Carrot cake 🥕🍰—soft, spiced, and absolutely worth it. Here’s a classic, super-moist carrot cake with that dreamy cream cheese frosting.
🥕 Classic Carrot Cake
Ingredients (9×13 pan or two 9-inch rounds)
Cake
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- ½ tsp nutmeg
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 cup oil (vegetable or canola)
- 1 cup sugar
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 2 tsp vanilla
- 3 cups finely grated carrots
- ½ cup crushed pineapple, drained (optional but 🔥)
- ½ cup chopped nuts or raisins (optional)
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened
- ½ cup butter, softened
- 3–4 cups powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and line pan(s).
- Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, spices, and salt.
- In another bowl, mix oil, sugars, eggs, and vanilla until smooth.
- Fold dry ingredients into wet—don’t overmix.
- Gently fold in carrots, pineapple, and any add-ins.
- Pour into pan(s).
- Bake:
- 9×13: 40–45 min
- Rounds: 30–35 min
- Toothpick should come out mostly clean.
- Cool completely before frosting.
Frosting
- Beat cream cheese + butter until smooth.
- Add powdered sugar gradually, then vanilla and salt.
- Spread generously (this is not the place to be modest).
Pro Tips
- Finely grated carrots = ultra-moist crumb
- Oil > butter for carrot cake (trust)
- Chill cake 20 min before slicing for clean cuts
Want a one-bowl version, less sweet, gluten-free, or no-nuts old-school bakery style?
