Carrot Cake
Our moist Carrot Cake is an easy-to-make recipe that’s 100% homemade and perfect for any special occasion or holiday. It’s lightly spiced and topped off with the silkiest cream cheese frosting that will make your mouth water!
Who doesn’t love a moist carrot cake with cream cheese frosting? Our recipe makes the best cake with a soft and flavorful frosting every time.
Made with freshly grated carrots, applesauce, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and optional crushed pineapple, this carrot cake makes the perfect Easter dessert or birthday cake.
Serve with strawberry mimosas, sherbet punch, or a batch of ginger lemonade for a fun dessert!
What does carrot cake taste like?
Carrot cake is a moist, flavorful cake that has the perfect balance of sweetness and spices. It typically has a hint of cinnamon and nutmeg, which pairs well with the natural sweetness in carrots.
Our cake has the added flavor of ginger which comes through as a background flavor. The cream cheese frosting adds a smooth creamy texture with a tangy sweet flavor.
Its combination of warm spices, sweet carrots, and tangy cream cheese makes it an irresistible dessert!
How to Make a Carrot Cake with Applesauce
Baking a homemade carrot cake is a lot easier than might you think. It only takes about 15 minutes to prep! Here’s how we do it:
Scroll to the recipe card below for ingredient amounts and full instructions.
To Make the Cakes:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F, and grease two 9-inch cake pans.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and salt.
- Use a separate large bowl to combine the brown sugar, granulated sugar, oil, eggs, crushed pineapple, applesauce, and vanilla.
- Add the grated carrots to the wet ingredients and stir to combine.
- Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, and stir just until combined.
- Divide the batter evenly between the two pans. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Once the cakes finish baking, let them cool in their pans for 10 to 15 minutes. Flip the pans over and remove the cakes. Allow them to rest on a wire rack until completely cooled.
To Make the Frosting:
- Place the cream cheese in a large bowl, and use an electric mixer to beat it until creamy and smooth.
- Add the butter, and beat until well combined.
- Add the powdered sugar and vanilla extract and continue to mix until smooth and no lumps remain.
- Place one cake on a cake stand and top it with some of the frosting. Use a spatula to smooth out the frosting to the edge of the cake.
- Carefully place the next cake directly on top of the first. Use the remaining frosting to frost the top and sides of the cake.
- Apply chopped pecans to the sides if desired.
- Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Tips for Success
- Make sure to grease the cake pans well or line them with parchment paper. This cake is not only moist but it tends to stick to the pans.
- Measure the ingredients properly; otherwise, the cakes won’t bake correctly.
- Don’t over bake the cakes! You definitely want the cakes fully baked but they’ll dry out quickly if they over bake.
- Adjust the spices if desired. We love a good amount of warming spices in our carrot cake, but they may be too much for your family.
- We’ve written this recipe using a single batch of cream cheese frosting. If you love frosting or add a little extra here or there, consider doubling the batch.
How to Store Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
Refrigerator: Store leftover cake in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. The longer the cake is stored, the drier it becomes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you freeze carrot cake?
Cake with or without frosting can be frozen for up to 2 months. Make sure to thaw in the refrigerator and bring the cakes to room temperature before frosting.
Can you make this cake in a 9×13-inch pan?
Yes, a 9×13-inch pan works for this recipe.
Can you make cupcakes with this recipe?
This recipe works better for cake and not cupcakes. It’s a little too dense and heavy for cupcakes.
What flavor of applesauce works best in carrot cake?
We’ve used both plain sweetened and unsweetened applesauce in this cake with good results. Try to steer clear of cinnamon-flavored applesauce. Some cinnamon applesauce doesn’t mix well with the other flavors in the cake.
Should you peel the carrots before adding them to the batter?
Yes, wash and peel the carrots before folding them into the batter.
After peeling the carrots, drop them into a food processor with the shredding blade attached. It makes grating a breeze!
Can you leave out the pineapple?
Sure! We’ve made this recipe with and without pineapple. It works well both ways.
What other things can you add to carrot cake?
This cake is so versatile when it comes to add-ins. Try not to add more than 1 cup in total. Here are some ideas:
- Sweetened Coconut Flakes
- Chopped Walnuts
- Chopped Pecans
- Golden Raisins
- Use apple pie spice or pumpkin spice spice in place of the other spices.
Other Cake Recipes to Try:
Ingredients
Carrot Cake
- 2 cups all-purpose flour, (240 g)
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger, adjust to taste
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 ¼ cup light brown sugar, (266 g)
- 8 ounces crushed pineapple, well drained (optional)
- ¾ cup granulated sugar, (149 g)
- ¾ cup vegetable oil, or canola oil (175 mL)
- ½ cup applesauce, unsweetened or lightly sweetened, (127 g)
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 4 large eggs
- 3 cups carrots, about 3 large carrots washed, peeled and shredded, (297 g)
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 8 ounces block-style cream cheese, softened, (227 g)
- 2 cups powdered sugar, (227 g)
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened, (113 g)
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup chopped pecans, optional
Instructions
To Make the Cakes
- Preheat the oven to 350°F, and grease two 9-inch cake pans. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and salt.2 cups all-purpose flour2 teaspoons baking powder1 teaspoon baking soda2 teaspoons ground cinnamon½ teaspoon ground nutmeg½ teaspoon ground ginger½ teaspoon kosher salt
- In a separate large bowl, combine the brown sugar, crushed pineapple, granulated sugar, oil, applesauce, and vanilla. Then add the carrots.1 ¼ cup light brown sugar¾ cup granulated sugar¾ cup vegetable oil½ cup applesauce2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract4 large eggs3 cups carrots8 ounces crushed pineapple
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and use a spatula or wooden spoon to combine. Make sure not to over mix.
- Divide the batter evenly into the prepared cake pans and bake for 30 to 40 minutes. The cakes are finished when the center is set and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
- Allow the pans to sit on a wire rack to cool for about 15 minutes before removing the cakes from the pans. Transfer the cakes back to the racks to cool completely before frosting.
To Make the Frosting
- Using a hand mixer or stand mixer with the paddle attachment beat the cream cheese until smooth and no lumps remain, about 1 to 2 minutes.8 ounces block-style cream cheese
- Add the butter and beat for an additional 30 seconds. Then add the powdered sugar and vanilla and beat until the ingredients are fully incorporated.2 cups powdered sugar½ cup unsalted butter1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Place one cake on a cake stand and top with about ⅔ cup of the frosting. Use a spatula to smooth out the frosting to the edge of the cake.
- Carefully place the next cake directly on top of the first. Use the remaining frosting to frost the top and sides of the cake.
- Optional: Apply chopped pecans to the sides if desired.1 cup chopped pecans
- Refrigerate until ready to serve. Scroll up and see the post for tips, storage information, and FAQs.
I have a question. I am making a wedding cake and the top tier is carrot. The bride likes crushed pineapple in her carrot cake. Can 8 oz.. of crushed and drained pineapple be added without making the cake too moist as I don’t want it to fall apart as it’s the top tier. If I do add the crushed and drained pineapple should I leave out the applesauce? I personally like a lighter texture in cake and don’t want it too moist. Trying to attain moist and still somewhat fluffy.
Thanks for any advice!
Pam
Hi Pam!
We have not tried this cake using crushed pineapple, and I agree that adding it may make the cake too moist. Removing the applesauce and replacing it with the pineapple would be my suggestion. If you have time, it might be helpful to make the cake ahead of time just as a test to see how it goes. Have a wonderful week! 🙂
Hello!
I believe the 4 eggs were left out of this recipe!
Thanks so much for bringing that to our attention! The post and recipe card have been updated with the missing information. Have a wonderful day. 🙂
I am in the uk and don’t use cups what are the lb and ounces measures
The recipe has been updated with the requested information.
Seriously one of the best carrot cakes I have ever had! SO moist!
Thank you Kristen, we’re thrilled you enjoyed the cake! Have a lovely Monday 🙂
My absolute favorite cake! And yours is picture perfect. Cannot wait to make it and dig in!
Thank you Liz, Kim and I are glad you like the carrot cake! Have a lovely day 🙂