheese frosting! I have issues with carrot cake because I've tried so many and they taste of mostly one thing: oil! Not mine. This one is ultra moist and delicious with half the amount of fat compared to most! I don't know when or where in history there was a rule to say that Carrot Cake has to have 3 times as much oil as every other cake recipe... Carrots make it moist enough, and with my recipe, there's plenty of moist-making ingredients!
WHY YOU WILL LOVE THIS RECIPE
- Easy to make - this cake is simple and quick to prepare. The most work is grating the carrots.
- Half the oil - Let's clear something up: Oil does not make cakes moist. Moisture (in the form of liquid... water) makes things moist. Oil makes things soft and tender which gives the perception of moistness. So many carrot cake recipes have too much oil that it makes the texture gummy and pasty. My cake has just ⅔ cup of oil vs. more than 1 cup that you find in most recipes.
- Moist carrot cake - this recipe makes a moist carrot cake with a soft texture and stays moist for days without drying out.
- Flavorful spice cake - a fragrant blend of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and allspice adds such a wonderful flavor.
- Fluffy cream cheese frosting - this frosting! It is incredible. Say goodbye to runny cream cheese frosting - this one is thick and fluffy. You can even pipe it onto the cake!
INGREDIENTS FOR CARROT CAKE
- All purpose flour - regular unbleached all-purpose flour works just fine in this carrot cake recipe for a moist and soft texture.
- Spices - a fragrant blend of cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg and ginger is just right here! I've played with the blend of spices a lot and this is the combination I love the most for carrot cake. Feel free to leave out the allspice if you don't have it, or add a pinch of ground clove instead.
- Oil - liquid oil will keep this cake soft even when it's refrigerated to preserve the cream cheese frosting. That's because oil is liquid even when cold whereas the saturated fats in butter are hard when cold.
- Granulated sugar - granulated sugar keeps these muffins tender and moist.
- Brown sugar - brown sugar adds rich molasses undertones to complement the sweet spices in this cake. You can use light or dark brown sugar.
- Eggs - two large eggs will add nice structure and help with the moist spongy texture.
- Pure vanilla extract - vanilla will enhance the spices. I like this Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla extract.
- Yogurt - use full fat plain yogurt to add tanginess to balance the sweet carrots and the acidity will react with the baking soda.
- Grated carrots - you will need 1 ½ cups of shredded carrots which is about 170g from 2 medium carrots. Make sure you grate them on the finer side of your box grater.
STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS
Carrot cake is surprisingly easy to make that you really shouldn't feel the need to buy a box mix! The most labour intensive part is grating the carrots, but once that is out of the way, then all you need to do is mix it all up! I use my hand mixer for this recipe, but you can use a stand mixed or even make it by hand with just a whisk.
- STEP 1). First grate your carrots. Use the medium grate on your box grater -- not the largest size. If the carrot shreds are too large then they will be stringy in the cake and this interferes with the nice moist crumb texture. Measure out 2 cups and place it in a large mixing bowl.
- STEP 2). Add the sugar and wet ingredients. Add sugar, eggs, oil, yogurt and maple syrup to the carrots and mix it all up.
- STEP 3). Combine dry ingredients. Whisk together flour, spices, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl.
- STEP 4). Add in all the dry ingredients and you are DONE! It's so simple.
EXPERT BAKING TIPS FOR BEST CARROT CAKE
- Mix carrots with sugar first. This step helps to break down the carrots slightly so that you don't end up with fibrous bits in the baked cake.
- Measure flour accurately. Too much flour can make this cake feel more dry and create a coarser texture. For the best results, weigh your flour.
- Sift the dry ingredients. Sifting the flour will break up any lumps and make it easier for them to incorporate into the batter and minimize the amount of mixing required.
- Do no over-mix on the last step. Once the dry ingredients are just incorporated and the batter looks uniform, STOP mixing.
RECIPE FAQ
WHAT PREVENTS CAKE FROM BECOMING DRY?
Too much flour and over-mixing makes cakes dry. For the best results, weigh your flour. Also be careful not to over-mix on the last step. Once the dry ingredients are just incorporated and the batter looks uniform, STOP mixing.
WHAT TYPE OF OIL SHOULD I USE FOR THE BEST CARROT CAKE?
For oil-based cakes, I almost always prefer sunflower oil because it has a very neutral and clean taste. This recipe will work with any liquid oil, including canola (rapeseed) oil, peanut oil or even olive oil. For a pleasant fruity/green grassy background note, try making this cake with light olive oil. It's really nice!
WHAT MAKES CAKES MOIST?
Water makes cake moist. This cake gets its moisture from maple syrup and yogurt as well as eggs. Also, let's not forget grated carrots which are mostly water! Carrots also contain fiber which helps to provide structure.
DOES OIL MAKE CAKES MOIST?
Oil is fat. Moisture comes from water. Oil does not contain water. So then what's the deal? Well, oil makes cakes soft and that gives the perception of moistness. It keeps the crumb tender. If there is too much oil, then the cake will be dense and heavy and air bubbles will not be able to sustain themselves in the batter. Light and fluffy usually does not go hand-in-hand with high fat.
HOW DO I STORE OIL FOR BAKING?
One of the most important things to note when baking with oils is to use the freshest oil possible. You can easily ruin a recipe if your oil is rancid, and you will be so upset that you wasted all the other ingredients! Store oil in a cool, dry and dark place away from sunlight. Do not store your oil under the sink because it can get hot under there after long periods of running hot water. It's best to buy oil that is packaged in dark green bottles as opposed to clear glass or plastic which do not provide much of a barrier to light. Light and heat can trigger oxidation reactions, and it's these reactions that cause the fat molecules in oil to taste rancid. Rancidity can be detected by a soapy taste.
WHAT SPICES ARE IN CARROT CAKE?
My favourite blend of spices for carrot cake are cinnamon (in the highest quantity), allspice, nutmeg and ginger. It's such a wonderful fragrance and will make your house smell amazing! You can use clove if you like, but I find it is too overpowering for carrot cake. Clove belongs in gingerbread.
EXPERT TIPS FOR THE BEST CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
So many times I hear from home bakers that their cream cheese frosting is runny. This one is NOT! This frosting is so thick, fluffy and luscious!
- The key is to not use too much liquid since cream cheese is almost 60% water anyway! Also it is important to use the right ratio of butter to cream cheese. That ratio is about 1:2. One part butter to 2 parts cream cheese.
- Hold back on the sugar! Too much sugar will not only make it taste way too sweet, but it will make it more runny since sugar binds water and turns into a syrup.
HOW DO I STORE THIS BEST CARROT CAKE?
This is a common question that I get asked often. For most cakes, I recommend storing at room temperature, covered with plastic wrap and in an air-tight container for up to 3 days. That's for cakes with buttercream (American, Swiss Meringue or Italian Meringue). The butter is stable at room temperature and the frosting is safe to eat. I usually do not recommend refrigerating cakes made with butter in the batter because the butter will harden and make the texture feel firm and dry.
However, due to the cream cheese in the frosting which has a high moisture content, this cake needs to be refrigerated. The good news is that since the cake layers are made with oil (not butter), they will remain soft even when cold. Wrap the cake well and store in an airtight container in the fridge. For the best experience, let it come to room temperature before serving.
HOW TO FROST AND CRUMB COAT A CAKE
For a simple finish on the cake, first make sure your baked cake layers are completely cooled or even cold. Apply a thin layer of frosting all over the cake to first catch and trap the crumbs. This is called a "crumb coat". Then chill the cake for about 15 minutes so this layer of frosting stays in place.
Then dollop the balance of the frosting right on top of the cake and use an offset spatula to push and spread the frosting down from the center, out to the edges and then finally down the sides of the cake to coat. Have restraint when it comes to spreading -- the more you spread, the more air you will press out of the frosting. So, stick to swift swoops and swooshes for a natural effect.
If you love cake, check out these recipes too:
Soft Vanilla Swiss Roll Cake with Fudge Swirl Cream Filling
Small Batch Tahini Swirl Chocolate Fudge Sheet Cake
BEST One Bowl Sour Cream Chocolate Cake
Flourless Chocolate Pear & Hazelnut Cake
The Best Carrot Cake with Fluffy Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
Cake batter:
- 2 cups 284g all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon each ground allspice, nutmeg and ginger
- 2 cups 235g finely grated carrots (from about 3 medium carrots)
- ⅔ cup 145g packed light brown sugar
- ½ cup 100g granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs at room temperature
- ½ cup 120ml plain low fat yogurt
- ⅔ cup 160ml sunflower oil
- ⅓ cup 80ml pure maple syrup
- ½ cup 50g coarsely chopped walnuts
- ½ cup 70g raisins (optional)
Frosting:
- ½ cup 113g unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup 125g icing sugar, sifted
- 1 block 250g cream cheese, softened
- 2 teaspoon 10ml lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ¼ cup 30g icing sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two 8-inch round cake pans with parchment paper and grease the sides.
- For the cake batter, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and spices in a medium bowl and whisk to blend evenly.
- Combine grated carrots, both sugars and eggs in a large bowl and beat with an electric hand mixer on medium speed until combined. Add oil, yogurt and maple syrup and beat until evenly blended. Add half of the flour mixture and mix on low until just combined. Add remaining dry ingredients and mix on low until just combined. Do not over-mix. Add walnuts and raising and fold them in until the batter is evenly blended (if desired).
- Divide batter evenly between prepared pans and bake for 28-32 minutes until golden and a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. Transfer pans to a wire rack to cool for 15 minutes, then run a knife around the edges to loosen and invert the cakes onto the rack to cool completely.
- For the frosting, beat soft butter with 1 cup of icing sugar until smooth and fluffy. Beat in soft cream cheese one tablespoon at a time until full incorporated, thick, fluffy and pale in colour. Beat in lemon juice and vanilla, then beat in remaining ¼ cup of icing sugar until the frosting is smooth, fluffy and very creamy.
- Trim the slightly domed tops of the cake layers if desired to make flat layers. Spread about ¾ cup of frosting over the first layer. Place the second layer on top and spread a thin layer over the whole cake. Chill for 15 minutes. Dollop the remaining frosting on top of the cake and spread it out from the top working your way out to the edges and then down the sides to cover the cake. Serve immediately and enjoy!
Gabby
A delicious carrot cake recipe. Christine will never fail you
Gabby
Sorry, Christina! Autocorrect
christina.marsigliese
Thanks so so much Gabby!
Diana Isabel
Mil gracias Cristina, no me canso de preparar esta deliciosa torta, siempre cambio el yogur natural por griego, y queda igual de sabrosa.
christina.marsigliese
Hi Diana, yes you can use plain regular yogurt in place of the Greek yogurt for this recipe.
Lilian Lorena Ruiz
hello. I love your recipes. thanks for sharing.
I wanted to ask you how I can substitute the maple syrup. In my country it is not easy to get. thanks for your answer.
Diane
Delicious! I followed the recipe as written but baked it instead in a Bundt pan, for about 45 minutes. I thinned out the cream cheese frosting with milk and used it as a drizzle over the cake. Great results! The cake was so moist and tasty, will make this again and again!
Lisa B
Taking Christina's advice, I baked the cake Sunday, wrapped and stored it in the fridge and then made the frosting and assembled the cake on Monday. Followed the recipe but didn't include the optional raisins. My friend loved the cake! It was moist and flavorful. The only thing I would say is if you like frosting you may want to make extra. I had just enough to frost the sides (almost like a "naked" cake style on the sides). Easily rectified that by adding chopped walnuts around the side. Next time I will make 1.5x the recipe as I like frosting! Great delicious recipe - it's a keeper!
christina.marsigliese
Thanks Lisa! That's great advice for those who like more frosting. I prefer a bit less, but this recipe doubles easily too. Thanks so much for your comment!
lisa b
Looks delicious! My friend loves carrot cake and I want to make it for her birthday. How far in advance can I bake the cake and make the frosting? I am hoping to bake it over the weekend and assemble it on Monday to serve on Tuesday. Will that work? Should I store the cakes (unfrosted) at room temp or the fridge? Once frosted, it seems like it should be kept in the refrigerator? Thanks for any help you can provide!
christina.marsigliese
Hi Lisa, you can bake the cakes on Sunday, wrap them well and keep them refrigerated. Then make the frosting on Monday, frost the cake, refrigerate and serve on Tuesday. Leave it out at room temperature for at least an hour before serving. Enjoy!
Jessica
Hello, I plan on making this recipe for Thanksgiving! So my question is I want to do a three layer cake in 9 inch pans, so would I just increase the recipe by half or double the recipe?Also another question is I need enough cream cheese frosting to fill the cake and pipe a border onto the three layer cake so for that tripling the frosting recipe should be enough right?
christina.marsigliese
Hi! I think maybe double the recipe. Yes, triple the frosting too.
Jessica
Great! Thanks I made the frosting in advanced and tripled it. It made about 6 1/2 cups, so I'll definitely have enough to frost and fill the cake. I'm excited to make this cake next week for Thanksgiving. I know it will turn out great because you have some of the best recipes online!
christina.marsigliese
Thank you so much Jessica!
Jenny
Hi Christina, will it affect the moistness of this cake if I will add just a little more shredded carrots in the batter? Can you suggest or recommend the additional grams of shredded carrots I can only add?
christina.marsigliese
Hi Jenny, if you add more carrots it will be a bit more soggy. I wouldn't add more than 1/4 cup extra.
Anonymous
Thank you for sharing indeed great looking !
Merde
Great post
Australian Kelpie For Sale
A great post without any doubt.
Anonymous
Nice i really enjoyed reading your blogs. Keep on posting. Thanks
picard season 3
The information shared is of top quality which has to get appreciated at all levels. Well done…
Jenny
Hi, can I use maple pancake syrup instead of pure maple syrup? I only have maple pancake syrup here.
christina.marsigliese
Hi Jenny, yes that will work! It will be slightly sweeter though.
Amanda B.
Amazing recipe! Cake was super moist and spiced just right, and that cream cheese frosting is so light, tangy, and not too sweet. Will be making this again for sure!
christina.marsigliese
That's wonderful! Thanks Amanda - I truly believe this is the best carrot cake!
Nat
Can this be made with Greek yoghurt or must it be low fat?
Loved your chocolate cake! Whoa!!!!! So good!!
christina.marsigliese
Hi Nat! Greek yogurt might be a bit too thick and dense, but it could still work.
Dev
I made this into cupcakes and they were perfect! The cream cheese frosting is so good and normally I don’t care for cream cheese!
christina.marsigliese
That's great! Thanks Dev - I love this frosting too.
Kelsey
So good! I finally made this recipe last week and it was just as good as you said it would be!
christina.marsigliese
It's so delicious isn't it Kelsey? Thank you!
Miah
I made this for Easter and everyone loved it! Thanks.
christina.marsigliese
I'm glad to hear this! Thanks Miah.
Aliyah
I made this over the weekend and it was a big hit!
christina.marsigliese
That's wonderful!
Lynn
Finally made this incredibly delicious carrot cake!! Was a huge hit, and couldn’t stop eating the cream cheese frosting!! It’s a new favorite!!
christina.marsigliese
Thanks so much Lynn!
Sandy
Hi! I’ve made this cake before and it’s great! Can this be turned into cupcakes? What bake temp and time would I need to follow? Thanks!
Annie
I made these as cupcakes and they were delishious!🤩 I usually don't like the frosting on carrot cakes but this recipe made me fall in love with it❣ So good!💖
christina.marsigliese
YAY! Thanks Annie! This truly is the best cream cheese frosting!
christina.marsigliese
Hi Sandy! Yes you can bake at 350 F for 16-20 minutes.
Sandy
Just made the cupcakes and they turned out amazing! Thanks for the help!
christina.marsigliese
You're welcome Sandy! So glad to hear it worked out!
Cynthia
I love this cake! My family loves carrot cake and this is the best I’ve made so far.
Lynn
Can I use cake flour instead of AP flour for this recipe?
christina.marsigliese
Hi Lynn! Cake flour will make a firmer crumb, but yes you can use it!
Rhylee
This cake turned out so soft and moist and with a lovely fragrance from the spices. I left out the walnuts. Turned out great!
christina.marsigliese
Awesome! Thanks Rhylee
Frankie
This absolutely is the best carrot cake recipe! I can’t wait to make it again. Thank you!
christina.marsigliese
Thanks so much Frankie!
Tia
My family loves this recipe! So soft and very flavourful.
Morgan
Your recipe has become my favorite carrot cake! Thanks for sharing it with us.
christina.marsigliese
Thanks Morgan!
Kehlani
Lovely cake with soft moist texture. The cream cheese frosting is really great too!
christina.marsigliese
Thank you!
Raegan
This cake is so moist and the blend of spices is really nice.
christina.marsigliese
Thanks Raegan
Brielle
This is the best carrot cake recipe I've tried that doesn't have a ton of oil.
christina.marsigliese
Yes, so many carrot cake recipes out there use an unnecessary amount of oil. Glad you like this one!
Bea
Absolutely the best carrot cake I’ve tried! Love the frosting too.
Jess
I've tried many carrot cake recipes in the past and this is by far the best one. It is my go to and I have recommended it many people now.
I was just wondering can it be made ahead of time and frozen? Or how long would an un-iced cake last in the fridge?
Thank you!
christina.marsigliese
Thanks Jess! I love it too. Yes, you can wrap the cooled cake layers well and freeze them or the layers can keep in the fridge for 2 or 3 days before you plan to serve.
Jess
Do you have any advice on the best way to defrost them? In the fridge overnight before I want to use them?
Thanks again!
christina.marsigliese
Yes exactly!
Anna
This is truly the best cream cheese frosting ever! It is so silky smooth and the only recipe I use now.
christina.marsigliese
Thanks Anna! I love how smooth it is too.
christina.marsigliese
Thanks Anna!
Kimberly
Finally a carrot cake that doesn’t use a cup of oil and it’s still so moist and delicious! Thank you!
christina.marsigliese
Thanks Kimberly! I agree! So moist without a ton of oil.
Sherifa
Hi can I use only cinammon, I dont have the rest of the spices.
Thank u
christina.marsigliese
That’s ok.
wil
hi can this be made into cupcakes? also how long will i bake it for? and same temp? thanks much
christina.marsigliese
Hi Wil, I haven't tested this recipe as cupcakes, but it should work fine.
wil
hello can i use sour cream instead for yogurt ? i ran out of yogurt . thanks
christina.marsigliese
Hi, you can try. It should work.
Anonymous
hello can i use sour cream instead for yogurt ? i ran out of yogurt . thanks
Diana Muñetón
Deliciosa y suave todo lo que se desea en una torta.
Wil
Hello! Can I bake it in a loaf pan instead? Make it like a banana bread style. How long will I bake it for and what would be the temp? Thanks
christina.marsigliese
Hi Wil! It's probably too much batter for a loaf pan. You'll probably need to use two.
Jane
Can I add coconut and pineapple
christina.marsigliese
You can try anything but it will change the recipe of course!
Tanu
Hey There, the recipe looks amazing. What can I use to substitute eggs?
Thanks so much🌸
christina.marsigliese
Hi Tanu, this recipe requires eggs.
Antu Joshua
Hi, can we use honey instead of maple syrup?
christina.marsigliese
You can but it will be much sweeter.
Madhura
Hi if I want to make half the recipe, how many eggs will I need to use.
Thank you
christina.marsigliese
Hi, you will need to use 1 1/2 eggs.
Reese Wright
I simply wanted to thank you so much again. I am not sure the things that I might have gone through without the type of hints revealed by you regarding that situation.
Scarlet
Hi there! Can i omit the maple syrup?
christina.marsigliese
Hi Scarlet, the recipe was tested as written. If you leave out the maple syrup, it will be more dry.
Lisha
Your page*
Dira Talib
Can i use canola oil,corn oil or other oil...
christina.marsigliese
Yes.
Lisha
Hey there, I love you page it's so insightful. May I ask, why does my cream cheese frosting keep splitting?
christina.marsigliese
Thanks Lisha! Maybe you are over beating it. Use my recipe and it will be perfect!