Carrot Cake
on Feb 18, 2023, Updated Jul 09, 2024
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I was first introduced to carrot cake when I moved to Canada 🇨🇦 in grade school. Growing up in Bulgaria and Greece, I had never had a cake made with carrots, zucchini, or bananas. My family and I initially thought vegetables in cake was an odd concept, but after one bite, we all fell in love. And I’m confident you will love the natural sweetness and subtle earthiness that freshly grated carrots 🥕 brings to this delicious cake. I’ve added my Modern Nonna twist to make this a bit more nutritious and wholesome with nuts, healthy avocado oil in place of butter, and loads of carrots.
Why You’ll Love Carrot Cake
My Carrot Cake recipe is easy to prepare, incredibly moist, and not too sweet. Cinnamon and nutmeg spice up the batter, evoking cozy autumnal feelings 🍂. Freshly grated carrots brighten up the flavor and transform the cake a beautiful orange color 🧡. Chopped walnuts add an unexpected crunch and added nutrition. Everything comes together in one bowl and bakes up in a loaf tin, for easy snackable slices 😉.
How to Prepare Carrot Cake
👩🍳 Preheat the oven to 350F. Spray a loaf pan with cooking spray and line with parchment paper.
🥚 In a large bowl, add the eggs, sugar, and vanilla. Whisk until combined.
🥛 Then, add the oil and milk and whisk again. Stir in the grated carrots using a silicone spatula.
💪 Next, add the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and nutmeg if using and stir until you have a thick pourable batter. Fold in the crushed walnuts, if using.
🔥 Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Give it a tap or gently shake to distribute the batter evenly. Bake for about 50 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out of the center of the loaf clean. Let the loaf cool completely before icing.
😋 To make the icing, in a bowl, combine the softened cream cheese and butter. Using a hand-held electric mixer or a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix the cream cheese and butter until smooth. Add the vanilla and mix again. Add the powdered sugar and combine, using a silicone or rubber spatula. Mix until silky smooth.
🍰 Spread the icing evenly onto the cake, slice, and enjoy!
Nonna’s Tip
Cool the cake completely before you add the icing. I like to chill my icing in the fridge for about 10 minutes so it’s easier to spread. 🎂
Variations and Substitutions for Carrot Cake
- Instead of walnuts, try your favorite nut, such as cashews, almonds, or pistachios. 🥜
- If you have a nut allergy, skip the walnuts and add raisins, shredded coconut, and/or pumpkin seeds instead.
- Milk not a part of your diet? 🥛 You can use any plant milk of choice, such as almond or oat milk. You can also use a dairy-free cream cheese for the icing as well.
- The cream cheese icing is optional. If you want a lighter, lower calorie cake you can absolutely skip this step.
- Make these into muffins or cupcakes! The bake time will be 15 to 20 minutes total; keep a close eye on them so they don’t over-bake.
- Use any neutral oil you like. You can also use coconut oil but it will give the cake a hint of coconut flavor. 🥥
Similar Recipes
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Orange Lemon Cake
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Best Served With
- Coffee or tea 🫖
- Other loaf cakes, like my Clementine Cake or cookies with a brunch
Common Questions
While 1 cup of flour weighs 130g in my kitchen, it might weigh anywhere from 120 to 145g in your kitchen and there’s a few reasons for that. The weight of ingredients may vary due to the brand of ingredients, the brand and style (wet vs dry) of measuring cups and spoons, and the technique for measuring into cups: scooping and leveling versus spooning the ingredients into the cup measure.
Certainly, this recipe will work in a 6 inch cake pan.
I have not tried making this recipe with a gluten-free flour, such as almond flour. If you substitute please add a little at a time and stir in between each addition until you have a thick pourable batter. Check out the comments below for some suggestions on making this a gluten-free cake.
Although I have not tried making this recipe egg-free, you can try experimenting by using a chia egg, flax egg or various vegan alternatives.
When using baking powder, always check the expiration date. Expired baking powder will not help your recipe rise in the oven, and you’ll have a sad, deflated cake. You can test if your baking powder has expired by adding ½ teaspoon baking powder to ¼ cup hot water. If the water bubbles up, it’s not expired; if it does not bubble, it’s expired and should be tossed.
Yes, the unfrosted cake can be frozen either as a whole loaf, or individually wrapped slices. Wrap tightly in parchment paper, followed by tin foil or plastic wrap and store inside a tightly sealed plastic bag or food container.
I have found the flavors of this cake are perfectly balanced without salt. However, you may choose to add a pinch of salt to the batter.
The Easiest Carrot Cake
Video
Ingredients
Carrot Cake
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, or vanilla bean paste
- ½ cup avocado oil, or any neutral oil
- ½ cup milk
- 2 large carrots, grated
- 1 + ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 ½ teaspoons baking powder, (make sure it's not expired*)
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg, (optional)
- ½ cup walnuts, crushed (optional)
Cream Cheese Icing
- ½ cup cream cheese, softened to room temp
- ¼ cup butter, softened to room temp
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F. Spray a loaf pan with cooking spray and line with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, add the eggs, sugar, and vanilla. Whisk until combined.
- Add the oil and milk and whisk again. Stir in the grated carrots using a silicone spatula.
- Add the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and nutmeg if using and stir until you have a thick pourable batter. Fold in the crushed walnuts, if using.
- Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Give it a tap or gently shake to distribute the batter evenly. Bake for about 50 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out of the center of the loaf clean. Let the loaf cool completely before icing.
- To make the icing, in a bowl, combine the softened cream cheese and butter. Using a hand-held electric mixer or a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix the cream cheese and butter until smooth. Add the vanilla and mix again. Add the powdered sugar and combine, using a silicone or rubber spatula. (I switch to a spatula here because the electric mixer will send the powdered sugar flying all over the kitchen.) Mix until silky smooth.
- If the icing is too soft, put it in the fridge for about 10 minutes to firm up, before spreading it on the cake.
- Spread the icing evenly onto the cake, slice, and enjoy!
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Would it be possibly to add canned pineapple? And if so, drained or not
Hi Cristina, I have not tried so I don’t want to lead you the wrong way
This is the perfect carrot cake recipe, not too sweet and so moist! I made 12 cupcakes, baked for 20 minutes at 350 and they are delish!!! Definitely keeping this recipe on rotation 😋
I love it when my recipes make it into the regular rotation! Thank you, Traci! 🥰😊
This carrot cake recipe is truly perfection. I have made it probably at least 7 times. My little one just turned two, and on his birthday we made this cake into cupcakes together. I’ll never forget it.
IMG_8516
Awwwww, that is the best compliment, Natalie! Thank you so, so much!! Happy Birthday to your little one! ❤️❤️❤️
Do you need to adjust the time for a glass baking dish?
Baking time will definitely depend on the oven and the type of dish you use. Please keep an eye on it
Third time using this recipe as loaf and as muffins and each time they came out delicious . I sub the nuts for my little picky eaters for raisins and it was wonderful . Thank you for this recipe 😄
Hi Mel! So happy to hear that 😍
Hi thanks for the recipe i will be trying it this afternoon but i had a question
I was wondering which cups do you use
It say 1/2cup of sugar is 110 grams but when i measure its 100 grams
And as for the milk you say 1/2 cup is 100ml but mine comes out to 120ml
So which measurement should i use for the cups
Thank you
Hi Shila, so I have to properly weigh the ingredients for the blog so feel free to use yours as a 10ml difference won’t affect anything here 🙂
Thanks❤️
Measurements are bang on. Fantastic recipe for both cake ans the cream cheese frosting. This is my 3rd time making it and love it. Thank you
Hiiiii omg thank YOU! So sweet and I appreciate the rating 💖
wonderful recipe! I make this weekly just as described and it always turns out delicious. The only change I would recommend would be to double the recipe, because one loaf won’t be enough once you taste this cake☺
Aw Julie soooooooo glad
This doesn’t have salt is that a mistake? It looks delicious!
No salt in this but you could always add a pinch along with the other dry ingredients.
Hello! Wanna confirm if this really doesn’t have a baking soda.
Confirmed! We use baking powder instead of baking soda in this recipe.
I just made this carrot cake in the morning and it was so easy and delicious! It was quick to make because it was not a big amount. We had it part of today’s breakfast. It was such a treat and a big hit with my family!
I’m so happy everyone enjoyed it, Aida!