Finally! Meet my tried-and-true carrot cake recipe. I have been working on this carrot cake for a long time and I am very happy to report that I finally made it.
I was hoping to post the recipe in time for Valentine’s Day and then Mother’s Day. Here we are, just in time for Father’s Day and their summer birthdays! I hope you love a carrot cake in your life, because this cake will make you very happy.
This homemade carrot cake would be perfect for any occasion & celebration. It’s exactly what I want my carrot cake to be: delicious and moist, lightly flavored with cinnamon and ginger, infused with fresh carrot sprinkles, and topped with a delicious cream cheese frosting. Is the best.
This cake is also easy to make from scratch with healthy ingredients. You can easily make it anytime in a day, with plenty of time to kill while the cake cools.
I am 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. Carrots are the star of the show, so that you don’t find raisins, pineapple, or applesauce here. Freshly roasted and chopped pecans are optional, but I love them. The sweet and tangy cream cheese frosting makes this cake absolutely irresistible.
2) This cake is sweet, but not too sweet.
Some of the carrot cakes are overwhelmingly sweet with giant layers of frosting. and I can take it only handle a bite or two. On the other hand, some “healthy” cakes are dry and disappointing, with little spread of frosting. This cake is perfect, it’s sweet, and it tastes like a real treat.
3) This carrot cake is simple and easy to make.
No stand mixer required! Just mix the dry ingredients in one bowl, the wet ingredients in another, and stir to combine. There is nothing easier than that.
4) This cake is made with wholesome ingredients, but no one will know it.
The recipe calls for whole wheat flour instead of 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 produces a wonderfully moist cake with no fun flavors. Lastly, it calls for maple syrup or honey instead of cups of granulated sugar.
5) This recipe is versatile.
You can omit the walnuts 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!
Carrot Cake Tips
For the best carrot flavor, choose thin to medium carrots and peel them before grating. Large carrots don’t taste as good, and the outer skin of the carrot can sometimes taste bitter.
The easiest way to grate carrots is with a food processor. Use the wire rack attachment and the carrots will grate in no time. Otherwise, you can grate the carrots by hand. Don’t buy carrot sticks at the store; they are too thick and will produce a crispy cake.
Do not over mix. This cake is easy to make by stirring the ingredients by hand. Overmixing the batter runs the risk of ending up with a dense, chewy cake. Do it as directed and you will be rewarded with a gloriously tender cake!
Don’t forget to grease your pans. Otherwise, your cake could stick! For added insurance, use my favorite round baking pans which have a non-toxic, non-stick silicone coating.
Allow cake to cool completely before frosting. I know, it’s tempting to freeze this cake when it’s hot, but don’t. If you do, your cake will not be structurally sound and the frosting could melt.
Please let me know how your cake turns out in the comments! I hope it becomes your new favorite carrot cake.
Favorite Carrot Cake
- Author: Shubham Bhoyar
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
- Yield: 16 slices 1x
- Category: Cake
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: American
This carrot cake recipe will become your new favorite! This moist and delicious carrot cake is easy to make with basic, healthy ingredients. Is the best! The recipe yields a 9 ″ double layer cake.
INGREDIENTS
1) 2 cups whole wheat pastry flour or all-purpose flour.
2)1 ½ cups white whole wheat flour or regular whole wheat flour.
3)1 tablespoon ground cinnamon.
4)2 teaspoons ground ginger.
5)2 teaspoons baking powder.
6)1 ½ teaspoons fine sea salt.
7)1 teaspoon baking soda.
8)1 ½ pounds peeled and grated carrots* (about 4 cups).
9)1 cup raw pecan or walnut halves.
10)¾ cup mild extra-virgin olive oil** or melted coconut oil.
11)1 ¼ cups maple syrup or honey.
12)1 cup milk of choice.
13)4 eggs, preferably at room temperature.
14)2 teaspoons vanilla extract.
15)Double batch classic cream cheese frosting or naturally sweetened cream cheese frosting.
INSTRUCTIONS
1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and grease two 9 ″ round cake pans. If you’re making the classic cream cheese frosting, don’t forget to take the cream cheese and butter out of the refrigerator to warm to room temperature.
2)Toast the walnuts on a rimmed baking sheet in the preheated oven until fragrant, about 5 minutes. Once cool enough to handle, transfer to a cutting board and cut into bite-size pieces. Reserve a couple tablespoons of chopped walnuts to garnish the cake, if desired. We will add the rest to the dry mix in the next step.
3)In a large bowl, combine both flours, cinnamon, ginger, baking powder, salt, and baking soda. Stir until blended. Add the grated carrots & chopped walnuts, and stir to combine.
4)In a medium bowl, combine the oil, maple syrup, milk, eggs, and vanilla extract. Beat until completely blended.
5)Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Mix with a large spoon, just until just combined (a few lumps are fine). Divide the batter evenly between the two cake pans and spread the batter in an even layer on top.
6)Bake 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 in the center comes out clean. Place the baked cakes on a cooling rack and allow to cool completely before frosting.
7)When ready to assemble, prepare frosting as directed. Gently invert the cakes to remove them from their pans. Frost the top of a cake with about a third of the frosting. Place the second cake on top and cover the top with another third of the frosting. Finish by covering the side of the cake with the rest of the frosting. If desired, sprinkle reserved chopped walnuts on top.
8)When ready to serve, use a sharp chef’s knife to carefully slice the cake. The cake will keep at room temperature for the rest of the day and up to 4 days in the refrigerator.
