Some recipes are simply too good not to share, and this carrot cake has been in my recipe book for years! It’s my tried-and-true recipe whenever I want a homemade cake that’s easy to make, incredibly moist, and full of warm cinnamon flavor.
Made with simple pantry ingredients, freshly shredded carrots, and crunchy walnuts, this cake is everything a classic carrot cake should be — soft, tender, and perfectly spiced. No pineapple, coconut, or raisins needed (although you can absolutely add them if that’s your thing!).
Finished with a smooth, tangy cream cheese frosting, this is the kind of cake that works just as beautifully for a special occasion as it does with an afternoon cup of coffee.
I hope you give it a try and love it as much as I do!
Ingredients
For the carrot cake:
- 4 large eggs
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ¾ cup packed light brown sugar
- ¼ cup milk
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 1 tbsp non-alcoholic vanilla extract
- 2½ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 3 cups shredded carrots
- 1 cup chopped walnuts
For the cream cheese frosting:
- 6 oz cream cheese, at room temperature
- 6 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
- 2½ cups powdered sugar
- 1 tbsp vanilla paste
- 1 tbsp heavy cream
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease your baking pans with butter, dust with flour, and line the bottoms with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, beat the eggs, granulated sugar, and brown sugar for 2 minutes.
- Add the milk, oil, and vanilla extract. Beat for another 2 minutes.
- Add the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. Mix on medium speed until smooth and combined.
- Fold in the shredded carrots and chopped walnuts.
- Pour the batter into your prepared pans and bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Two 9-inch round pans take approximately 30–35 minutes. A 9 × 13-inch pan may take up to 50 minutes. Baking times vary depending on your pan.
- Let the cakes cool in their pans for 10 minutes, then carefully turn them out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
- Beat the cream cheese and softened butter until smooth and creamy.
- Add the powdered sugar, vanilla paste, and heavy cream. Beat until smooth, fluffy, and spreadable.
- Once the cake has cooled completely, spread the frosting over the cake or between the layers and over the top.
Slice, serve, and enjoy! 🤎