Favorite Carrot Cake
This carrot cake recipe will become your new favorite! This moist and delicious carrot cake is so easy to make from scratch. It's the best!
Updated by Kathryne Taylor on August 29, 2024
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Finally! Meet my tested and perfected carrot cake recipe. I’ve been working on this carrot cake for a long time, and I’m so happy to report that I’ve finally nailed it.
I was hoping to publish the recipe in time for Valentine’s Day, then Mother’s Day. Here we are, just in time for Father’s Day and your summer birthdays! I hope you have a carrot cake lover in your life, because this cake will make him or her very happy.
This homemade carrot cake would be perfect for any celebratory occasion. It’s exactly what I want my carrot cake to be: delicious and moist, gently spiced with cinnamon and ginger, infused with flecks of fresh carrots, and covered in luscious cream cheese frosting. It’s the best.
This cake is also simple to make from scratch with wholesome ingredients. You can easily make it in an afternoon, with plenty of time to kill while the cake cools.
I’m often intimidated by layer cakes, so if I can make this cake, I know you can, too. Ready?!
Why You’ll Love This Carrot Cake
This carrot cake recipe is my favorite for several reasons:
1) This cake is incredibly delicious and moist.
The cake is nice and tender inside. The carrots are the star of the show, so you won’t find raisins, pineapple or applesauce here. Freshly toasted, chopped pecans are optional, but I love them. Sweet-and-tangy cream cheese frosting makes this cake utterly irresistible.
2) This cake is sweet, but not too sweet.
Some carrot cakes are overwhelmingly sweet with giant layers of frosting, and I can only stomach a bite or two. On the other hand, some “healthy” cakes are dry and disappointing, with a meager spread of frosting. This cake is just right—it’s sweet and tastes like a true treat.
3) This carrot cake is simple and easy to make.
No stand mixer required! You’ll just whisk together the dry ingredients in one bowl, the wet in another, and stir to combine. It doesn’t get easier than that.
4) This cake is made with wholesome ingredients, but no one will know it.
The recipe calls for whole wheat flour rather than all-purpose (although, you can use all-purpose if that’s what you have). Instead of refined vegetable oil, it calls for mild extra-virgin olive oil, which yields a wonderfully moist cake without any funny flavors. Lastly, it calls for maple syrup or honey instead of cups of granulated sugar.
5) This recipe is versatile.
You can leave out the nuts if you don’t like them. You can make this cake dairy free or gluten free. You can turn it into cupcakes. See the recipe notes for all the details!
Watch How to Make Carrot Cake
Carrot Cake Tips
For the best carrot flavor, choose skinny to medium-sized carrots and peel them before grating. Large carrots don’t taste as nice, and sometimes the outer carrot skin can taste bitter.
The easiest way to grate your carrots is a the food processor. Use the grating attachment, and your carrots will be grated in no time! Otherwise, you can grate the carrots by hand. Don’t buy carrot matchsticks from the store; they’re too thick and will yield crunchy cake.
Don’t overmix. This cake is easy to make by stirring the ingredients together by hand. If you overmix the batter, you risk ending up with dense, tough cake. Make it as directed and you will be rewarded with gloriously tender cake!
Don’t forget to grease your pans. Otherwise, your cake might stick! For extra insurance, use my favorite round baking pans (affiliate link), which have a non-toxic, non-stick silicone lining.
Let the cake cool completely before frosting. I know, it’s tempting to frost this cake when it’s warm, but don’t do it. If you do, your cake won’t be structurally sound, and the frosting might melt off.
Looking for more naturally sweetened treats? Here are a few of my favorites:
- Healthy Carrot Muffins
- Gluten-Free Apple Crisp
- Naturally Sweetened Pecan Pie
- Gingerbread Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
- Favorite Banana Cake
Please let me know how your cake turns out in the comments! I hope it becomes your new favorite carrot cake.
Favorite Carrot Cake
This carrot cake recipe will become your new favorite! This moist and delicious carrot cake is easy to make with basic, wholesome ingredients. It’s the best! Recipe yields one double-layer 9″ cake.
Ingredients
- 2 cups whole wheat pastry flour or all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ cups white whole wheat flour or regular whole wheat flour
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons fine sea salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 ½ pounds peeled and grated carrots* (about 4 cups)
- 1 cup raw pecan or walnut halves
- ¾ cup mild extra-virgin olive oil** or melted coconut oil
- 1 ¼ cups maple syrup or honey
- 1 cup milk of choice
- 4 eggs, preferably at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- Double batch classic cream cheese frosting or naturally sweetened cream cheese frosting
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and grease two 9″ round cake pans. If you’re making classic cream cheese frosting, don’t forget to pull the cream cheese and butter out of the fridge so they can warm to room temperature.
- Toast the pecans on a rimmed baking sheet in the preheated oven until fragrant, about 5 minutes. Once they’re cool enough to handle, transfer them to a cutting board and chop them into small pieces. Reserve a couple tablespoons chopped pecans for garnishing the cake, if desired. We’ll stir the rest into the dry mixture in the following step.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine both flours, cinnamon, ginger, baking powder, salt and baking soda. Stir until blended. Add the grated carrots and chopped pecans, and stir to combine.
- In a medium mixing bowl, combine the oil, maple syrup, milk, eggs and vanilla extract. Whisk until fully blended.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Mix with a big spoon, just until combined (a few lumps are ok). Divide the batter evenly between the two cake pans and spread the batter in an even layer on top.
- Bake the cakes on the middle rack for 45 to 50 minutes, or until the center of the cakes is springy to the touch and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Place the baked cakes on a cooling rack and let them cool completely before frosting.
- When you’re ready to assemble, prepare the frosting as directed. Carefully invert the cakes to release them from their pans. Frost the top of one cake with about one-third of the frosting. Place the second cake on top, and frost the top with another one-third of the frosting. Finish by frosting around the side of the cake with the remaining frosting. If desired, sprinkle the reserved chopped pecans on top.
- When you’re ready to serve, use a sharp chef’s knife to carefully cut the cake into slices. The cake will keep at room temperature for the rest of the day, and for up to 4 days in the refrigerator.
Notes
Recipe adapted from the easy carrot cake in my cookbook, Love Real Food (page 208).
*Carrot tips: Skinny-to-medium carrots (not large) offer the best carrot flavor. The easiest way to grate your carrots is in a food processor with the grating attachment. You can also grate them by hand, on the medium holes of a box grater. Don’t use store-bought matchstick carrots; they’re way too thick and will make your cake crunchy.
**Olive oil note: I recommend California Olive Ranch Everyday for this recipe. It’s an affordable, high quality olive oil that you can find at most grocery stores, and the flavor is so mild that you will not detect it in the finished product.
Flour substitutions: If desired, you can make this cake with a total of 3 ½ cups all-purpose flour or gluten-free all-purpose flour.
Make it gluten free: Substitute your favorite all-purpose gluten-free flour blend.
Make it nut free: Simply omit the pecans.
Make it dairy free: Use a non-dairy milk (I’ve confirmed that almond milk and oat milk work in this recipe). Use a dairy-free cream cheese frosting (I haven’t come up with one yet).
Make it naturally sweetened: The cake itself is naturally sweetened with maple syrup or honey. Top the cake with my date-sweetened cream cheese frosting for a cake free of refined sugar.
Egg note: I’m sorry to report that this is not a candidate for egg-free baking. I’ve tried this recipe with flax eggs in place of the real eggs, and they did not provide enough lift to counteract the weight of the carrots.
Pan size notes: You could make these cakes in 9″ square baking pans, no adjustments needed. You can also cut the recipe in half to make one 9″ round or square cake. For other pan sizes, keep the baking temperature constant and bake until the center of the cake is springy to the touch and a toothpick comes out clean (timing will depend on the pans used).
Make cupcakes: Divide the batter between 2 dozen muffin cups and bake at 350 for 18 to 24 minutes, or until the cupcakes are golden on top and a toothpick inserted into a cupcake comes out clean.
Recommended equipment: (Affiliate links) I love my 11-cup food processor and these round cake pans, which have a non-toxic silicone coating.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. See our full nutrition disclosure here.
Hi, there—I’m actually making the Easy Carrot Cake from the book. Can I add golden raisins? And if yes, how much? Thank you so much!
Hi! I haven’t tried it, but it may work. You could try 1/2 cup. Let me know how it works!
I have been a big fan of your recipes and I have followed and loved all of your recipes that I’ve tried. My husband and I recently started baking and given how great experience I’ve had with your other cooking recipes we decided to try your carrot cake.
This is the best carrot cake I’ve ever had. I’ve never had a carrot cake this soft and fluffy and it tastes so good.
Please share more baking recipes.
Thank you so much for sharing all your love.
I’m glad you love this cake, Anaya! I appreciate your review.
Hi Kate
Love your recipes. Just wondering whether I can use wholemeal flour 3.5 cups rather than mixing with wm pastry flour. Also, can we use little bit almond meal instead of just wm flour
Thanks
Leena
Hi Leena, Wholemeal flour is larger grain so I’m not sure how it would work here. I don’t recommend almond flour as a substitute.
The Kale salad with apples and cranberries was great! I will say for me no more than two days keept in refrigerator. You are great! I love all your healthy recipes! and your tips go far and beyond expectations! Keep up the good work! Thank yoo! Thank you!
Thank you, Ligia! I appreciate your review.
Perfect! No raisins or pineapple thrown in as in some recipes. I really like the olive oil.
Hi Kate! I’m excited to try this recipe – it sounds delicious and I love carrot cake. I just want to double check the carrots. The recipe states to use “ 1 ½ pounds peeled and grated carrots* (about 4 cups)” – does that mean weigh out 1 pound 8 ounces of already grated carrots? Thank you for clarifying! I bake by weight and I like to be exact.
Thank you for your amazing, wholesome recipes!
Hi Island, you want to weigh before grated. If that make sense? I hope you enjoy it!
My first attempt at a carrot cake, did it for Easter – loved it!! Was worried it would be dense as it felt that way coming out of the oven – but it was perfect! Super moist, a huge hit!
Followed the cake recipe as instructed (where there are options: used white cake/pastry flour, regular whole wheat flour, maple syrup, and olive oil). Cooled to room temp, and then (as I always do with my cakes) put in the fridge overnight before icing. Used my own icing recipe.
Will definitely make again!! Thanks Kate!
Wonderful to hear, Jeri! Thank you for taking the time to come back to share your experience.
I usually love your recipes but this one wasn’t great! Great flavour and aroma, but the texture of the cake was too moist and not fluffy. I suspect adding a bit more flour and squeezing some moisture out of the carrots could help. Thanks for all your great recipes :)
I’m sorry to hear that. Did you carrots seem extra wet?
Recipe was easy to read and follow, love the wholesome ingredients, unfortunately as others commented, it was a bit dense and drier than I hoped it would be. I was very careful in measuring my flour and definitely did not over mix. Everyone ate it, but I would not make it again.
Hi! I’m sorry to hear you didn’t love it. How long did you bake it for?
Can you freeze the cake for later consumption? How long can you store it?
Hi Suzette, I haven’t tried it so I can’t say for sure. But if you try it, let me know how it turns out for you!
Would applesauce be a good replacement for eggs?
Hi Willer, You need a binder. Y’m sorry to report that this is not a candidate for egg-free baking. I’ve tried this recipe with flax eggs in place of the real eggs, and they did not provide enough lift to counteract the weight of the carrots.
This looks amazing! Could I make it all whole-wheat? And could I bake it in a 9 x 13 pan? You say to keep the temperature constant with other pan sizes, but if it’s that much different, I wonder if it could burn? Also, could I serve this without the frosting? (We have a guest coming who eats no refined sugar or white flour.) Thank you so much for all your amazing recipes!
Hi Kate, I find it works best as listed. If you try it, let me know what you think. I’m not sure about baking it in a larger pan as I didn’t try it. Sorry!
This looks amazing! What do you think would happen if I left out the pastry flour and just used whole wheat? And could I bake it in a 9 x 13 pan? You say to keep the temperature constant with other pan sizes, but if the pan is that much bigger, I wonder if it could burn? Also, could I serve this without the frosting? (We have a guest coming who eats no refined sugar or white flour.) Thank you so much for all your amazing recipes!
Hi Kate, you can try it. I found that pastry flour helped give it the best texture.
I made 1/2 batch of this recipe to make one 9 inch cake. Followed instructions exactly, including using exact ingredients listed. The cake is definitely wholesome & perfectly sweetened. The only thing i may like to see improved is the texture, as it is a little dense & can use some lightness to it. But then I don’t want an unhealthy cake, so maybe that’s the compromise? I would also add a bit of nutmeg next time as the spice profile is very subtle & gentle.
Hi Kate, I just made this cake for my dad’s 83rd birthday. The carrot cake, along with your cream cheese date frosting was amazing! I followed both recipes exactly, except that I made the cake as a bundt cake. My dad and I have loved your recipes for years. Thank you!
I have never made carrot cake before, which is so strange because I really like it! I had some extra carrots fresh from the garden so I decided to try. As usual, your recipe was a huge success! So moist and airy and delicious. I made the carrot cake in two 8×8 glass pans so I had a double batch and both were devoured. I prefer my carrot cake without icing but I made your date cream cheese icing – wow!! Delightful! I will comment more on that under that recipe but let’s just say the combination with this carrot cake is delicious. I am making it again today and I have enough cream cheese icing for a second batch too! By the way, I do agree that if people were experiencing dense cake, they were probably overmixing. Mixing it until just combined gives a lovely springy, light texture. Amazing!
I’m glad you tried it, Jackie! I appreciate your review.
May I know the conversion from cup to gram for all the ingredients please. Thank you.
Hi, can I substitute some of the maple syrup with a powder sweetener?
Hi Mariana, This recipe is best as written.
Hello Kate, how would I adjust the amounts to make a double layer six inch cake? I’d love to make this as a first birthday cake for my son!
Thank you!
Hi! Yes, this should double ok. Let me know how it turns out for you.
I adore your recipes! Was so excited to try this, I’m not really a baker.
It was SO DENSE!!!!! Like I could hardly lift it out of the fridge to get my husbands candles on
I have no idea what I did wrong, I followed it all to the letter! So lost!
The date frosting???? The most incredible thing ever. Could (and did) eat it out of the bowl.
X
I’m sorry to hear that, Jennie. How did you measure the flour? Did you over mix it perhaps?
Could this be made as a bundt cake?
I haven’t tried it. Let me know if it works well for you, Rhonda.
This cake was delicious. I made half the recipe, which I know is not advised, but I did not want a full cake. Worked great in an 8×8 square glass pan with the recommended frosting on top. My family said it was some of the best carrot cake they’d ever had:-)
I love to hear that, Erin!
Hi Kate – I want to bake this one day in advance. Does it need to be refrigerated, or can I have it sit in my glass Cake stand overnight?
It should be ok baked and refrigerated. Let me know if you try it!
Hi Kate, sorry for any confusion. I meant I was interested in finding the same black pedestal cake stand you photographed your Favorite Carrot Cake on. Manufacturer might be printed on bottom.
Hi Kate. Can’t wait to try this recipe for my husbands favorite cake. May I substitute coconut oil for the olive oil?
Hi Lisa! Olive oil or coconut oil can be used as listed in the ingredients.
Hi – I’ve just made your carrot cake and I look forward to tasting it. I need it for a party 4 days from now. I haven’t frosted it yet. Should I freeze it or store it in the fridge?
Thanks.
Sorry for my delay! What did you end up doing?
Are you sure about that amount of carrot? I weighed it and the cake has ended up extremely dense. I measured everything out correctly and have new baking powder and soda. Very disappointing.
I’m sorry to hear that. If it was over stirred or flour wasn’t spooned and leveled that can happen too. I appreciate your feedback, Teresa.
Hi Kate! I’m planning on baking this cake soon, for three 8” round pans, could we keep the same quantities and simply divide the batter equally in three?
You can try it, Joanna. Let me know what you think!
Turned out very dense and was quite unpleasant. Ingredients were all fresh but 11/2 lbs carrots was more like 5 cups.not sure if this was the problem, but it didnt rise at all
I’m sorry to hear that. It sounds like the baking soda or it may have been over mixed.
I love love love this recipe. I’ve made it several times and it is perfect, even though I use hazelnuts or raisins in lieu of walnuts. Next time, I will be making it for a special occasion for someone with nut allergies. I’m thinking of using chocolate chips as that little accent and wondering if you have tried that? I might need to do a rehearsal cake to try it out before the big day!
Have you ever tried Buttermilk and Baking soda instead of regular mild and baking powder??
I think it makes it more moist.
I’ve been eyeing this recipe for a while and finally decided to make it today. Fall weather gets me in the mood to bake lol. I made it in a Bundt pan and then iced with your basic icing recipe, link you have at the end. My husband is all gaga and my family is so impressed! Thank you for this and for all your wonderful recipes. I’ve been a fan since your blog days and enjoy your book too. Wonderful!
Great to hear, Pra!
I think this question has already been asked but are the instructions for flour substitution correct? Go from 1 1/2 c. whole wheat to 3 1/2 for all purpose? Doesn’t sound right . . .
It sounds so strange using ginger!! What flavour it gives? Is it very important to use it?
Thanks!!
I hope you try it. All the spices really work well together.
I want to make this at home before a 2 hr drive, the day before Thanksgiving, and then frost it the day of Thanksgiving. Do you think that would be a problem?
Sorry for my delay! What did you decide to do? I hope everything turned out well.
Would love to make this into a Valentine dessert with my heart-shaped Bundt pan….do I need to adjust measurements? Thanks, Kate.
If it’s the same size, it should be fine. Let me know how it turns out!
Amazing cake!! Much adored by my guests.
Hi Kate, I’m cooking in England and I’m using cups instead of grams. This feels so wrong!! Anyway, it’s just out of the oven and looks good. The flour has me perplexed, I take it ‘all purpose’ is plain flour so had no idea what ‘regular’ was (I used white self-raising). I will take a list to be translated when I visit Seattle in September!!
Hi, on page 208 easy carrot cake recipe it says to heat oven to 425f, is that a typo or should it really be this hot?? Thank you
Hi Kirsti! This recipe varies from the one in my cookbook. If you follow the instructions for each specific recipe, they will turn out. With the variations, they required different baking. I hope you try it!
This recipe looks great! Can I use leftover carrot pulp from juicing? Thanks!
I haven’t tried it so I can’t say for sure. Sorry! If you try it, let me know how it turns out for you.
Hi, I loved your banana bread and make it often. I want to try this cake, but I live in Europe and I don’t know what a cup is. Could you give me the measurements for this in gramls/mls? thank you!
Hi Mazzo, I would suggest a conversion table online as I don’t provide conversions at this time. I hope you are able to try it!
Would it be okay to substitute the oil with applesauce to reduce the fat?
I haven’t tried it so I can’t say for sure. Sorry!
Absolutely delicious!
Great texture and appearance, moist and just sweet enough. Made as directed. Used cream cheese frosting. Actually felt very good eating this ; )
Thank you for sharing, Myrna!