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!
How to Make a Carrot Cake
These step-by-step photos show how to make carrot cake with cream cheese frosting, but be sure to check the recipe card below for the full ingredient list and detailed instructions. Skip to the → Best Carrot Cake Recipe
1. Sift the flour, spices, and baking soda into a bowl
Whisk to combine and set aside.
2. Mix the sugar, oil, vanilla, and eggs in a stand mixer
Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
PRO TIP: If you don’t have self rising flour, just make your own. Add 3 3/4 teaspoons baking powder and 3/4 teaspoon salt to 2 1/2 cups flour.
3. Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture in batches
Mix on low speed until just combined.
4. Add carrots, pineapple, and walnuts to the batter
Gently fold everything in, then divide the batter evenly into prepared cake pans.
5. Bake the carrot cake layers in a preheated oven
Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
6. Melt and brown the butter for the frosting
Cook until amber in color, then chill until solid again.
7. Beat the brown butter and cream cheese, then add sugar
Mix until thick and fluffy, adding confectioner’s sugar and whipping until smooth.
8. Add vanilla and salt and whip until smooth
Continue mixing until the frosting is creamy and spreadable.
9. Spread frosting between each cake layer
Stack them evenly.
10. Frost the outside of your moist carrot cake
Garnish with nuts if desired, and get ready for the best carrot cake of your life!
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PRO TIP: Bake the layers on the center rack. Don’t stack pans too high or too low in the oven or they will bake uneven. Keep them centered and rotate halfway through.
Video Tutorial
Full Carrot Cake Recipe
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. Make sure to spoon and level your flour so you don't add more than this cake requires.
- 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 or brown sugar
- 1 1/4 cups vegetable oil
- 1 tbsp pure vanilla extract
- 4 large eggs room temperature
- 3 cups freshly grated carrots finely (don't use pre-shredded for best results)
- 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 mostly clean with some moist crumbs. I begin checking as early as 28-29 minutes because some ovens run hotter than others and you don't want to dry out your cake.
- 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
How to Store
- Room Temp: Keep the cake covered tightly on the counter for up to 1-2 days, but only if your kitchen stays below 70°F. Wrap it well with plastic wrap or foil, or keep it under a cake dome so it doesn’t dry out.
- Fridge: Because of the cream cheese frosting, the fridge is your best bet if you want it to last longer. Store it covered for 3-5 days, either as a whole cake or sliced in airtight containers.
- Freezer: You can freeze it frosted, boos! First chill the cake in the fridge for about an hour so the frosting firms up, then wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and foil or store slices in freezer-safe containers. It will keep for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before serving.
Nutrition
Recipe Tips
- Use room temp eggs. They mix in easier and help the cake bake up nice and even.
- Grate your carrots by hand. I know boos, it takes a little extra time. But you will get more moisture and a softer cake than using pre-shredded ones.
- Toast the walnuts. Place them in a 350°F oven for about 8 minutes. This will bring out their flavor and keep them from going soft in the cake. Toasting also makes the nuts crunchier, so they hold their texture even after baking.
- Don’t overmix once the flour goes in. Stir just until everything comes together… Unless you like dense carrot cakes!
- Chill the cake before slicing. I always pop it in the fridge for about an hour after frosting to get clean slices.
Recipe Help
Yes!! I haven’t fully tested it that way, so just know the batter makes a lot since this is a simple carrot cake recipe built for three layers. Don’t fill your pan more than ¾ full. Bake at 350°F and start checking around 45-50 minutes. It will likely take closer to 50-60 minutes. Toothpick should come out clean or with a few crumbs.
Nope, boos. The pineapple just adds moisture and keeps the crumb soft. I grew up on carrot cake with pineapple (Big Mama style), but you can leave it out or swap in applesauce.
You don’t have to, but I really suggest it. This is basically my regular cream cheese frosting, I just brown the butter for this cake because it adds a deeper, slightly toasty flavor.
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Well you surely don’t need me to tell you how amazing this cake is. I made it for my birthday, exactly as written, electing to use pecans for the optional nuts. What a hit at the party! EVERYONE loved it. My lifelong search for the best carrot cake recipe is officially over. Thanks for sharing!
Whew that’s saying everything. I love that you made it for your birthday and followed it just as written, pecans and all. When everyone at the party loves it and it ends a lifelong carrot cake search? That means the world to me.
how do I adjust this recipe for a 3-layer 8 inch cake?
Great question this recipe actually works really well for three 8-inch layers without changing the ingredient amounts. You’ll just end up with slightly thicker layers than 9-inch pans, which I personally love. The only adjustment I’d make is bake time. Start checking around 30–35 minutes, and keep an eye on them from there. You want a toothpick to come out clean or with just a few moist crumbs.
Everything else can stay exactly the same. It’s going to be a beautiful cake.
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!