My Big Mama’s award-winning carrot cake recipe is the ONLY carrot cake recipe you’re going to need for the rest of ya life. I know that is a bold statement, but the recipe has been tested/rated, and made over 1000 times… so you don’t just have to take my word for it!
Markus says:
Hands down and hands up…THE BEST CARROT CAKE RECIPE EVER! Everyone who hated carrot cake in my family, LOVED this cake! BAKING QUEEN Jocelyn, thank you for sharing this ahhhmazing recipe!
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Marlene says:
I wish I took photos of the expressions on the faces of my family! This is the very best carrot cake I ever made. My family raved about it, and actually thought I purchased it at a bakery. The cake texture was perfect, not oily or dry, just right, moist, and the spices were outstanding. Kudos to you! Oh, the frosting was delicious with a hint of nuttiness. This is definitely my new go to recipe. I’m going to go thru your site and try a pound cake. Which is you favorite? Thank you for sharing this recipe. It was the best Easter dessert on the table!
Video Tutorial
Carrot Cake Ingredients
For the Cake
- Self-Rising Flour: To make your own swap, add 3 3/4 teaspoons of baking powder and 3/4 teaspoon of salt to the 2 1/2 cups of flour (I like White Lily Baking Flour here). For a gluten-free option, use a measure-for-measure baking blend and add the leavening and salt.
- Spices: I mix cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and allspice. You can use a tablespoon of apple pie spice or pumpkin pie spice instead.
- Baking Soda: Make sure it’s fresh, boo!
- Granulated Sugar: If you want a deeper flavor, swap in some homemade brown sugar.
- Vegetable Oil: Any neutral oil works fine.
- Vanilla Extract: Stick with pure vanilla extract for the best flavor.
- Large Eggs: Room temp always.
- Grated Carrots: Use finely grated, fresh carrots. The pre-shredded bagged ones are too dry and too thick.
- Crushed Pineapple with Juice: I like my carrot cake with pineapple because that was the Big Mama way, but you can leave it out or use applesauce.
- Chopped Roasted Walnuts: Totally optional. You can skip them or use pecans or almonds instead.
For the Frosting
- Unsalted Butter: I brown mine for extra flavor, but regular softened butter still works.
- Cream Cheese: Full-fat cream cheese is best, y’all. But if you need a sub, mascarpone is a great option.
- Confectioner’s Sugar: Here’s how to make your own if you run out.
- Salt: Just a little!
- Vanilla Extract: You can swap it for vanilla bean paste or almond extract.
How to make a Carrot Cake
Make the Cake Batter
Step 1: Sift flour, spices, and baking soda.
Step 2: In a stand mixer, combine sugar, oil, and vanilla.
Step 3: Next, add eggs, one at a time, blending after each addition.
Step 4: Next slow down the mixer to lowest speed and add flour mixture in increments.
Step 5: Fold in carrots, crushed pineapple if desired, and walnuts if desired.
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Bake the Cake
Step 6: Evenly pour batter into cake pans.
Step 7: Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Make the Cream Cheese Frosting
Step 8: In a small saucepan, add butter and melt over medium heat.
Step 9: Brown until it turns a nice amber color then pop in the fridge to get solid again.
Step 10: Add cooled brown butter and cream cheese to the bowl of your mixer and beat on high speed until thick and fluffy.
Step 11: Slow down mixer and carefully add in confectioner’s sugar. Once all sugar has incorporated, turn mixer back to high to continue whipping.
Step 12: Add salt and vanilla extract.
Step 13: Whip until nice and smooth.
Frost the Cake
Step 14: Add frosting to each layer and stack on each other.
Step 15: Frost the top of the cake then.
Step 16: Then finally frost the sides of the cake and get ready for the best carrot cake of your life! Sprinkle with nuts for a decorative touch.
Carrot Cake Recipe
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Ingredients
For the Carrot Cake
- 2 1/2 cups self rising flour self rising flour usually has salt in it which is why it was omitted here but if you want a bit more you can add 1/4 tsp of salt as well
- 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp ground cloves
- 1/4 tsp ground allspice
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 1/4 cups vegetable oil
- 1 tbsp pure vanilla extract
- 4 large eggs room temperature
- 3 cups grated carrots finely
- 1/2 cup crushed pineapple with juice
- 1 cup roasted walnuts chopped, optional
For the Cream Cheese Frosting
- ¾ cup unsalted butter
- 24 oz cream cheese somewhat softened but still a little stiff/ 24 oz is 3 (8 oz) packages
- 5 1/2 cups confectioner's sugar if you want the frosting more stiff, add another 1/2 cup going up to 6 cups total
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1½ tsp pure vanilla extract
Instructions
For the Carrot Cake
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Sift together flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, allspice and baking soda and set aside.
- Next line the bottoms of 3 9” inch round cake pans with parchment paper and lightly grease.
- In the bowl of your stand mixer, beat sugar, oil and vanilla together at medium speed. Next add eggs, one at a time, blending after each incorporation.
- Next slow down the mixer to lowest speed and add flour mixture in increments.
- Fold in carrots, crushed pineapple if desired and walnuts if desired.
- Evenly pour batter into cake pans.
- Bake for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool cake layers in pans for 10 minutes then flip cakes onto cooling racks to cool completely.
For the Cream Cheese Frosting
- In a small saucepan, add butter and melt over medium heat. Once the butter has fully melted, a white foam will begin to appear over the top of the butter.
- Watch carefully as the butter’s color changes to brown and the smell of the butter becomes somewhat nutty.
- As soon as the butter is an amber brown color, remove from heat and cool in the refrigerator until it the butter has become solid again (can take about an hour or so).
- Add cooled brown butter and cream cheese to the bowl of your mixer and beat on high speed until it begins to thicken and fluff.
- Next slow down mixer and carefully add in confectioner’s sugar. Once all sugar has incorporated, turn mixer back to high to continue whipping.
- Add salt and vanilla extract and continue whipping until it is smooth.
- Spread frosting between layers and around cake and serve.
Notes
- First, chill the frosted cake in the fridge for an hour to let the frosting firm up.
- Then wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and a layer of foil (or store slices in freezer-safe containers).
- When you’re ready to enjoy it, thaw it overnight in the fridge and let it sit out a bit before serving.
Nutrition
Recipe Tips
- Grate the carrots by hand for the best texture. Yes, it takes more effort than using a food processor, but pre-shredded or machine-shredded carrots tend to be too coarse and dry. Hand-grated carrots release more natural moisture, which keeps your cake incredibly soft and tender.
- Don’t skip the pineapple—even if you’re skeptical. The crushed pineapple doesn’t make the cake taste tropical; it just boosts the moisture and adds subtle sweetness. It’s one of those “secret ingredients” that takes a carrot cake from good to insanely good.
- Roast your walnuts before folding them in. A quick toast in the oven (350°F for about 8 minutes) brings out the natural oils in the nuts, giving your cake a deeper, more complex flavor. It also makes the nuts crunchier, so they hold their texture even after baking.
- Use room temperature eggs for better rise. Cold eggs can make the batter seize up and mix unevenly. Let them sit out for 30 minutes, or pop them in warm water for 5 minutes before adding to your batter.
- Don’t overmix once the flour goes in. After adding the dry ingredients, mix just until no dry spots remain. Overmixing can lead to a dense, chewy cake instead of that soft, delicate crumb you want in a carrot cake.
- Brown the butter for the frosting—don’t rush this step. This isn’t your average cream cheese frosting. Browning the butter adds a toasty, almost caramelized flavor that balances out the tanginess of the cream cheese. Let it fully solidify again before beating it into the frosting to keep everything stable and fluffy.
- Chill the cake before slicing. Once frosted, pop the whole cake in the fridge for about an hour before slicing. This firms up the frosting and helps you get clean, bakery-style slices without smearing.
- Bake the layers on the center rack—no exceptions. an Stacking cake pans too high or low in the oven can lead to uneven baking. Use the center rack and rotate the pans halfway through for even rise and golden edges.
FAQs
Yes, you can definitely bake this in a 9×13 pan! I do want to say that I have not tested it in a 9×13 pan, so I don’t have exact measurements for the batter or icing for a 9×13.
The recipe makes quite a bit of batter and icing (enough for three 9-inch layers), so your pan will be pretty full. Just don’t fill it past about ¾ of the way to the top. If you have a leftover batter, you can bake the extra in a few cupcakes or a small loaf pan alongside it. You’ll most likely have extra icing as well.
Keep the oven at 350°F and start checking for doneness around 45–50 minutes. It’ll likely take 50–60 minutes total, depending on your oven. The cake is ready when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with just a few crumbs.
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Hello, I’m going to make this cake for my birthday treat, it looks delicious can I use light brown sugar instead of granulated sugar?
Happy early birthday! I’m so glad you’re thinking about making this for your treat. You can use light brown sugar, but just know it will change the cake a bit. Brown sugar adds more moisture and a deeper, molasses-like flavor, so the cake will be slightly denser and darker than when made with granulated sugar. If you go that route, I’d swap it 1:1 by volume and pack it lightly. It’ll still be delicious, just different than the original version.
How do you think this would do with all purpose flour?
It’ll work just fine with all-purpose flour. If you want something closer to cake flour, you can make your own by measuring 1 cup all-purpose flour, removing 2 tablespoons, and replacing it with 2 tablespoons cornstarch, then whisking it really well. That’ll give you a softer crumb without changing the recipe too much.
I made this recipe for my birthday and it was a little bit dry I substituted applesauce for the pineapple. I ensured not to over mix the batter. I read instant pudding may help. I reduced the oil by 1/4 cup, and used cake flour. What are your thoughts?
I’m sorry it turned out a little dry, especially since you made it for your birthday. That’s such a bummer! That said, a few of the substitutions you made can really impact the moisture in this cake. The crushed pineapple with the juice and the full amount of oil are big contributors to how moist it turns out. Applesauce is thicker and not quite as moist, and reducing the oil plus switching to cake flour can dry things out even if you’re careful not to overmix. If you decide to make it again, I’d suggest trying it as written first, then adjusting from there. And if you prefer skipping the pineapple, keeping the oil amount the same, and adding a bit more liquid can help balance things out.
Hi, can i bake this recipe in a 9×5 loaf pan? If so, how long would it bake for?
This particular recipe isn’t a great fit for a 9×5 loaf pan. It’s a classic carrot layer cake batter, which is much looser and wetter than a pound-cake style batter. In a deep loaf pan, it tends to bake unevenly, the edges can overcook while the center stays underdone or sinks.
If you want a carrot cake in loaf form, I’d point you to my Carrot Pound Cake, which is formulated for a denser bake and calls for a 12-cup Bundt pan. That one will give you the structure and texture you’re looking for.
Carrot cake is my husband’s favorite, so we made this for his birthday. It was hands-down THE BEST carrot cake any of us ever had! The brown butter in the frosting was genius. I will never go back! Btw, we baked the cakes for the least amount of time & they were perfect. Any longer and they would have been overbaked.
I’m so glad it was a hit for his birthday that makes me smile! And yes, great call on keeping an eye on the bake time. Every oven runs a little differently, so pulling the layers as soon as they’re done is exactly the right move. So happy you loved the brown butter frosting!
Can you please make a YouTube video of this recipe
And if it already exists… can you please provide me the link!
Thanks soon much,
Paul B.
BTW…
Attempted the recipe and it was delicious… just think I need to reduce the time in the oven… it seemed a little over cooked… and I think I browned the butter a little to much. But other than that… DELICIOUS!!!
Especially the frosting
I added my reel to the post which has a tutorial to some degree even if it is fast. I hope that helps for visuals. Definitely use the baking times as a guide but if you oven bakes too fast, definitely take out sooner.
Absolute Bomb Recipe, the brown butter icing can be eaten by itself, the cake stayed so moist it is absolutely delicious! Thanks for sharing. I didn’t add the pineapples and instead elected to add pineapple juice. So, Amazing!
That sounds incredible! I’m so happy you loved it! Thanks so much for trying the recipe and coming back to share your tweaks and kindness! Enjoy every slice!
The cake waa lovely. I served it today for thanksgivinf/dad’s bday. The texture is excellent. There is only one thing that, imo, was missing and thats Raisins. Im still giving this a 5 but for me I really missed the raisins. However, even w/o everyone was very pleased. Nice recipe
Thank you so much for sharing, and I’m thrilled everyone enjoyed it for such a special celebration! I love hearing how folks personalize recipes, and raisins would definitely be a delicious add-in if that’s what you grew up with. Appreciate the thoughtful feedback and the 5 stars!