Easy Carrot Cake Recipe
My easy carrot cake recipe is moist, flavorful, and packed with freshly grated carrots. Topped with a homemade (or not) cream cheese frosting, it’s a great dessert option for parties, birthdays, the holidays, and more!
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1/2 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 4 eggs
- 3 cups grated carrots
- cream cheese frosting store bought or homemade
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare a 9x13 pan by spraying it with nonstick cooking spray. Set it aside.
- Peel the carrots and grate them until you have about 3 cups. This took about 5 carrots. Set them aside.
- In a large mixing bowl combine the flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.
- Using a mixing stand or hand mixer, slowly add the eggs, vanilla, and the vegetable oil. Slowly incorporate the grated carrots.
- Pour the cake mix into the 9x13 pan. Bake for 30-40 minutes, until the center can be poked with a toothpick and comes out clean.
- Allow it to cool completely before icing the cake.
- Serve or cover and refrigerate for up to 4 days. Remove from the refrigerator 30 minutes before serving to bring to room temperature.
Notes
- For the smoothest, moistest results, it’s important to finely grate the carrots. I recommend using a food processor when possible.
- Don’t overmix the batter! This will overdevelop the gluten in the flour and cause the cake to become way too dense. Stir it until just combined.
- Start checking for doneness around the 30-minute mark.
- Allow the cake to cool completely before icing, otherwise it will melt and slide off.
- Store leftover slices in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Let it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes to enjoy a little warmer!
Nutrition
Calories: 385kcalCarbohydrates: 42gProtein: 3gFat: 23gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 13gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 44mgSodium: 258mgPotassium: 118mgFiber: 1gSugar: 28gVitamin A: 4341IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 21mgIron: 1mg
This nutrition information is based on the exact products I used in this recipe. Brands and sizes of products could alter exact nutrition and should always be calculated independently.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!