This is truly a celebration carrot cake, with a moist crumb and spiced flavor. We love it for Easter and most family birthdays. Filled and frosted with cream cheese, both the cake layers and the frosting can be made ahead. Whether you bake it in round pans, cupcakes, a tube, or a loaf pan, it's a certain crowd-pleaser. A variation with nuts and maple syrup is added at the end of this post.
I bet you already have your best carrot cake recipe that you treasure.
Still, I think you can add this moist carrot cake to your list. This recipe today is a favorite cake for birthdays and Easter around here that gets made often.
I also make two other carrot cakes often: this vintage carrot pineapple cake and the ginger carrot cake that is so good.
Why make this recipe
- Very moist: it has an apple in the batter that adds moisture as well as some sharpness and sweetness.
- Make it any shape you want: in a tube pan, round layers, sheet cake, cupcakes, or loaves – it’s very adaptable.
- Fresh and moist: When you bake a carrot cake from scratch, you can control the quality and freshness of the ingredients you use. Freshly grated carrots and high-quality flour, sugar, and spices can make a big difference in the taste and texture of the cake.
- Ingredients: baking a carrot cake from scratch can be cost-effective because you can buy ingredients in bulk and use them for multiple recipes. And also know the quality of ingredients you use, fresher with no preservatives.
Ingredient list
- Carrots: you can peel them or not. I recommend grating them with a large-holed grater and at the last moment. That way they retain the moisture better and don't become soggy. Beware of using a small-holed microplane grater as the carrot tends to clump and not integrate well in the batter.
- Apple: Granny Smith (green ones) are my first choice because they add acidity, but any baking apple works well. Use it finely chopped by hand or grated with a large-holed grater.
- Spices: they're used ground. Make sure they haven't expired so they have more flavor.
- Vanilla extract.
- Granulated white sugar.
- Brown sugar: light or dark.
- Unsalted butter.
- Eggs: large, fresh.
- Milk: it's a small amount so you can use whole milk, reduced-fat, or even almond milk.
- Flour: all-purpose flour and cake flour, both work.
- Salt.
- Baking soda and baking powder: make sure they're not expired.
Quantities are listed on the recipe card towards the end of this post. The Ingredients page has more details and lists the brands we use.
Variations & substitutions
- Spices: my favorite combination is cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and allspice, but I know a lot of people like cloves. You can also use just one or two. Any combination that you already love is fine. So adjust to your preference or to what you have available.
- Nuts: add some chopped pecans or walnuts to the batter, about ½ cup, or sprinkle on top of the batter before baking.
- Pan sizes: for years (when I had a Cafe) I made this cake in a tube pan or individual loaves (2 large ones per recipe). You can also make cupcakes.
Kitchen notes
- Organization: read the recipe first and ensure you have ingredients at the correct temperatures, equipment, and enough workspace. This will make the process so much easier.
- Baking time: keep in mind that all ovens and pans are different, even if they look the same or very similar. The baking time in my recipes is as accurate as possible, but it might take you more or less time. You can use a thermometer that is placed inside the oven (like the OXO oven thermometer) to check that your oven is at the right temperature. I recommend you keep track of how your oven works and what tiny details you might need to adjust.
- Apple: I use Granny Smith (green ones) usually, but any baking apple works well. It should be finely chopped by hand or grated with a large-holed grater.
- Make ahead: the cake layers can be made a day ahead and kept refrigerated (well wrapped in plastic) or frozen for a month.
- Cream cheese frosting: how much to use is up to you. Make a recipe and a half if you like extra frosting in your carrot cake, or double it if you're making a 4-layer cake (you cut each layer in half).
- Naked cake: I like to fill and frost the entire cake with almost naked sides (some of the cake shows), but you can only fill and frost the top, leaving the sides completely naked, with no frosting at all. Make sure you add a thick layer of filling to compensate.
- I posted a Guide to Freezing Baked Goods & Desserts which might come in handy.
Steps to make a carrot layer cake
This cake seems much more laborious than it is.
- Mixing: the best way is to use a stand mixer with the paddle attachment or an electric mixer with a large bowl because it's a dense cake and a pretty large amount of cake batter.
- Sifted dry ingredients: don't skip this step, especially when you use baking soda, which can sometimes clump during storage, and will not dissolve during baking.
Creaming: beat the butter with the sugar until light and airy. Then add the eggs. The batter will be quite smooth and thick before you add the spices.
Carrots and apple: don't be tempted to grate them with a fine-holed grater. They tend to release too much liquid and clump, so the texture will not be the right one. Use a coarse grater (large holes) or a food processor to coarsely shred them.
Baking the cake: It's recommended that each layer be baked in a separate pan. They will bake faster and more evenly. See how many pans your oven holds and stick to that. Mine, for example, holds two 8-inch round pans or three 7-inch pans.
When is the cake done? When a cake tester or toothpick comes out clean, remove the cake from the oven. Place on a wire rack and let cool completely.
IMPORTANT: this is a very moist batter with lots of add-ins, so I don't recommend baking just one layer (one large cake pan) and then splitting it as it might not bake well in the middle. I talk from experience.
Cream cheese frosting
It's the perfect one for carrot cake. Period.
Of course, the decoration has some rusticity because it's me, after all, and you know I am all for simple cakes with amazing flavor and minimal decor.
- Make ahead: it's not only easy to make, but it keeps for weeks in the fridge, and I've yet to meet someone who doesn't love it.
- Offset spatula: I find this little utensil the best for spreading fillings, frostings, and batters. I use this offset spatula from Ateco and highly recommend it.
Storing
- Keep the layers refrigerated for up to a week, or frozen for a month, well wrapped of course. I use plastic wrap first and then aluminum foil if using the freezer.
- It's always a good idea to fill and frost layers that are cold. It's easier and there's less chance of the cake falling or breaking.
- Assembled cake: keep it in the refrigerator, well covered to prevent dryness. This is important because the apple in the batter will start to ferment if left at room temperature for a few days. Trust me on this one.
Variation: Maple Nut Carrot Cake
This option is a more sophisticated cake, flavor-wise, perfect for celebrations.
The layers are filled with a drizzle of maple syrup (flavor and moistness) and chopped nuts (crunch). Serve with an extra drizzle of maple syrup. The final flavor is outstanding!
Related recipes you might like:
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PrintCarrot Birthday Cake Recipe
This is truly a celebration carrot cake, with a very moist crumb and spiced flavor. Filled and frosted with cream cheese, both the cake layers and the frosting can be made ahead. Whether you bake it in layers, cupcakes, a tube pan, or loaf pans, it's a certain crowd-pleaser.
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings
Ingredients
For the carrot cake:
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- Pinch of salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground allspice or nutmeg
- Pinch of ground cloves
- 1 ½ cups (330g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
- 1 cup of white, granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ cup milk, at room temperature
- 1 ½ cups peeled, grated or shredded carrots, about 6oz (see Notes below)
- 1 apple, peeled, cored, and finely chopped or coarsely grated (see Notes below)
For the cream cheese frosting:
- 1 cup (8oz) cream cheese, softened
- ½ cup (110g) unsalted butter, softened
- 3 cups powdered sugar (or more if needed)
- Whole and chopped pecans and grated orange peel, for decoration
Instructions
For the carrot cake:
- Preheat oven to 350ºF/180°C.
- Butter and flour (or use baking spray) two 9-inch springform pans (cake pans with removable bottoms). I sometimes use three 7-inch pans. Make certain that the round cake pans fit in your oven and can be baked at the same time.
- Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices in a bowl and reserve. Or have everything measured and sift them directly over the butter mixture as you add them.
- Beat the butter for 30 seconds in a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer or in the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment.
- Gradually add both sugars beating continuously for 3 or 4 minutes, until light and fluffy.
- Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
- Add vanilla and mix.
- Add the sifted dry ingredients (flour mixture) in 3 additions, alternating with the milk (the wet ingredients) in 2 additions. Beat on low speed until it's all well incorporated but do not over mix. Use a rubber spatula to scrape down the sides of the bowl a few times so you make sure it's all mixed.
- Add the grated or shredded carrot and apple and mix just until combined. I use a rubber spatula for this step. Make sure there is no flour or other ingredient that has pooled in the bottom of the bowl. The final batter is smooth and almost slippery.
- Pour batter into the prepared cake pans, smooth the top, and bake for about 4o minutes, or until a cake tester or toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. It might take more or less depending on the pan size you use.
- Let cool completely on a wire rack and then remove.
For the cream cheese frosting:
- Beat cream cheese and butter in a medium bowl until very smooth and no lumps remain.
- Add 3 cups powdered sugar, ½ cup at a time, and beat until smooth. Check after each addition to see if it's as thick as you want. You might end up using more or less than the amount specified.
To assemble:
- Have the 2 cake layers completely cooled down. You can make them a day ahead and keep them refrigerated, well covered in plastic wrap.
- Put the first layer on the cake stand or serving platter, and fill with about a cup of cream cheese frosting. If making the nut maple variation, a handful of coarsely chopped pecans or walnuts, and a big drizzle of maple syrup.
- Place the second layer on top and gently press down. Repeat with the frosting.
- Frost the top of the cake with the remaining cream cheese frosting and also the sides. I use a medium offset spatula. Make a swirl on top and decorate with 8 pecans or walnuts, one for each slice you'll be serving. In the center add chopped pecans or walnuts and some grated orange peel.
- Serve with maple syrup if you want, no matter what variation of cake you make.
Notes
Baking time: keep in mind that all ovens and pans are different, even if they look the same or very similar. The baking time in my recipes is as accurate as it can be, but it might take you more or less time. You can use a thermometer that is placed inside the oven (like the OXO oven thermometer) to check that your oven is at the right temperature. I recommend you keep track of how your oven works and what tiny details you might need to adjust.
Carrots: you can peel them or not. Grate them with a large-holed grater and at the last moment. That way they retain the moisture better and don't become soggy.
Apple: I use Granny Smith (green ones) but any baking apple works well. I like it finely chopped by hand or grated with a large-holed grater at the last moment. Apples start to turn brown pretty quickly after you peel and grate them, so you can drizzle a little lemon juice over them to prevent this.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Cakes
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Adapted from The Buttercup Bakeshop, by Jennifer Appel
Patty Price says
Wow, gorgeous carrot cake, which is my favorite kind of cake-love carrots, love sugar-love cake..they just go together in such a fine way ..also the maple cream cheese frosting-genius way to frost a carrot cake 😉
vanillasugarblog says
Oh Paula this is a fabulous cake.
You've taken it up a few very good notches!
Arthur in the Garden! says
Yummy!
Cher Rockwell says
We won't talk about how many different carrot cake recipes I have churned out 🙂 Beautiful cake.
Angie Schneider says
This looks so rich and decadent...just the right one I would love for my birthday too.
Laura Dembowski says
My birthday is January 23 and I'd love if you'd bake a cake for me! Now if only I could taste it. This cake has my mouth watering, Paula! Especially with that drizzle of maple syrup. Layer cakes are such a great treat!
Christine @ 24 Carrot Kitchen says
The cake looks delicious. Carrot Cake is one of the best!
dentistvschef says
Well, i just recommended this to my sister...
my niece is had a problem with eating carrot, i guess she won't even recognize the carrot!
Great job and fancy photographed!
Liz Berg says
Oh, man...one of my favorite cakes!!! And yours is gorgeous...and I love that you've added apple. Perfect.
Deb says
My wedding cake was a carrot cake with cream cheese frosting. Needless to say I am very fond of carrot cake and always ready to try a new version! Maple Cream sounds so much better than the standard cream cheese frosting, I can't wait to try this recipe!
SallyBR says
I think your cake is a thing of pure beauty, and that photo with the drizzle falling on it, honestly made me go into a daze...
Carrot cake was one of the few cakes I associate with my childhood, but the Brazilian kind never had a white icing, it was a thin, chocolate layer that kind of crackled on top. I've always wanted to find that recipe of my childhood, and your post will send me into a serious expedition towards my past
sweet memories!
The Ninja Baker says
Your carrot birthday cake is indeed blessed with a plethora of lovely spices, Paula! Thank you for sharing your gorgeous photos and recipes...Believe we are both twins born in the month of June =)
Silvia says
El frosting, Paula ... qué delicia !
Cocoa and Lavender says
I am with Susan - love the shot with the syrup oozing down the sides! I need to get into some layer cake baking - it looks like so much fun! ~ David
Susan Lester says
Just gorgeous, Paula! I love the shot of the maple syrup being poured over the cake!
Grandbabycakes says
Wow now that is a carrot cake! Gorgeous!
Tara says
Okay, I gained two pounds just looking at the pictures but it was worth it!! What an amazing looking cake!!!
ArizonaBorn says
I love carrot cake any time of the year. I haven't made it a very long time!
Renee says
Oh Paula, you completely made my day. Thank you so much for the over the top birthday cake. You must know my tastes well. I only wish I could sit at a table with you and enjoy it as we talk and laugh and more. One day it will happen and I can't wait for that day. Hugs to you.
Montse {Rhu and Sam} says
My birthday is next month... I'd love to have such a gorgeous carrot cake!!