Easy Carrot Cake
Foolproof beginner carrot cake with a soft, moist crumb, warm spices, and classic cream cheese frosting. Designed for easy baking with professional bakery-style results.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Total Time: 3 hours 10 minutes
- Yield: One 3-layer 6-inch cake or 2-layer 8-inch cake
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
CAKE BASE
2 1/2 cups finely grated carrots
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground clove
1 cup vegetable oil
3/4 cup light brown sugar
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3 large eggs, room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3/4 cup sour cream or Greek yogurt
DECORATION
Cream cheese frosting (16 oz cream cheese, 1 cup butter, 4–5 cups powdered sugar)
Food coloring (orange, green, brown)
1/4 cup finely chopped walnuts
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F and prepare cake pans with grease and parchment paper.
- Finely grate carrots using the smallest holes.
- Whisk flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and clove together.
- Mix oil and both sugars until combined.
- Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
- Stir in vanilla, carrots, and sour cream.
- Fold dry ingredients into wet ingredients gently until just combined.
- Divide batter evenly into pans.
- Bake for 30–40 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Cool cakes for 15 minutes, then transfer to racks and cool completely.
- Level cake layers if needed.
- Apply a thin crumb coat and chill for 20 minutes.
- Frost cake fully with cream cheese frosting.
- Decorate with colored frosting and walnuts.
Notes
Use finely grated carrots for best texture.
Do not overmix batter to keep cake soft.
Cool completely before frosting.
Store cake refrigerated due to cream cheese frosting.