Easy Carrot Cake Recipe with Cream Cheese Frosting

It’s a little like carrot cake heaven. And with the cream cheese frosting, it honestly doesn’t get more tasty than this. It’s just a “happy sigh” kind of moment that can be all yours with a delicious homemade cake.

By the way, if you’re looking for a quicker carrot cake recipe, in perhaps a single serving, take a look at my Carrot Cake in a Mug recipe. It’s a favorite among our readers. And the Easy Carrot Cake Loaf is popular too!

What I Love About This Carrot Cake

Number one, it’s layered. Number two, it’s delicious. Number three, that cream cheese frosting! As they say, “It’s the icing on the cake.” And if you’re a frosting person, you know what I’m talking about!

Here’s another reason I love this cake. It’s pretty- it’s simple to make- and rather quick, too.

But layer cakes don’t look simple or quick (your secret). Which means your people will be thrilled when you present it, delighted when they taste it packed with quintessential carrot cake flavor, and you’ll be secretly pleased because it looks SO much more difficult than it is.

If decorating a layer cake has you worried, this is the cake to practice on. In my book, the cake is so beautiful on the inside that the simpler you decorate this cake, the better!

Let it shine!

Happy baking…

Ingredients for This Carrot Cake Recipe

In the recipe card at the bottom of this post, you will find the specific ingredient measurements, but here is a quick look at the simple pantry ingredients you will need.

• All-purpose flour: If desired, you can swap the all-purpose flour for white whole wheat or your favorite all-purpose gluten-free flour.
• Leavening: A combination of both baking soda and baking powder gives this cake the perfect rise.
• Flavorings: Vanilla extract (because almost everything is better with vanilla), salt, and ground cinnamon.
• Sweetener: I love the combination of flavors and richness that comes from adding both granulated sugar and brown sugar to this recipe.
• Large eggs: It’s important to bring the eggs to room temperature before adding to the cake batter.
• Shredded carrots: I like to use a box grater, which I’ll admit can be a bit tedious, but I like the size of the grate and the resulting cake texture. However, you can definitely use your food processor to grate the carrots or buy them already grated at the market if you prefer.
• Chopped walnuts: Nuts of any kind work in this recipe, like pecans or even hazelnuts, but my family has always used walnuts. Experiment and use your favorite nut.
• Raisins: I’m using dark raisins, but a combination of golden raisins and dark raisins is delicious, too.

Cream Cheese Frosting Ingredients

• Cream cheese, softened to room temperature
• Unsalted Butter
• Powdered sugar
• Pure vanilla extract

How to Make Carrot Cake

For full, step-by-step instructions on how to make this carrot cake recipe, see the recipe card at the bottom of this post. This is a quick overview of how to make this easy dessert.

Begin by preheating the oven to 350°F and greasing two 8 or 9-inch round cake pans. Line the bottoms with parchment paper and spray with nonstick cooking spray.

For the cake batter

1. Whisk flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon in a medium bowl.
2. Whisk the oil, sugars, and vanilla in a separate bowl. Then, whisk in the eggs.
3. Gradually add the flour mixture to the oil mixture in three parts. Stir gently until the batter is smooth, then fold in the carrots, nuts, and raisins.

Baking the cake

Divide the batter equally, then bake until the tops are springy and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean; about 35-45 minutes.

Cool in the pans for 15 minutes before carefully turning them out onto a metal rack. Remove parchment and cool completely.

For the Cream Cheese Frosting

Using either a stand mixer or a hand-held mixer, beat the room-temperature cream cheese until smooth. Add the softened butter and beat until well mixed, about 30 seconds to 1 minute.

Add the powdered sugar and vanilla extract and continue mixing until fully combined and smooth. Scape the sides of the bowl as needed.

Bringing Cream Cheese to Room Temperature

Bringing cream cheese to room temperature is essential for achieving a smooth and creamy texture, especially when using it in recipes like frosting or cheesecake. Here’s the best way to bring cream cheese to room temperature:

1. Plan Ahead: The simplest way to bring cream cheese to room temperature is to remove it from the refrigerator and let sit for 30 minutes to 1 hour. This allows it to gradually soften without the risk of melting or becoming too warm. Cream cheese should not sit at room temperature for more than two hours.
2. Cut Into Smaller Pieces: If you’re short on time and need to speed up the process, you can cut the cream cheese into smaller pieces. This increases the surface area, allowing it to come to room temperature more quickly.