The BEST carrot cake carrot cake you will ever have. It's my all time favourite recipe! It's so incredibly moist and flavourful, and even easier to make.
I will never be able to understand people that claim they don't like carrot cake. I mean how?? Everything from the texture, flavour to the velvety cream cheese frosting is just sublime.
Hot take, but I think this dislike stems from the wide selection of subpar, mediocre carrot cake sold all around. I personally have NEVER bought a slice of it from a shop or cafe and actually enjoyed it. They always manage to make it way too sweet and it just doesn't taste right.
So if the store bought version is all you've had, I offer you my condolences and this recipe. Go forth and make this recipe to experience what a GOOD carrot cake should be. Godspeed.
Carrot Cake
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cups - brown sugar (250g)
- 1 cup - vegetable oil (236ml)
- 3 - eggs
- 1 ½ cup - all-purpose flour (207g)
- 2 ½ teaspoon - baking powder
- 1 teaspoon - baking soda
- 2 teaspoon - cinnamon powder
- ¼ teaspoon - salt
- 2 cups - carrots, grated (215g)
- ½ cup - walnuts, chopped
Frosting
- 50 gram - unsalted butter, room temp
- 90 grams - icing sugar
- ½-1 teaspoon - lemon juice (add slowly to not make it too thin)
- 170 grams - cream cheese softened
- ½ teaspoon - lemon zest
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 2 - 8 inch round pans with parchment paper.
- Beat oil and brown sugar well. Add in the 3 eggs and beat until well combined.
- In a separate small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients in to 2-3 intervals and gently mix just until almost combined. Add in the grated carrots and walnuts and mix until just combined. Make sure to not over-mix.
- Bake at 350°F for 30-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out with just a few crumbs. This ensures the cake doesn't lose too much moisture.
- Let it cool for 10 minutes before moving to a rack.
To make frosting:
- Beat together the butter and cream cheese until smooth. Mix in the icing sugar and lemon juice and beat until creamy. Zest in a bit of lemon zest.
- Frost the cake layers however you wish and enjoy! Let me now how it was by reviewing the recipe!
Notes
- Slowly add the lemon juice in the frosting so it doesn't end up too thin. Cream cheese frostings have the tendency to be soft and "thinner" than butter based so you want to make sure you are able to frost the cake with it.
Allen says
Been eyeing down this recipe for a long time now but I really do need to make it now. Since from the past recipes I have made from Nabeah they always the best
Huzaifah Sheikh says
I've tried few carrot cake recipes but tbh this was one of the best carrot cake I've ever had and it was soooo much flufyyyyyy I cant even tell, definetly I'm going to make this recipe soon.
Nabeah Wahab says
Hi Huzaifah,
Thank you so much! I'm so glad you enjoyed the cake - and I appreciate the high compliment!
Dana says
This is truly the BEST carrot cake! Yum wish i could post a picture of it to see how fluffy and moist it is!! The frosting is delicious i just reduced a bit of butter and sugar because it was too sweet for our taste. We devoured the cake!! YUMM thank you so much for this cake.
Lara says
I’ve tried so many carrot cakes and heard so many people say carrot cake is not good but this one is AMAZING. So soft and perfectly sweet
Nabeah Wahab says
Hi Lara,
Thank you so much! I'm glad you like this recipe!!
meya says
The carrott cake is really delicious. I was apprehensive because I've only tried store bought carrot cake in the past and they've never impressed me. This is so yummy though! Not too sweet, very fluffy and moist, and suprsingly the carrott flavour isnt overwhelming at all.
I wasn't a fan of the cream cheese frosting but I don't think it's the recipe, its probably just not my thing (since this is the first time I've tried it). I used a simple sugar glaze instead and it still tasted really good.
Thanks for posting!
Hana yahya says
Seriousl the best carrot cake recipe, so moist and balanced its amazing!
Alaia says
I forgot to add the carrots in because there is no mention of carrots in the recipe instructions which was really weird?? Didn’t notice until after I already started baking the cake so now it’s just a cinnamon spice cake. I would suggest adding the carrots into the instructions so people don’t forget or know when to add them in.
Nabeah Wahab says
Hi Alaia,
Thank you for mentioning this. I'm so sorry for the mistake and the inconvenience it caused you. I just edited and fixed the mistake! Will definitely make sure it doesn't happen again!
Alaia Johnson says
Can’t figure out how to erase my previous rating. Nabeah was quick to fix something in the recipe that I requested to be added and very kind about it. Thank you so much!
Amina says
Salaam Alaykum,
Trust you are doing well,
Shukraan Kathiiiiiiiiir for this beautiful recipe, I made it for the first time on Eid and my family loved it. The lemon cake is also a family favourit.
Misbah says
OH MY GOD this carrot cake is one of the best this is the second time I made it and it was gone in seconds so so so good
S H says
Thank you for the bestest carrot cake recipe
Nabeah Wahab says
I'm so happy you like it! Thank you for leaving a kind review!
Enitan ibiwoye says
I made this cake for my birthday and can I just say it’s one of the best cakes I have made in a long time! It was soooooo fluffy and delicious, I didn’t add nuts because my baby wouldn’t eat it and I didn’t make the icing because my husband and mum will not even taste it but still the cake came out perfect. I baked at 177degrees for 45minutes and I am looking forward to trying other recipes from this wonderful person.
Urba Naeem says
I used to wonder, what's the point of adding a veggie to cake? It seemed totally insane! But then I came across her recipe and decided to give it a try last year (yes, I know I’m late with this review).
All I can say is, it was the most perfect winter-vibe treat I’ve ever had. The cake’s texture was incredibly moist and tender, and the slight tartness of the cream cheese frosting balanced the sweetness of the cake so well. Every bite was a perfect harmony of flavours.
I’m officially a fan and counting down the days until winter to get my hands on those red carrots again and make this masterpiece!
Momina says
Made a carrot cake first time in my life and it came out so perfectly amazing and moist! I may rate it even higher than banana bread. Absolutely decadent! The cake, the icing. Thank you for sharing a wonderful recipe. Ive already sent it forward to like 7 people!
L says
The best carrot cake recipe everrrrr!!!!! thank youuuuu
Rose says
This is my go to recipe for carrot !!! cake , i always make it for my family and they absolutely love it .thank you for sharing it with us ❤️❤️
Lauren says
Obsessed. I love how light and fluffy this carrot cake is.
I added homemade whipped cream to the frosting recipe (and replaced cream cheese with marscapone) and the whipped cream cream really helped replicate how soft and fluffy the cake was.
Zara Ahmed says
The BEST Carrot Cake recipe I have ever tried, I added crushed walnuts which made it taste even better! But this recipe alone is my go to Carrot Cake recipe, it doesn’t take much time and it contains ingredients that are already present in the house ❤️
Icebearies says
This is maybe my 100th time making it for reallllllll
I love love looooooooooooooove it!!!!!!!!!
Hina says
I tried this carrot cake recipe for the first time and I must say that it turned out to be the best cake I have ever had, it was so delicious- each and every bit was devoured. My parents and siblings loved it as well!!! You got 10/5 stars for this one Nabeah! 🙂