This is my first carrot cake. I actually tried some a few months ago, when my mom’s friend made it and gave her the recipe. I instantly fell in love with this cake. I wonder how come I haven’t tried baking it before.
Cream cheese frosting pairs perfectly with carrots in this cake. 
Carrot cake
- Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
- Yield: 12 servings 1x
Description
This classic carrot cake is moist and flavorful, topped with a rich cream cheese frosting that perfectly complements the spiced carrot base.
Ingredients
- 2 cups (480 ml) grated carrots
- 2 tsp baking powder
- Pinch of salt
- Pinch of baking soda
- 3 1/8 cups (400 g) all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp nutmeg
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 cup (200 g) brown sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup (240 ml) vegetable oil
- 4 large eggs
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) milk
- 1 cup (100 g) chopped walnuts
- 1/2 cup (50 g) raisins
- For the frosting: 8 oz (225 g) cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 cup (115 g) unsalted butter, softened
- 2 cups (240 g) powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 356°F (180°C). Grease a 10-inch (26 cm) springform pan and line the bottom with parchment paper.
- Wash, peel, and grate the carrots. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, nutmeg, and cinnamon.
- In another bowl, mix the brown sugar, vanilla extract, vegetable oil, eggs, and milk until well combined.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined.
- Fold in the grated carrots, chopped walnuts, and raisins.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top with a spatula.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 45-50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then remove from the pan and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- For the frosting, beat the softened cream cheese and butter together until smooth and creamy.
- Gradually add the powdered sugar and vanilla extract, beating until the frosting is smooth and spreadable.
- Once the cake is completely cooled, spread the cream cheese frosting evenly over the top and sides of the cake.
Notes
- For a nut-free version, omit the walnuts.
- Store the cake in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- Bring to room temperature before serving for the best flavor.
- You can substitute raisins with dried cranberries for a different twist.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 35
- Sodium: 250
- Fat: 23
- Carbohydrates: 58
- Fiber: 2
- Protein: 6
- Cholesterol: 60
If You Liked This Recipe, You’ll Love These
- Carrot Sheet Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
- Spring Strawberry Cake Roll
- Apfel Kuchen: Traditional German Apple Cake
- Sicilian Orange Cake
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make this cake nut-free?
Yes — the notes explicitly say to omit the 1 cup of chopped walnuts for a nut-free version. The rest of the cake and frosting recipe stays the same.
Can I swap the raisins for something else?
Yes — the notes suggest substituting the ½ cup of raisins with dried cranberries for a different flavor twist that still complements the cinnamon and nutmeg in the batter.
Why should I bring the cake to room temperature before serving?
The notes advise storing this cake in the refrigerator for up to 5 days (due to the cream cheese frosting) but bringing it to room temperature before serving. Cold cream cheese frosting can be stiff and the cake’s texture and flavor are at their best when it isn’t fridge-cold.
Your cake looks lovely and moist, and that colour is so pretty. I wonder if it would work with pumpkin instead of carrot?
Of course! I have just finished baking pumpkin version, it’s almost the same as this one, except for the pumpkin puree I used instead of carrots.
This looks so perfect! I love carrot cake.
Thank you!