The Best Homemade Carrot Cake Recipe

This is going to be the best carrot cake recipe you'll ever taste! Easy to make, fluffy, and moist cake with fresh hand-grated carrots and covered with soft cream cheese frosting.

I love baking cakes. They are present in the finest moments and most special occasions. Cakes are never just a dessert; they’re part of every celebration. Now, as much as cakes excite us when we are younger, we tend to stir away from them as we grow up. I guess it’s the fear of carbs and sugar.

Well, carrot cake is nothing like that. It’s a grown-up cake if you will, and although it’s been around since the middle ages, it’s still one of the most chick and sophisticated cakes out there. It's an everyday cake. I remember in my elementary days, I always buy carrot cupcakes in my school canteen during recess time.

The middle ages, really? Yes, food historians say people sweetened cake-like puddings with carrots. Remember, sugar and other sweeteners were not so readily available at that time. Besides, when cooked right, carrots are deliciously sweet!

You will absolutely love this homemade carrot cake recipe. Its soft frosting is done exactly right, not too sweet, and not bland at all.

Ingredients for Carrot Cake and Steps

As with any great cake, this one starts with all-purpose flour, a pinch of baking soda, and another of sea salt. For a carrot cake, of course, a little cinnamon goes a long way, so we’ll throw in some in there too.

In a separate bowl, we’ll add some canola oil, eggs, one at a time, sugar, and just a kiss of vanilla extract. Sounds promising already, right?

Now the best part — the carrots. Here’s when we add three whole cups of grated carrots to our mix. And here’s my personal touch, chopped pecans, and raisins.

The last touch, is a smooth cream cheese frosting dotted with crunchy chopped pecans.

By the way. For this recipe, you’ll need two 9-inch round cake pans, parchment paper, a couple of medium mixing bowls, a whisk, or a stand mixer.

Tips to Bake the Perfect Carrot Cake

Although most carrot cakes are already tasty, moist, and fluffy, there are some tips to make the most out of this recipe for carrot cake. Here are my favorites:

1. Roast your pecans for a few minutes in a hot pan. All the flavorsome oils are released. You can also use other types of nuts like almonds or walnuts.
2. Measure Everything. Carrots release lots of moisture, so you must use the right amount of flour and sugar to get the right consistency. For some recipes, you can just eyeball the ingredients, but not for carrot cakes, so be precise.
3. Grate your carrots finely by hand (recommended). It takes a bit more time, but it’s important. Large carrot chunks might not cook all the way through, and no one likes crunchy bits of carrot in their cake.
4. For your frosting, use cold ingredients. The cream cheese and the heavy whipping cream are better handled straight from the fridge. If you leave them too long at room temperature, your frosting will be runny!
5. Don’t apply the frosting while your carrot cake is still warm; it will just melt. Wait until the cake is nice and cool, and you’ll achieve stunning results.
6. Do not overmix the batter.

Now we’re ready to bake our carrot cake. Enjoy making this one with a warm pumpkin spice latte in hand because the most important thing is to have fun!

This recipe is perfect for cupcakes too. It is equivalent to 24 cupcakes. Bake at 350 degrees F for 15-18 minutes. Though I have not tried it yet, you may also use a loaf or bundt pan to bake the batter, make sure to research the exact bake time and temperature.

You will also like:

• Creme Brulee
• Cheesecake Brownies
• Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies