Easy Carrot Cake Recipe

If you're in the mood for a heavenly dessert, this Easy Carrot Cake Recipe will definitely hit the spot! It's incredibly moist and delicious, with warm and comforting spices, and topped off with a velvety cream cheese frosting.

Whether you're celebrating Easter, Mother's Day, a birthday, or just want to treat yourself, this homemade Carrot Cake is a perfect choice. Plus, it's made entirely from scratch, so you can feel proud of your baking skills!

Jump to:

• Why This Recipe Works?
• Ingredients You'll Need
• How to Make Carrot Cake?
• Top Tips From the Chef
• Does Carrot Cake Need to be Refrigerated?
• Related Recipes
• Easy Carrot Cake Recipe

This incredibly moist Carrot Cake recipe is so easy to make, yet turns out soft, fluffy, and delicious each time. It is flavored with warm spices, filled with raisins and toasted walnuts, and then topped with a smooth cream cheese frosting. This is definitely our favorite recipe for homemade carrot cake!

Why This Recipe Works?

• Just like Fresh Fig cake Recipe, this super moist simple carrot cake recipe is easy to make and turns out delicious each time.

• It tastes even better after a day or two, making it a perfect make-ahead cake that is also suitable for special occasions such as Easter, Mother's Day, or birthdays.

• It freezes beautifully. You can store the leftovers in an airtight container or freezer bag and freeze them for up to 5 months.

• This Easter carrot cake is spiced, sweet, and nutty, and the cream cheese frosting has a rich and tangy flavor enhanced by orange and lemon zest

Ingredients You'll Need

Please scroll down to the recipe card below for the full ingredients list with measurements, complete recipe method, recipe notes, and nutritional information.

Carrot Cake Mixture

• Carrot - I prefer using freshly grated carrots as they add more flavor and moisture to the cake, but you can also use pre-grated carrots from the shop or shred them with a food processor.

• Flour - You can use plain/all-purpose flour with the addition of 1 teaspoon of baking powder.

• Vegetable oil - Oil plays a crucial role in making cakes moist, so it's best not to substitute it with melted butter. You can also substitute it with sunflower or rapeseed oil. When it comes to cakes like Moist Chocolate Cream Cake, Lemon Blueberry Coffee Cake, and Carrot Cake, where other ingredients provide the flavor, I find that using a flavorless oil works best.

• Eggs - Bring your eggs to room temperature before using them for a smooth batter that rises easily.

• Walnuts - They add extra crunch and flavor to spiced Carrot Cake. Simply toast them in the oven and roughly chop them before adding them to the mixture. If you prefer, you can substitute walnuts with pecans, or omit them altogether.

• Raisins - They are optional. You can substitute them with sultanas or currants if you prefer.

• Spices - A mixture of cinnamon, coriander, nutmeg, cloves, and ginger gives this carrot cake a lovely warming spice.

Cream Cheese Frosting

• Cream cheese - Use full-fat cream cheese softened at room temperature.

• Icing sugar/powdered sugar - It dissolves much quicker than regular sugar which makes it perfect for frosting.

• Orange and lemon zest - I use the zest of a large orange and a lemon to add flavor to the frosting. You might adjust the amount to your taste or substitute it with vanilla bean paste.

• Cream - I use double cream/heavy cream to slightly loosen up the cream cheese.

How to Make Carrot Cake?

It is very easy to make this spiced Easter Carrot Cake and to achieve the best results, you need to follow a few simple steps:

Make the Carrot Cake Mixture

Preheat the oven to 175° C (350° F). Lightly grease the base and the sides of a 23 cm (9") springform cake tin and line the bottom with parchment paper.

Beat the eggs and the sugar in a stand mixer on medium speed until it doubles the size and it is light & fluffy. Make sure your eggs are at room temperature. 

Alternatively, you can use a hand-held mixer and a large bowl. 

Add the vegetable oil and mix at low speed until combined.

Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing until just combined.

Fold in the grated carrots, chopped walnuts, and raisins using a silicon spatula.

Bake the Carrot Cake

Pour the batter into the prepared cake tin and smooth the top with a spatula.

Bake the carrot cake for 55-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool for 10 minutes in the pan before transferring it to a wire rack to cool completely.

Prepare the Cream Cheese Frosting and Decorate the Carrot Cake

In a large mixing bowl, use an electric mixer to beat the cream cheese, heavy cream, and powdered sugar until smooth and creamy.

Once the mixture is smooth and creamy, increase the speed to medium and continue to beat the frosting for 1-2 minutes until light and fluffy.

Fold in the orange and lemon zest, and mix until combined. You can also just go with the cream cheese frosting I use to add some extra flair to my super delicious Air Fryer Cinnamon Rolls recipe.

Let the cream cheese frosting chill in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes before using. When the carrot cake and the frosting are completely cooled down, use a butter knife or offset spatula to spread a generous layer of cream cheese frosting over the top of the cake. Make sure the frosting is spread evenly.

If desired, you can also frost the sides of the cake. Use a clean spatula to spread the frosting in a thin, even layer.

Sprinkle some chopped walnuts, pistachio, or raisins on top of the frosting for added texture and flavor. Once you're happy with the decoration, store the cake in the refrigerator until you're ready to serve it.

Top Tips From the Chef

By following these tips, you can make a delicious spiced carrot cake with cream cheese frosting that will impress your family and friends.

• Use fresh ingredients: For the best results, use fresh carrots, spices, and other ingredients. Avoid using old or stale ingredients as this can affect the texture and flavor of the cake.

• Use freshly grated carrots: Use freshly grated carrots, and opt for a hand grater when preparing them as it creates delicate carrot shreds that blend well with the cake batter.

• Don't overmix the batter: Overmixing the batter can cause the cake to become dense and tough. Mix the ingredients until just combined and avoid overmixing.

• Use the right amount of spices: A blend of cinnamon, cloves, coriander, nutmeg, and ginger is commonly used in carrot cake recipes. Make sure to measure out the spices accurately and use the right amount to achieve the perfect balance of flavors.

• Let the cake cool before frosting: Make sure the cake has cooled completely before adding the cream cheese frosting. If the cake is too warm, the frosting can melt and slide off the cake.

• Use room-temperature cream cheese: To achieve a smooth and creamy frosting, make sure the cream cheese is at room temperature before mixing. This will help prevent lumps in the frosting.

• Chill the frosting before using: After mixing the frosting, let it chill in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes before using. This will help the frosting set and make it easier to spread over the cake.

Does Carrot Cake Need to be Refrigerated?

Whether or not you need to refrigerate your carrot cake depends on a few things, like what ingredients you used, if it has frosting, and how long you plan to store it.

If you made a freshly baked carrot cake that doesn't have any frosting, it should be fine at room temperature for about 2-3 days. Just make sure to wrap it up tight or cover it to keep it from getting too dry.

However, if you added cream cheese frosting or any other type of frosting made with easily spoilt ingredients, it's best to keep the cake in the fridge. This is because the frosting can go bad if it's left out too long, and it can also make the cake soggy.

To store your decorated carrot cake with frosting, wrap it up in plastic wrap or put it in an airtight container and keep it in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. Before you serve it, let the cake sit out at room temperature for about 30 minutes to an hour so that it's not too cold and hard.

Recipe FAQs

Related Recipes

For more delicious cake recipes why not try:

Did you make this recipe? Please let me know how it turned out! Leave a comment below and tag @cookingorgeous on Instagram and hashtag it #cookingorgeous.

I hope you enjoy the process of making this super moist and utterly delicious Easy Carrot Cake Recipe as much as you enjoy eating it! 🙂 

Bon appétit! / Afiyet olsun!

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