This is hands-down the best carrot cake ever! Simple and straightforward, it is ultra moist, fluffy, and incredibly delicious.

This has been our go-to carrot cake recipe for over 15 years!

Slice of carrot cake on white plate with bite taken out on fork next to the slice of cake.

One Bowl Carrot Cake Batter

This carrot cake batter is whisked together by hand in one bowl. It could not be easier!

Here are a few reasons why this cake bakes up super moist and fluffy:

  1. A smidgeon of brown sugar is added along with the granulated sugar for extra flavor and moistness.
  2. Oil and applesauce are used in the cake batter. This helps aid in the extra moist texture without adding oiliness.
  3. The carrots are finely shredded so they incorporate fully and completely into the batter.

Make sure to mix the batter JUST until it is incorporated. Avoid over mixing as it can create a denser, heavier cake.

Glass bowl with eggs, brown sugar, white sugar and oil.
Drizzling oil into carrot cake batter in glass bowl.
Glass bowl with wet ingredients, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves.
Glass bowl with cake batter and finely shredded carrots.

Different Pan Size Options for This Carrot Cake

The batter for this carrot cake recipe can be baked in the following pans:

  • One 9X13-inch baking pan
  • Two 9-inch round cake pans (to frost as a layer cake, if desired)
  • 24 to 30 cupcakes

The recipe can also be easily halved (for a 9X9-inch square baking pan, one 9-inch circle pan, or fewer cupcakes) OR it can be doubled if you are in the market for A LOT OF CARROT CAKE. 😉

Small spatula drizzling carrot cake batter out of bowl with cake batter.
Two 9-inch round cake pans with baked carrot cake layers.

Classic Cream Cheese Frosting

The cream cheese frosting in this carrot cake recipe is very soft and creamy.

It works great to frost the cake as a layer cake or to frost the top of a 9X13-inch sheet cake. It also works well to frost cupcakes, although the frosting is too soft to hold up to piping. It does best spread with an offset spatula or knife.

If you’ve never added a tiny bit of sour cream to cream cheese frosting, try it! The small amount adds a wonderful dimension and depth of flavor to the otherwise super sweet frosting. I never make cream cheese frosting without it.

Glass bowl with whipped cream cheese frosting.
Side view of frosted layer carrot cake with toasted pecans on white platter.

The Best Carrot Cake Ever

I cannot overstate how incredibly delicious this carrot cake is. The crumb is perfectly spiced and the amount of carrots is just right. Like, you know you’re eating carrot cake without feeling like it is a veggie side dish instead of cake.

The cake is soft and sturdy. Moist and magnificent. It really is the best carrot cake ever.

I love chocolate desserts with my whole soul. But I am powerless to resist the charm and tastiness of this carrot cake. It is one of my favorite desserts ever!

Slice of carrot cake being pulled out of whole frosted carrot cake.
Slice of carrot cake on white plate with frosting and pecans.

Here are a few other rave reviews (so you don’t have to take just my word for it!):

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ I make this cake every month for our charity organization fish fry and it always disappears. So delicious. Family loves it also. Made cupcakes with it today and amazing. The icing is perfect.  -Jo-Ann

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ My first attempt at making carrot cake.  I will not need to look for another recipe, this one is the ONE!! Perfectly sweet, not over cinnamon’s. A tangy creamy frosting!!  Yummy. My family even thinks ifs better the carrot cake we get at a high end restaurant! Thanks Mel for this winner -Jod

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ My now most requested cake that I make. It’s amazing.  –Britney

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ This is truly the best carrot cake. I’ve been making it at least once a year for the past 4 years, and it never fails to get compliments from family and friends. Super moist and delicious. -Pam

Bite of carrot cake on fork with piece of carrot cake on white plate.
Slice of carrot layer cake on white plate with bite taken out on fork.

The Best Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Yield: 15 Servings
Prep Time: 45 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Cooling/Chilling Time: 3 hours
Total Time: 4 hours 25 minutes
4.62 stars (212 ratings)
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Ingredients

Cake:

  • 1 pound medium carrots, 6 to 7 large carrots, ends trimmed (no need to peel)
  • ½ cup (106 g) packed light brown sugar
  • 1 ½ cups (318 g) granulated sugar
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1 cup vegetable, canola or other neutral-flavored oil (see note)
  • ½ cup unsweetened applesauce (see note)
  • 2 ½ cups (355 g) all-purpose flour
  • 1 ¼ teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon table salt
  • ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves

Cream Cheese Frosting (*see note for doubling):

  • 8 ounces (227 g) cream cheese, softened to room temperature
  • 5 tablespoons butter, softened to room temperature
  • 1 tablespoon sour cream
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 ¼ cups (143 g) powdered sugar
  • Toasted chopped pecans, for garnish (optional)

Instructions 

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Adjust an oven rack to the middle position.
  • Lightly grease a 9X13-inch baking pan with cooking spray or lightly grease and flour two 9-inch round baking pans (see note below for additional details on pan sizes). Set aside.
  • Finely shred the carrots in a food processor or on a box grater for about 3 cups/400 g total. Set aside.
  • For the cake, in a large bowl, whisk together the granulated sugar, brown sugar, and eggs until well combined.
  • Add the oil and applesauce and whisk until the batter is light in color and the oil is thoroughly emulsified in the batter.
  • Add the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, salt, nutmeg and cloves. Mix until just a few dry streaks of batter remain.
  • Add the carrots and mix until evenly combined (try not to over mix).
  • Pour the batter into the prepared pan(s) and bake until the top springs back lightly to the touch and a toothpick or skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, about 40 minutes for a 9X13-inch pan and 32 to 35 minutes for 9-inch round pans.
  • Let the cakes cool for 5 to 7 minutes before turning them out to cool completely on a parchment-lined wire rack (this helps the cakes not stick to the rack as they cool).
  • For the frosting, with a handheld or stand electric mixer, beat the cream cheese, butter, sour cream, and vanilla at medium speed until well combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
  • Add the powdered sugar and mix until very-well combined.
  • Frost the cake as desired. Top with toasted pecans. Serve at room temperature or chilled.

Notes

Cake Pans: this cake can be made in two 9-inch round cake pans or a 9X13-inch cake pan (other commenters in the thread below have made it into cupcakes and other pan sizes, too).
Frosting: double the recipe for a 9-inch layer cake (the recipe as written is enough for the top of a 9X13-inch sheet cake).
Oil + Applesauce: the original recipe called for 1 1/2 cups oil. Over the years (and after hundreds of comments), I’ve found I prefer 1 cup oil + 1/2 cup applesauce. Many others have made this cake using 3/4 cup oil + 3/4 cup applesauce with good results. 
Make-Ahead: this cake can be made and frosted up to 24 hours in advance. Store in the refrigerator.  
Author: Mel
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Method: Bake
Serving: 1 Serving, Calories: 348kcal, Carbohydrates: 59g, Protein: 5g, Fat: 11g, Saturated Fat: 6g, Cholesterol: 71mg, Sodium: 317mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 39g

Recommended Products

9-inch Cake Pan
Box Grater
Breville Food Processor

Recipe Source: Cooks Illustrated (with my notes included)
Recipe originally posted March 2008; updated February 2025 with new photos, recipe notes, etc.

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