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Easy Homemade Carrot Cake Recipe

One of my favorite desserts to make this time of the year is Homemade Carrot Cake. It is a moist cake that is full of flavor and one that can satisfy any sweet tooth, especially when it is topped with a thick frosting.

The sweet cake has the perfect ratio of carrots and warm spices which creates a unique taste that is hard to resist. Best of all, it is easy to make and does not require any special equipment.

With just a few simple ingredients, you can make a delicious cake that is sure to impress your guests. In fact, every Easter I get several requests to make this tasty dessert.

homemade carrot cake
A slice of homemade carrot cake with cream cheese frosting.

Although I will also make Lemon Bars and Apple Pie, I can rest assured that there won’t be a single piece of cake left on the buffet table. It is that good.

However, I also feel a little better about making a dessert that actually has a vegetable as one of the main ingredients. Carrots are a great source of fiber, vitamins, and antioxidants.

No, I am not saying that this homemade carrot cake is healthy by any means. However, when compared to a standard cake mix, it is at least a little healthier with the addition of carrots.

Equipment Required

1. Mixing bowls: You will need mixing bowls to mix the dry and wet ingredients separately.

2. Measuring cups and spoons: Measuring cups and spoons are needed to accurately measure the ingredients.

3. Grater: You will need a box grater or a food processor that has a grater attachment blade to shred the carrots. Although I have tried this recipe with a bag of shredded carrots purchased from the grocery, I prefer to grate my own because the texture turns out better.

4. Electric mixer or whisk: You will need an electric mixer or whisk to mix the homemade carrot cake batter.

5. Parchment paper: You will need parchment paper to line the bottom of the pan. Although not absolutely necessary, I highly recommend it.

shredding carrots on box grater
It is best to use a coarse blade, rather than a fine blade to grate the carrots.

5. Cake Pan or Baking Dish: Although I prefer to use a 9 x 13 inch baking dish to make this recipe, you can basically make carrot cake in any pan. However, the bake time will need adjusted if you do so.

6. Spatula: You will need a spatula to spread the cake batter evenly in the baking dish. You will also need a spatula to spread the frosting on top.

7. Oven: Although it may seem obvious, because there are so many other kitchen appliances on the market that I thought I would mention that you will use an oven to bake the cake.

8. Cooling rack: You will need a cooling rack so that the cake can cool evenly after it comes out of the oven.

Why Use Parchment Paper To Line The Bottom Of The Cake Pan

Lining the bottom of a cake pan with parchment paper helps to ensure that the cake doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan. This is especially important for delicate cakes like carrot cake, which can easily break apart if they stick to the bottom surface.

The parchment paper provides a non-stick surface that allows the cake to easily release from the bottom of the pan without sticking. It also helps to ensure that the cake bakes evenly by creating a barrier between the batter and the metal surface of the pan.

Although you can grease the baking pan, Iining the bottom with parchment paper is a simple but effective way to help ensure that your cake bakes evenly and comes out of the pan cleanly.

whisking carrots in batter
Once the wet and dry ingredients have been mixed together, add the grated carrots.

Helpful Recipe Tips For Making Homemade Carrot Cake

1. Grate your carrots finely:

Grate the carrots finely so they will blend well with the cake batter and distribute evenly throughout the cake. It is okay to see some of the carrot stands, however you don’t want them too large that it takes away the visual appeal of the dessert.

You can use a box grater, however, I prefer to use my Hamilton Beach Food Processor to grate the carrots. It makes it easy because all I have to do is put the carrots in the shoot and within seconds I have all the shredded carrots that I need.

In addition, I never have to worry about my knuckles getting too close to the box grater!

2. Use all natural applesauce in place of the oil:

If you want to make this carrot cake a little healthier with less fat, substitute applesauce for the vegetable oil. However, be sure to use all natural, no added sugar applesauce.

I use my Homemade Applesauce, however you can now easily find all natural applesauce at most grocery stores. Then use the applesauce as a 1:1 replacement for the oil.

3. Let the cake cool before frosting:

Let your homemade carrot cake cool completely before frosting it. If the cake is warm, the frosting will melt and slide off the cake.

4. Store the cake properly:

Because of the cream cheese frosting, it is best to store the cake in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Then serve it cold or bring it to room temperature before serving.

carrot cake batter into a cake pan
Pour the carrot cake batter into the prepared baking pan and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.

Homemade Carrot Cake Recipe

*Complete recipe instructions including specific measurements, cook temperatures and times are located in a printable recipe card at the bottom of this article. However, be sure to keep reading for helpful tips and tricks when making this recipe.

INGREDIENTS

  • 4 eggs
  • 1 1/4 cups vegetable oil (or all natural applesauce)
  • 1 cup white sugar
  • 1 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 3 cups finely grated carrots

Cream Cheese Icing

  • 1/2 cup butter (softened)
  • 8 ounces cream cheese (softened)
  • 4 cups confectioners’ sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Then grease and flour a 9 x 13 inch cake pan. Line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, beat together eggs, oil (or applesauce), sugar and vanilla. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, add the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon and whisk until incorporated. Then slowly add the dry ingredients in with the egg and sugar mixture.

Fold the grated carrots into the batter and then pour the batter into the prepared pan. Before the carrot cake goes into the oven smooth out the top of the batter so that it is evenly distributed.

Bake in the preheated oven for 40 to 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. A couple of firm crumbs are okay, however, you don’t want wet batter to still appear on the toothpick.

Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Then carefully remove the sheet cake onto a wire rack to cool completely. However, if you prefer you can also keep the cake in the pan and let it cool on the wire rack.

cream cheese icing
The key to making cream cheese frosting is to use room temperature ingredients.

Homemade Cream Cheese Frosting

The key to making cream cheese frosting is to use room temperature cream cheese and butter. If you use cold ingredients, you will have lumps in your frosting.

Simply mix all of the frosting ingredients using a hand or stand mixer with the whisk attachment.

Once the Homemade Carrot Cake has been cooled completely, spread the frosting on top.

Be sure to cover and store this carrot cake in the refrigerator because of the cream cheese icing. An hour before serving, remove the cake from the refrigerator and let it come to room temperature or simply serve it cold.

Enjoy!

Mary and Jim

Jim and Mary Competti have been writing gardening, DIY and recipe articles and books for over 15 years from their 46 acre Ohio farm. The two are frequent speakers on all things gardening and love to travel in their spare time.

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Easy Carrot Cake

homemade carrot cake

Moist and delicious Carrot Cake recipe made from shredded carrots and topped with a mouth watering cream cheese frosting.

Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Additional Time 10 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes

Ingredients

  • 4 eggs
  • 1 1/4 cups vegetable oil (or all natural applesauce)
  • 1 cup white sugar
  • 1 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 3 cups finely grated carrots

Cream Cheese Frosting

  • 1/2 cup butter (softened)
  • 8 ounces cream cheese (softened)
  • 4 cups confectioners' sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Grease and flour a 9x13 inch cake pan. Line the bottom with parchment paper.
  2. In a large bowl, beat together eggs, oil, sugar and vanilla.
  3. In a medium bowl, add the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon and whisk until incorporated.
  4. Slowly add the dry ingredients in with the egg/sugar mixture. Fold the grated carrots into the batter.
  5. Pour the batter into prepared pan.
  6. Bake in the preheated oven for 40 to 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
  7. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely.

To Make Cream Cheese Frosting

  1. In a medium bowl, combine butter, cream cheese, confectioners' sugar and vanilla.
  2. Beat until the mixture is smooth and creamy.
  3. Frost the cooled cake.

Notes

Recipe courtesy of Old World Garden Farms

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

18

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 477Total Fat: 26gSaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 17gCholesterol: 68mgSodium: 365mgCarbohydrates: 59gFiber: 1gSugar: 46gProtein: 4g

Nutritional Information is to be used as a general guideline only . Nutritional calculations will vary from the types and brands of the products used.

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