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slice of carrot cake on plate

Homemade Carrot Cake Recipe

Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Chilling time: 1 hour
Total Time: 2 hours 10 minutes
Servings: 16 slices
Calories: 725kcal
Author: Becky Hardin
This homemade carrot cake recipe is covered with the most delicious cream cheese frosting. Everyone will be asking for the recipe!
Step-by-step photos can be seen below the recipe card.
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Ingredients

For the Cake

  • cups self-rising flour 300 grams
  • teaspoons ground cinnamon 5 grams
  • ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • ½ teaspoon ground cloves
  • ½ teaspoon ground ginger
  • ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt 3 grams
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda 6 grams
  • cups granulated sugar 300 grams
  • ½ cup dark brown sugar 107 grams
  • 1 cup vegetable oil 200 grams
  • 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract 12 grams (or vanilla paste)
  • 4 large eggs 200 grams
  • 3 cups grated carrots 270 grams (from about 9 carrots)
  • ½ cup crushed pineapple 85 grams
  • 1 cup chopped toasted pecans 114 grams, plus more for decorating (optional)

For the Frosting

Instructions

For the Cake:

  • Preheat oven to 350°F and line the bottoms of three 8-inch round cake pans or one 9x13-inch baking pan. Spray the pan(s) with cooking spray and, if desired, lightly cover the insides with coarse raw sugar.
  • In a large bowl, whisk together flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, ginger, allspice, salt, and baking soda; set aside.
    2½ cups self-rising flour, 1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon, ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg, ½ teaspoon ground cloves, ½ teaspoon ground ginger, ¼ teaspoon ground allspice, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1 teaspoon baking soda
    dry ingredients in a glass bowl.
  • In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix the granulated sugar and brown sugar together on low speed. Add the oil and vanilla and beat on medium speed until well incorporated, about 1 minute. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
    1½ cups granulated sugar, ½ cup dark brown sugar, 1 cup vegetable oil, 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract, 4 large eggs
    wet ingredients in a glass bowl.
  • Set mixer to low and add the flour in ½ cup increments.
    cake batter being mixed with a rubber spatula in a glass bowl.
  • Fold in the carrots, pineapple and, if using, nuts.
    3 cups grated carrots, ½ cup crushed pineapple, 1 cup chopped toasted pecans
    carrot cake batter in a glass bowl.
  • Divide the batter evenly between the 3 cake pans (about 536 grams per pan) or spread in the 9x13.
    carrot cake batter in a round cake pan.
  • Bake, on the middle rack, for 30-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. The internal temperature in the middle of each cake layer should register 200°F-205°F on an instant-read thermometer.
  • Transfer cakes to a wire rack and cool in the pans for 10 minutes. Remove cakes from pans and return to cooling racks to cool completely.

For the Frosting

  • Make a double batch of The Best Cream Cheese Frosting, <-- click for recipe
    Double recipe of The Best Cream Cheese Frosting
  • Stack the cake layers with about ½-inch of frosting between each layer. Cover the cake with a Crumb Coating (click for instructions) and refrigerate the cake at least 1-2 hours.
    3 layers of stacked carrot cake with cream cheese frosting in between.
  • When the crumb coating feels dry, finish icing and decorating the cake as you wish.
    sprinkling chopped pecans over frosted carrot cake.

Video

Notes

Yield: One (8-inch) 3-layer cake or One 9x13-inch cake
  • Spray the cake pans with cooking spray before adding the cake batter so that the layers are easy to remove from the tins.
  • It's easiest to use an electric mixer to make the cake batter, but you can mix it by hand as well, it will just take a little longer.
  • Let the layers cool completely before stacking and frosting them. If the cake is still warm, the frosting will slide off.
  • The carrot cake layers will take about 30-40 minutes to bake. Check they are done by either inserting a toothpick, which should come out clean, or by using an instant-read thermometer which should register at 200-205°F.
  • The elements of this cake can be made ahead of time. The carrot cake layers can be made 3 to 4 days ahead of time, wrap them well in plastic wrap AND foil to keep them moist and store in the fridge.
Storage: Store carrot cake in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 4 months.

Nutrition

Serving: 1slice | Calories: 725kcal | Carbohydrates: 102g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 35g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 15g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 47mg | Sodium: 413mg | Potassium: 194mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 82g | Vitamin A: 4086IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 35mg | Iron: 1mg