Carrot Cake
A two-layer American carrot cake that stays deeply moist for days, spiced with cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg and finished with a tangy cream cheese frosting. Oil instead of butter keeps the crumb soft even straight from the fridge, and finely grating the carrots lets them melt into the batter so every bite is tender, never stringy. It mixes in one bowl with a whisk — no creaming, no fuss.
Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease and line two 9-inch (23 cm) round pans. Whisk 250 g flour with baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg. In a second bowl, whisk 4 eggs with 200 g granulated sugar, 150 g brown sugar, 240 ml neutral oil, and vanilla until smooth, then fold in the dry mix, 300 g finely grated carrots, and toasted pecans just until no flour streaks remain. Divide between the pans and bake 30–35 minutes, until a skewer comes out clean. Cool 15 minutes in the pans, then completely on a rack. Beat cold cream cheese with softened butter, powdered sugar, vanilla, and a pinch of salt until fluffy, stack and frost the layers, and chill 30 minutes to set before slicing.
- Grate the carrots yourself on the fine holes of a box grater — bagged pre-shredded carrots are too dry and coarse and will leave the cake stringy.
- Use a neutral oil, not butter: oil coats the flour more evenly, so the crumb stays plush and moist even after refrigeration.
- Cool the layers completely (about 1 hour) before frosting, or the cream cheese frosting will slide and split.
Equipment
- Two 9-inch (23 cm) round cake pans
- Box grater
- Two large mixing bowls
- Whisk and flexible spatula
- Electric hand mixer or stand mixer
- Wire cooling rack
- Offset spatula
מצרכים
Cake
- 250 g all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- 8 g baking powder
- 5 g baking soda
- 4 g fine sea salt
- 5 g ground cinnamon
- 1 g ground ginger
- 0.5 g ground nutmeg, freshly grated if possible
- large eggs, room temperature
- 200 g granulated sugar
- 150 g light brown sugar
- 240 ml neutral oil, canola, sunflower, or vegetable
- 10 ml vanilla extract
- 300 g carrots, about 5–6 medium, peeled and finely grated
- 100 g pecans, toasted and cooled; optional, or use walnuts
Cream cheese frosting
- 340 g full-fat brick cream cheese, cold, straight from the fridge
- 115 g unsalted butter, softened
- 300 g powdered sugar, sifted if lumpy
- 5 ml vanilla extract
- fine sea salt
אופן ההכנה
- שלב01
Set a rack in the center of the oven and heat it to 350°F (175°C). Grease two 9-inch (23 cm) round cake pans, line the bottoms with parchment rounds, and grease the parchment. A light dusting of flour on the sides guarantees a clean release.
- שלב02
Peel the carrots and grate them on the small holes of a box grater until you have 300 g (3 lightly packed cups). Fine shreds release their moisture into the batter and soften fully as the cake bakes; skip pre-shredded bagged carrots, which stay dry and chewy.
- שלב03
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg until evenly combined and no streaks of spice remain.
- שלב04
In a second large bowl, whisk the eggs, granulated sugar, and brown sugar for about 1 minute, until slightly thickened. Whisk in the oil and vanilla until glossy and smooth. Add the dry ingredients and fold with a spatula until only a few flour streaks remain, then fold in the grated carrots and pecans just until everything is evenly distributed. Do not overmix — stop as soon as the flour disappears.
- שלב05
Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans (a kitchen scale helps) and smooth the tops. Bake for 30–35 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through, until the centers spring back when gently pressed and a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
- שלב06
Cool the layers in their pans on a wire rack for 15 minutes, then run a thin knife around the edges, turn them out, peel off the parchment, and cool completely, about 50 minutes more. Even slightly warm cake will melt cream cheese frosting, so be patient here.
- שלב07
Beat the softened butter with an electric mixer on medium until smooth, about 1 minute. Add the cold cream cheese and beat just until combined and creamy. Add the powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt, mix on low until incorporated, then beat on medium for 1 minute until fluffy. Keeping the cream cheese cold prevents a runny frosting.
- שלב08
Set one layer flat-side up on a serving plate and spread about a third of the frosting to the edges. Top with the second layer, flat-side up, and spread the rest over the top — or thinly over the top and sides for a naked-cake look. Chill for 30 minutes to set the frosting, then slice with a knife wiped clean between cuts.
Make ahead
Bake the layers up to 2 days ahead: cool completely, wrap tightly in plastic, and keep at room temperature (or freeze up to 3 months). The frosting can be made 3 days ahead and refrigerated; let it sit out for 30 minutes and re-beat briefly before using. The fully assembled cake actually slices better on day two, so frosting it the night before is a smart move.
Storage
Because of the cream cheese frosting, store the cake covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Let slices sit at room temperature for 20–30 minutes before serving so the crumb softens. To freeze, chill the frosted cake until firm, then wrap whole or in slices in plastic and foil and freeze up to 3 months; thaw overnight in the fridge.
Variations
Gluten-free carrot cake
Swap the all-purpose flour for an equal weight (250 g) of a measure-for-measure gluten-free blend that contains xanthan gum. Let the batter rest 10 minutes before baking so the flours hydrate, and check for doneness at 32 minutes. Everything else stays the same.
Pineapple-raisin carrot cake
Fold in 100 g (1/2 cup) crushed pineapple, drained very well and pressed dry, plus 75 g (1/2 cup) raisins along with the carrots. The pineapple adds tang and extra moisture; bake times may run 3–5 minutes longer.
Carrot cake cupcakes
Divide the batter among 24 lined muffin cups, filling each two-thirds full, and bake at 350°F (175°C) for 18–20 minutes. Cool completely, then pipe or swirl the frosting on top. Great for bake sales since they need no slicing.
Serve with
Nutrition per serving
Nutrition values are estimates based on the metric measurements. Adjust as needed.
שאלות נפוצות
Can I use bagged pre-shredded carrots to save time?
It's not worth the shortcut. Pre-shredded carrots are cut thick and have dried out on the shelf, so they stay chewy and stringy instead of melting into the crumb. Grating whole carrots on the fine holes of a box grater takes about 10 minutes and is the single biggest factor in how moist this cake turns out. A food processor's shredding disc works too if you pulse the shreds briefly afterward to break them down further.
Can I bake this carrot cake recipe in a 9x13-inch pan instead of layers?
Yes — this carrot cake recipe converts easily to a single 9x13-inch (23x33 cm) sheet. Grease the pan, pour in all the batter, and bake at 350°F (175°C) for 40–45 minutes, until a skewer comes out clean. Cool completely in the pan, spread all the frosting over the top, and serve straight from the pan. It's the easiest route for potlucks.
Why is my carrot cake dense or greasy?
The usual culprits are too much flour, overmixing, or under-measured carrots. Spoon flour into the cup and level it (or better, weigh 250 g), and stop folding the moment the flour streaks disappear — stirring longer develops gluten and toughens the crumb. If the cake seems oily, the pans were likely underfilled relative to a too-long bake, or the oil was mismeasured; use a liquid measuring cup at eye level or weigh 240 ml.
Does carrot cake need to be refrigerated?
Once frosted, yes. Cream cheese frosting is perishable, so the assembled cake should go back in the fridge within about 2 hours of sitting out. Unfrosted layers, on the other hand, keep fine at room temperature for 2 days when wrapped tightly. For the best texture, pull refrigerated slices out 20–30 minutes before serving.
How do I make this carrot cake recipe without nuts?
Simply leave the pecans out — no other adjustment is needed, and the bake time stays the same. If you want some texture in their place, fold in 75 g (1/2 cup) raisins, dried cranberries, or toasted unsweetened coconut flakes. Omitting nuts also removes the tree nut allergen, making it safer for school events.
Cooked this? Rate it.
Real ratings from real cooks. We only show a score once enough of you have weighed in — no fabricated stars.