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This easy carrot cake recipe is tender, moist, and incredibly flavorful! Layer with my favorite cream cheese buttercream frosting for an epic one-bowl cake! No mixer required!

a sideview of a three layer carrot cake.

Time for the easiest carrot cake to make its grand entrance! It is so easy you can make it in one bowl with only a whisk. I have a real soft spot for carrot cake. It is my husband’s favorite type of cake (and he’s my favorite human). This one is a moist, tender, cinnamon cake packed with carrots, raisins and walnuts! 

If you are a carrot cake purist, you can omit the raisins like I do in the best carrot cake recipe, which is so good that it beat Bobby Flay. Save those plump raisins in the cupboard for your chewy oatmeal raisin cookies. If you’re looking for a breakfast-friendly take, these carrot cake scones have you covered! And once you fall for its ease and texture, you’ll love this moist applesauce cake next.

Why you will love this recipe:

  • No fancy equipment needed—just a whisk and a bowl! Like my one-bowl brownies and easy moist chocolate cake, this recipe can be made in one bowl without a mixer. 
  • A light cake packed with flavor and texture. There is just enough batter to coat the carrots, nuts, and raisins! Generously spiced with cinnamon and coated with cream cheese buttercream, this cake is unforgettable. 
  • This tried-and-true favorite is flexible. Play with format (cupcakes anyone?), mix-ins, and frostings. Stick with my mixing method, and you’ll get a light, airy, and moist cake!
the interior fluffiness of an easy carrot cake.
Pumpkin Spice Bundt Cake Stunning Crumb
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Professional Tips

  • Grate your own carrots for the best flavor. It is always best to buy carrots (bonus points for horse carrots) and grate them yourself. The packaged pre-shredded kind have variable amounts of moisture. Shred your own, and squeeze out the excess moisture. I recommend the same for my best carrot cake recipe
  • Pre-whisk your dry ingredients. Technically you have to use a second bowl momentarily, but pre-whisking your dry ingredients is very advantageous. It distributes the leavening and spices in the flour and allows for the fastest incorporation with the wet ingredients.
  • Let your cake cool for 10 minutes in the pan. This is the perfect amount of time to wait before turning out your cakes. Otherwise, even with properly prepared pans, the layers might not come out in one beautiful piece.

Ingredients

  • All-purpose flour: All-purpose flour has just the right amount of gluten to make a tender, soft cake.
  • Baking Powder: Double acting baking powder allows for a much more even rise than baking soda alone.
  • Cinnamon
  • Kosher Salt: Kosher salt will amplify all the other flavors and really make this cake stand out.
  • Eggs: Whole eggs help emulsify the oil into the batter, creating a moist (not greasy) cake.
  • Vegetable Oil: Vegetable oil makes this cake exceptionally moist. I emulsify it into the sugar and eggs to make the batter extra moist and not greasy. Be sure to choose a neutral oil because there is enough in this cake that you will taste it if you use olive oil or a blend.
  • White Sugar: I use granulated sugar in this cake. It is here for the more obvious flavor reasons, but also to aid in leavening, moisture, texture and stability.
  • Light Brown Sugar
  • Grated Carrots: I use freshly peeled, grated and squeezed carrots for carrot cake. I also use horse carrots if I can find them. They are bigger, juicier, and more flavorful than the skinny ones in the bags! If your grocery store has loose fresh carrots, chances are they are horse carrots. Use a box grater or food processor for even sizes!
  • Walnuts: Walnuts are optional here. When I use them I lightly toast them first to bring out their best flavor.
  • Raisins
  • Cream Cheese: I use original Philadelphia Cream Cheese for all my baked goods including frostings and buttercreams. You can use reduced fat, but don’t use whipped cream cheese because it will make the buttercream too soft and it won’t be stable.
  • Butter: I use unsalted butter for frostings and baking in general, because you want to control the amount of salt you are adding. In frostings and buttercreams, the butter is there for stability. It will firm up when cold.
  • Powdered Sugar: Confectioners’ sugar is useful for frosting because it is a fine powder, so it creates a smooth, silky buttercream without the application of heat.
  • Lemon Juice
  • Vanilla Extract

See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.

Variations

How to Serve

Serve your cake chilled for the cleanest slices, but let it come to room temperature for the best flavor. This cake pairs beautifully with coffee or tea for an afternoon treat. I love serving it with a scoop of bourbon cherry caramel ice cream or a drizzle salted maple caramel sauce to bring out its flavors. It’s lovely if you sprinkle it with walnuts for added texture or layer in some easy lemon curd for a bit of zing. It can be used as a celebration cake for birthdays, holidays, or just because!

easy carrot cake sliced on a counter.

How to Make Easy Carrot Cake

Further details and measurements can be found in the recipe card below!

Prepare the Cake:

Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350℉ conventional. Prepare cake pans with parchment paper and nonstick cooking spray.

I like to line the bottom of my pans with a parchment circle. To make your own, trace the pan on a piece of parchment, then cut out a circle.

Step 2: In a bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside.

Step 3: In a large bowl, whisk eggs until smooth. With the whisk running, slowly pour in the vegetable oil and stir until completely emulsified (you can’t see any oil). It will deflate a bit but should still look like a light, yellow cloud.

Step 4: Whisk in the sugars, then fold in the dry ingredient mixture.

Step 5: Fold in the carrots, walnuts, and raisins.

Please don’t overmix. If you think it’s done, it is!

Step 6: Divide between the prepared cake pans and bake in the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes, or until a cake tester or toothpick comes out with only a few clinging crumbs.

If you want to ensure even layers, use a scale to make sure the batter is perfectly divided.

Step 7: Allow to cool in pans for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a cooling rack and cool upside down. Let cool completely.

Prepare My Favorite Cream Cheese Frosting:

Step 8: Cream together cream cheese, butter, and sugar until smooth.

Step 9: Add lemon juice and vanilla extract. If it gets too warm, chill it—just pop the whole bowl and attachments in the fridge for an hour.

Step 10: Beat with the paddle attachment on your stand mixer. Breathe. It’s just buttercream.

Assembly:

Step 11: Once the cake is cool, layer with buttercream! 

Add about ⅓ cup frosting on the first layer and spread until evenly covered. Layer on the second cake and use as much buttercream as you want to cover the outside!

Step 12: For the easiest slicing, chill before serving. This cake is also delightful at room temperature.

Chef Lindsey’s Recipe Tip

This cake is so light, fluffy, and moist that it can be difficult to determine when it is done. The cake should provide a little resistance when the center of the cake is lightly pressed. When in doubt, bake it 2 more minutes. She’ll be fine.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you store leftover carrot cake?

Unfrosted cake can be stored at room temperature for up to 3 days or frozen, with the cake layers wrapped tightly in plastic wrap, for up to 2 months. Frosted cake should be refrigerated after 3 days.

Can I make this ahead of time?

Yes! Carrot cake is an excellent cake to fully prepare ahead of time! The flavors improve on the second day, and this carrot cake recipe is so moist that it will taste perfect for 3 days. Freeze it whole if making it further in advance.

Is it better to use oil or butter in carrot cake?

The oil in carrot cake keeps it more moist than the same cake made with melted butter.

a slice of smoothly frosted carrot cake.

If you tried this recipe and loved it please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it goes in the comments below. I love hearing from you; your comments make my day!

5 from 48 ratings

Easy Carrot Cake

This easy carrot cake recipe is tender, moist, and incredibly flavorful! Layer with my favorite cream cheese buttercream frosting for an epic one-bowl cake! No mixer required!
Prep: 20 minutes
Cook: 15 minutes
Cooling: 25 minutes
Total: 1 hour
Servings: 16 slices

Ingredients 
 

Carrot Cake

The Best Cream Cheese Buttercream

Instructions 

Prepare the Cake:

  • Preheat the oven to 350℉ conventional. Prepare cake pans with parchment paper and nonstick cooking spray.
  • In a bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside.
  • In a large bowl, whisk eggs until smooth. With the whisk running, slowly pour in the vegetable oil and stir until completely emulsified (you can’t see any oil). It will deflate a bit but should still look like a light, yellow cloud.
  • Whisk in the sugars, then fold in the dry ingredient mixture.
  • Fold in the carrots, walnuts, and raisins.
  • Divide between the prepared cake pans and bake in the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes, or until a cake tester or toothpick comes out with only a few clinging crumbs.
  • Allow to cool in pans for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a cooling rack and cool upside down. Let cool completely.

Prepare My Favorite Cream Cheese Frosting:

  • Cream together cream cheese, butter, and sugar until smooth.
  • Add lemon juice and vanilla extract. If it gets too warm, chill it—just pop the whole bowl and attachments in the fridge for an hour.
  • Beat with the paddle attachment on your stand mixer. Breathe. It’s just buttercream.

Assembly:

  • Once the cake is cool, layer with buttercream!
  • For the easiest slicing, chill before serving. This cake is also delightful at room temperature.

Notes

Yield –  8 or 9 inch cake 3-layer cake. You can also make a two layer cake without adjusting the recipe!
Flavor Tips – Use horse carrots if you can find them. They are bigger, juicier, and more flavorful than the skinny ones in the bags!
Variations – You can omit the raisins and walnuts, or substitute for another dried fruit or nut of your choosing.
Storage – Unfrosted cake can be stored at room temperature for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 2 months. Frosted cake should be refrigerated after 3 days.

Nutrition

Calories: 440kcal | Carbohydrates: 38g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 31g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 8g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 82mg | Sodium: 261mg | Potassium: 199mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 22g | Vitamin A: 4583IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 76mg | Iron: 1mg
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: British
Calories: 440
Like this? Leave a comment below!

Before You Go

I hope you enjoyed this professional chef tested recipe. Check out our other delicious, chef-developed cake recipes, like this elegant white cake recipe!

Hi, I’m Chef Lindsey!

I am the baker, recipe developer, writer, and photographer behind Chef Lindsey Farr. I believe in delicious homemade food and the power of dessert!

5 from 48 votes (43 ratings without comment)

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22 Comments

  1. Is the amount of butter and cream cheese correct? 21 oz cream cheese 18 Tbsp butter? Seriously?

  2. I always enjoy your recipes. Thanks! I haven’t made this yet, but I’ve looked and can’t find the size of cake pan you recommend. Is it 8″ or 9″? Or, does it even make a difference as long as it bakes to the desired done-ness?

    1. Hi Howard! This recipe is for three 8 or 9 inch cake pans. You can also make a two layer cake without adjusting the recipe, the layers will just be a little more substantial! Happy baking!

  3. I love carrot cake but I’m unsure about a couple of instructions in this recipe.
    The photo shows 3 layers, but directions don’t specify how many cake pans, or what size.
    I see that one comment asks about cutting the recipe in half to make one layer, 8″.

    So should this fit 2 8″ cake pans?

    1. Hi Judy! This recipe is for three 8 or 9 inch cake pans. You can also make a two layer cake without adjusting the recipe, the layers will just be a little more substantial! Happy baking!