This easy to make carrot cake recipe guarantees a sweet, delicious and moist dessert with a tangy smooth cream cheese frosting that all will enjoy.
Grandma’s Easy Carrot Cake Recipe
The classic combination of a sweet carrot cake with the tanginess of a cream cheese frosting is a tried and true recipe our family has been indulging in for years.
While the cream cheese frosting is delicious, our kids actually prefer it without. If we’re really feeling fancy, we simply sprinkle some icing sugar on top.
The kids love this baked (healthier) treat for an afternoon snack. And we love to indulge in a piece with a fresh cup of coffee or delicious afternoon tea.
Carrot Cake Recipe Variations
For additional flavor options, consider adding raisins or chopped walnuts to the carrot cake batter before baking.
Best Ever Carrot Cake Recipe
Equipment
- stand mixer or electric mixer
Ingredients
- 2 cups flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 1/2 cups brown sugar
- 3/4 cups vegetable oil
- 4 cups shredded carrots
- 4 eggs at room temperature
Instructions
- Grease a 9”x13” glass pan.
- Preheat the oven to 365F.
- Shred carrots.
- In a medium sized bowl, combine the dry ingredients: flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and salt.
- Using a stand mixer or electric mixer, beat eggs for 2-3 minutes.
- Add brown sugar and mix until sugar is fully dissolved.
- Slowly pour oil into the egg and sugar mixture. Continue mixing for a few minutes until ingredients are well blended and a creamy texture forms.
- Add dry ingredients to the mixture and mix at a slow speed.
- Lastly, add shredded carrots (and any other optional ingredients such as raisins or chopped walnuts) to batter and stir with a wooden spoon just until blended.
- Bake at 365F for 30-40 minutes. Check that the cake is fully cooked by inserting a toothpick into the center, if the toothpick comes out clean, the cake is done.
- Prepare frosting by combining cream cheese, icing sugar and lemon juice and mixing at a medium speed until all ingredients are blended and icing appears smooth and creamy.
- When the cake cools completely, spread the cream cheese frosting over top and serve!
Notes
Nutrition
For more vegetable based dessert recipes, try this much loved easy zucchini cake recipe, pumpkin flan recipe and this rhubarb strawberry crisp recipe.
Do you have a favourite carrot dessert recipe?
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Hello! So, the carrots never get peeled? Just shred them with their jackets still on?
What are the measurements for the frosting?
Hello. We don’t like the frosting too sweet so would do 1 cup of cream cheese, 2 cups of icing sugar and a tsp of lemon juice (opitonal) for a little extra tanginess. -Jane
How much cream cheese and sugar for the frosting? This looks like such a yummy recipe, thanks for posting!
What are the measurements for the frosting? Thanks!
This is the best recipe ever!! I’ve made others that don’t turn out. This one was easy to make and so delicious! I love that the cake recipe is dairy free because I’m lactose intolerant. For the cream cheese icing I just used lactose free and it’s so delicious!
My mum made this recipe today and it’s awesome! I love it!
Had to come back and give a review because this cake was so delicious. quick and easy. I substituted GF flour and it turned out perfect. It has the perfect amount of sweetness. This will now be my go-to recipe.
Thank you for your comment, I’m happy to hear it’s on your go-to recipe list. We also make it very often as it is such a quick and easy recipe and we always seem to have carrots in the fridge!
Where is instructions and ingredients for cream cheese frosting . Did i somehow miss it?
OP responded to another comment that asked the same with these measurements. Hope this helps!
1 cup of cream cheese, 2 cups of icing sugar and a tsp of lemon juice (opitonal) for a little extra tanginess.