Moist and fluffy with a delicious tangy cream cheese frosting, this Carrot Cake Recipe is easy, tasty and a hit at any gathering.

One slice of the Carrot Cake Recipe on a white plate with a blue and white checkered linen behind plate.

Cakes are my ultimate weakness, vary rarely do I find a cake that I do not like. It just so happens that Carrot Cake is one of my all time favorites.

We usually keep an abundance of carrots around our house for various reasons, and this cake is one of them. It really makes that perfect dessert.

Whether you are serving your family, needing a holiday dessert, or just want to bring something sweet to a gathering. This Carrot Cake Recipe is all that you need.

While everyone likes their Carrot Cake a different way, we use the basic recipe on this one leaving the raisins and pineapple out of it, you can add that if you’d like.

If you have been looking for a delicious dessert that people can hardly resist, then you need this cake in your life.

Some of my other favorite layer cakes that we have on our site include: Turtle Cake, Chocolate Chip Cake and Yellow Cake.

Finished Carrot Cake Recipe on white cake stand decorated with chopped nuts with nuts on the countertop beside cake stand.

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS:

On hand or easy to find baking staples help this come together easily.
The buttermilk powder in the frosting really gives it a nice tangy flavor.
This feeds a crowd and is perfect for so many occasions.

INGREDIENTS NEEDED (FULL RECIPE AT THE BOTTOM OF THE POST):

All-purpose flour
Baking powder
Ground cinnamon
Salt
Ground nutmeg
Baking soda
Ground cloves
Granulated sugar
Brown sugar
Eggs
Vegetable oil
Carrots
Powdered sugar
Cream cheese
Unsalted butter
Buttermilk powder
Vanilla extract
Pecans, optional garnish

Ingredients needed to make a carrot cake recipe.

HOW TO MAKE A CARROT CAKE RECIPE, STEP BY STEP:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare 2, 8-inch cake pans, Grease pans with non-stick cooking spray then line with parchment paper. Set aside.
Sift together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, salt, nutmeg, and cloves over a large bowl then set aside.
In a separate bowl mix together both sugars and eggs on medium speed for 1-2 minutes. Add oil and mix another 30 seconds on medium until incorporated.
Add dry ingredients to bowl and mix until incorporated, about 30 seconds.
Stir in carrots until incorporated.
Divide batter evenly between prepared pans, spreading into an even layer.
Bake for 25 -30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Remove cakes from oven and place on a wire cooling rack, cool for 15-20 minutes.
Using a thin blade knife, gently run knife along the edge of cake pan to loosen cake from the pan.
Remove cakes from pans and continue to cool on the cooling racks until completely cooled, at least 1 hour.
To prepare frosting, sift together powdered sugar and buttermilk powder over a large bowl, set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat cream cheese and butter on medium high speed for 2-3 minutes, until light, scraping down the bowl 1-2 times to help incorporate.
Add powdered sugar mix to butter and cream cheese, slowly mix for 20-30 seconds, increase speed to medium-high and beat for 1 minute until fully incorporated.
Add vanilla, mix an additional 30 seconds on medium, until fully incorporated.
Place 1 cake on a cake stand or board. Place ½ cup of frosting in the center of cake. Using an icing spatula spread frosting into an even layer.
Top with second cake round. Place another ½ cup of icing on top of cake, spread into an even layer only on the top surface.
Use the remaining icing to frost the sides of the cake. Using only 2-3 Tablespoons at a time working around the cake. Use the rounded tip of the spatula or the edge of a tablespoon to add a decorative swirl along the sides and on the top of the cake.
Gently press chopped nuts along the bottom edge of the cake.
Store cake in the refrigerator until ready to serve, allow cake to sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before serving.

Step by step photos on how to make a Carrot Cake Recipe.

CAN I MAKE THIS IN A 9X13-INCH PAN?

If you are not fond of making layer cakes, you can absolutely make this in a 9×13-inch pan.

You do not need the parchment paper, just spray with non-stick cooking spray and bake for 45 minutes.

DO I HAVE TO USE THE BUTTERMILK POWDER IN THE FROSTING?

While this is an older method of making cream cheese frosting, which tastes absolutely amazing and I highly recommend it – I know not everyone has buttermilk powder on hand.

You can omit the buttermilk powder and not add anything else to the frosting and it will taste just as good.

CAN I ADD PINEAPPLE AND RAISINS TO THIS CARROT CAKE RECIPE?

While we leave these out for personal preference, you can add them back in if you’d like.

I would use roughly 1/2-3/4 cup raisins and 1/2 cup crushed pineapple that has been drained. You can add these in when you add your carrots in.

WHAT IS THE BEST WAY TO GRATE CARROTS FOR CARROT CAKE?

There are two different ways that I grate my carrots, either using a hand grater or using a food processor.

I like to use the food processor with the blade attachment at the top more because it is a much quicker and easier method.

Cake on cake stand with slices taken out so you can see the inside of the cake.

HOW TO STORE:

This can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container where it will keep for up to 5 days.

You can also freeze this Carrot Cake Recipe. I like to cut in individual slices and wrap in plastic wrap and place in a freezer container.

This will keep in the freezer for up to 3 months.

To defrost, remove the cake into the refrigerator until it is thawed. We recommend leaving the cake out for 30 minutes before serving (make sure that you do not leave cream cheese frosted recipes out longer than 2 hours.

TIPS AND TRICKS:

You can make this in a 9×13-inch pan, see above on how to do that.
The buttermilk powder can be omitted in the frosting, but I highly recommend it.
Raisins and pineapple can be added to this cake, see above on how to do that.
My favorite way to grate carrots is with a food processor with the blade attachment.
This can be frozen, see above on how to do that.
Make sure that you do not leave cream cheese frosted desserts out at room temperature for longer than 2 hours.
This does need to be refrigerated, but we like to leave it out 30 minutes before serving.
Make sure that your cake layers are fully cooled before frosting.
Chopped walnuts can be used in place of chopped pecans.

Close up of a fork cutting into the slice of cake on the white plate.

Are you looking for that perfect cake recipe to make for your next dessert? Then look no further, you need this Carrot Cake Recipe in your life.

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If you’ve tried this CARROT CAKE RECIPE or any other recipe on my site, let me know in the comment section how it turned out, we love hearing from our readers! You can also follow along with me on PINTEREST, FACEBOOK and INSTAGRAM to see more amazing recipes and what shenanigans I’m getting into!

Carrot Cake Recipe