Here’s a classic, moist carrot cake recipe 🥕🍰—soft, flavorful, and perfect with cream cheese frosting.
Ingredients
Cake
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1½ tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- ½ tsp nutmeg (optional)
- ½ tsp salt
- 1½ cups sugar (can mix white + brown)
- ¾ cup vegetable oil
- 4 large eggs
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2–3 cups grated carrots (about 4–5 medium carrots)
- ½ cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)
- ½ cup crushed pineapple, drained (optional, makes cake extra moist)
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened
- ½ cup butter, softened
- 2–3 cups powdered sugar (to taste)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a 9×13-inch pan (or two 9-inch round pans).
- Mix dry ingredients: In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.
- Mix wet ingredients: In another bowl, whisk sugar, oil, eggs, and vanilla until smooth.
- Combine: Gradually add dry ingredients to wet, mixing just until combined.
- Add carrots and extras: Fold in grated carrots, nuts, and pineapple.
- Bake: Pour batter into prepared pan(s). Bake 35–45 minutes for a 9×13 pan (or 25–30 minutes for 9-inch rounds), until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Cool: Let cake cool completely before frosting.
- Frost: Beat cream cheese and butter until smooth, then gradually add powdered sugar and vanilla. Spread over cooled cake.
Tips & Variations
- Spice it up: Add a pinch of ginger or allspice.
- Extra moist: Substitute half the oil with applesauce.
- Mini version: Bake as cupcakes (20–25 min).
- Topping: Sprinkle with extra chopped nuts or toasted coconut.
I can also give a super quick one-bowl carrot cake recipe that’s easy to make without a mixer if you want.
Do you want me to do that?
