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Easy Carrot Cake Recipe (One Bowl and Super Moist!)– This is hands down the best carrot cake with fluffy cream cheese frosting! It is a super moist cake that delivers the best results every time. Over the years, countless people have said this is the BEST carrot cake they’ve ever had! I agree, it’s that good.
You will also love Carrot Pudding and Glazed Carrots. See more: Traditional Italian Easter Menu.
Best Moist and Easy Carrot Cake
This best carrot cake recipe creates a homemade treat that rivals bakery-quality carrot cakes. It is my mother-in-law’s moist carrot cake recipe; everyone goes wild whenever she makes it! It’s a tried and true family recipe loved by all. It’s an incredible dessert for any occasion.
This recipe is designed to be quick and easy with minimal cleanup. The fact that it only requires one bowl means less time spent on preparation and fewer dishes to wash.
More Davis family recipes: Famous Cornbread and Grandma’s Sausage Dip.
Table of Contents
Simple Ingredients
You’ll love this easy homemade cake cake. The full recipe is below, but here is a quick overview:
Carrot Cake:
- Eggs: Provide structure and moisture to the cake.
- Vegetable Oil or Neutral-Flavored Oil: Adds moisture and richness to the cake.
- White Sugar: Sweetens the cake.
- Light Brown Sugar: Adds sweetness and a subtle caramel flavor.
- Vanilla Extract: Enhances the overall flavor of the cake.
- All-Purpose Flour: The main dry ingredient, providing structure.
- Salt: Enhances the flavors and balances sweetness.
- Baking Soda: Acts as a leavening agent, helping the cake rise.
- Ground Cinnamon: Adds warmth and depth to the cake.
- Finely Grated Carrots: Shreeded carrots infuse the cake with flavor, moisture, and texture.
Cream Cheese Frosting:
- Unsalted Butter: Provides a rich and creamy base for the frosting.
- Cream Cheese: Adds a tangy and luscious flavor to the frosting.
- Vanilla Extract: Enhances the overall flavor of the frosting.
- Salt: Balances the sweetness and enhances the other flavors.
- Powdered Sugar: Sweetens and thickens the frosting to the desired consistency.
See the recipe card for quantities.
How to Make Carrot Cake From Scratch (step-by-step photos)
Follow these step-by-step photo instructions for the perfect carrot cake recipe. It’s all made in one bowl and super easy.
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×13-inch cake pan.
Grate carrots with a box grater and set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, beat the eggs with an electric mixer or the bowl of a stand mixer. Add the vegetable oil, white sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla extract. Mix well until the sugars are fully dissolved.
Add the dry ingredients: flour, salt, baking soda, and ground cinnamon to the bowl with the wet ingredients. Mix until just combined. Be careful not to overmix.
Fold in the finely grated carrots until evenly distributed throughout the batter.
Pour the cake batter into the prepared 9×13-inch cake pan, spreading it evenly.
Bake in the preheated oven for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
Start checking at 35 minutes; cooking times may vary slightly due to the type of pan and oven.
Favorite Cream Cheese Frosting
For the Cream Cheese Frosting: In a large bowl, beat together the softened butter and cream cheese until smooth and creamy. Add the vanilla extract and salt. Mix until well combined.
Gradually add the powdered sugar, one cup at a time, beating well after each addition. Adjust the amount of powdered sugar to achieve your desired sweetness and consistency.
Allow the cake to cool completely before frosting.
Once the cake has cooled, spread the cream cheese frosting evenly. Garnish the cake with chopped nuts, if desired. Cut into squares and enjoy your delicious, super moist carrot cake!
Substitutions
Oil Substitutions: Instead of vegetable oil, you can use melted butter, canola oil, or even applesauce for a lower-fat option. Keep in mind that using applesauce might result in a slightly denser texture.
Variations
There are several delightful variations you can try for this carrot cake recipe:
- Pineapple Carrot Cake: Add a cup of crushed pineapple (well-drained) to the batter for a tropical twist and extra moisture.
- Coconut Carrot Cake: Mix in shredded coconut to the batter for added texture and flavor. You can also sprinkle coconut on top of the cream cheese frosting.
- Nutty Carrot Cake: Fold in chopped nuts such as walnuts or pecans into the batter. Toasted nuts add an extra layer of flavor.
- Spiced Carrot Cake: Enhance the spice profile by adding a pinch of nutmeg, ginger, or ground cloves to the batter for a more complex taste.
- Raisin or Currant Carrot Cake: Include a cup of raisins or currants to the batter for bursts of sweetness and chewy texture.
Equipment
Storage
Store the carrot cake, covered, in the refrigerator due to the cream cheese frosting. Bring it to room temperature for about 30 minutes before serving for the best taste and texture. The cake will last 5-6 days in the fridge.
Top tips for best results
Here are some top tips to ensure the best results when making this one-bowl super moist carrot cake:
- Grate Carrots Finely: Ensure that the carrots are finely grated for a more even distribution throughout the batter. This contributes to the moist texture of the cake.
- Room Temperature Ingredients: Allow the eggs, oil, and cream cheese to come to room temperature before using. This helps in achieving a smoother batter and frosting.
- Properly Measure Flour: Spoon the flour into the measuring cup and level it off with a knife. This prevents the flour from being packed, ensuring the cake’s light and tender texture.
- Avoid Overmixing: Mix the batter just until the ingredients are combined. Overmixing can lead to a dense and tough cake. Once you add the flour, mix only until there are no visible streaks of flour.
- Use Fresh Ingredients: Make sure your baking soda and powder are fresh to proper leavening. Expired or inactive leavening agents can result in a dense cake. This is one of the biggest culprits to cakes now rising properly.
FAQs
Yes, you can convert this recipe into cupcakes. Adjust the baking time to approximately 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. It makes about 24 cupcakes.
To transform the recipe into a layered cake, divide the prepared batter among three 9-inch round cake pans and bake accordingly. Allow the cake layers to cool, then spread cream cheese frosting between each layer and on top.
More Cake Recipes
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Serving Suggestions
This delicious carrot cake is the perfect dessert for any meal!
Easy Homemade Carrot Cake Recipe
This best carrot cake recipe creates a homemade treat that rivals bakery-quality carrot cakes. It is my mother-in-law’s moist carrot cake recipe; everyone goes wild whenever she makes it! It’s a tried and true family recipe loved by all. It’s an incredible dessert for any occasion. Enjoy!
- Total Time: 1 hr 10 minutes
- Yield: 12 servings 1x
Ingredients
For the Carrot Cake:
- 4 eggs, room temprature
- 1 1/4 cups vegetable oil, canola oil, or non-flavored oil
- 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 carrots, finely grated (about 5-6 medium carrots)
For the Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened (1 block-style package)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- pinch of salt (about 1/4 teaspoon)
- 4 cups confectioner’s sugar (adjust to taste)
Topping:
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans for topping (optional)
Instructions
For the Carrot Cake:
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×13-inch cake pan.
- Grate carrots with a box grater and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the eggs with an electric mixer or the bowl of a stand mixer. Add the vegetable oil, white sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla extract. Mix well until the sugars are fully dissolved.
- Add the dry ingredients: flour, salt, baking soda, and ground cinnamon to the bowl with the wet ingredients. Mix until just combined. Be careful not to overmix.
- Fold in the finely grated carrots until evenly distributed throughout the batter.
- Pour the cake batter into the prepared 9×13-inch cake pan, spreading it evenly.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Start checking at 35 minutes; cooking times may vary slightly due to the type of pan and oven.
- Allow the cake to cool completely before frosting.
For the Cream Cheese Frosting:
- In a large bowl, beat together the softened butter and cream cheese until smooth and creamy.
- Add the vanilla extract and salt. Mix until well combined.
- Gradually add the powdered sugar, one cup at a time, beating well after each addition. Adjust the amount of powdered sugar to achieve your desired sweetness and consistency.
- Once the cake has cooled, spread the cream cheese frosting evenly over the top of the cake.
- Garnish the cake with chopped nuts, if desired.
- Cut into squares and enjoy your delicious, super moist carrot cake!
Notes
For Cupcakes: You can convert this recipe into cupcakes. Adjust the baking time to approximately 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. It makes about 24 cupcakes.
For Layer Cake: To transform the recipe into a layered cake, divide the prepared batter among three 9-inch round cake pans and bake accordingly. Let the cake layers cool, then spread cream cheese frosting between each layer and on top.
- Prep Time: 20 min
- Cook Time: 40-50 minutes
- Category: Sweet
- Method: American
- Cuisine: American
I made this cake 3 times in a week! Loved the basic recipe! Reduced sugars to 2/3 cup each, added 1/2 cup hemp hearts in one recipe and 1 cup of ground flax seeds in the other 2. I also added 1/4 cup raisins, dried hibiscus flowers( sugared), and 1 cup of walnuts and slivered almonds respectively.
I served this without icing but a scoop of icecream instead. The flavors and textures were delicious.
Great variation! I love the vanilla ice cream addition!I’m happy you loved it.