This is the best carrot cake with cream cheese frosting that you’ll ever taste. It’s easy to make, moist and delicious, and will “wow” everyone you know. This carrot cake recipe is guaranteed to become one of your go-to dessert recipes for all occasions.
If you have an abundance of carrots in the garden (or in your fridge), and you’re looking for a crazy-good carrot cake recipe to make with them with, look no further.
This is THEE carrot cake to beat all carrot cakes. I mean it!
It might even be just as good as my crazy banana cake, and believe me, THAT cake is out of this world.
Now, my banana cake is kind of “crazy” because of the way you bake and cool it, but my carrot cake is just plain crazy-GOOD. It’s rich and dense and super-moist, and everyone goes nuts for it. And oh man, the cream cheese frosting? Well, let’s just say it’s “the icing on the (carrot) cake”. Ha!
I had tried dozens of carrot cake recipes over the years, and they were all good, but about 10 years ago, one of my best friends introduced me to this particular recipe.
Friends, I have abandoned all other carrot cake recipes.
There was no turning back after tasting this one. I swear, it is the world’s best carrot cake.
Crazy-Good Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting:
Ingredients:
- 2 cups all purpose flour (you can swap half out for whole wheat flour if you like)
- 1.5 cups sugar
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 3 cups grated carrots
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 4 eggs
Making the cake:
- Stir dry ingredients together and add carrots, oil and eggs.
- Beat with electric beaters until well mixed (approx 2 minutes).
- Pour into a sprayed 9×13 baking dish, and bake at 325º F for 50-60 minutes.
I always check at the 50 minute mark because I like to take it out the instant it’s done. That way, my cake is as moist as can be.
Let cake cool completely before frosting.
Making the cream cheese frosting:
**To produce an even thicker frosting, use a full brick of cream cheese, and follow the directions here in my banana cake recipe.
- 3 oz cream cheese (half a brick)
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 2 cups icing sugar (confectioner’s sugar)
- Beat cream cheese and butter and vanilla with electric beaters until well-blended.
- Gradually add in icing sugar, a half-cup at a time, and beat into cream cheese until smooth and creamy.
- Slather that frosting all over your cake, taking it almost to the outside edges of the baking dish.
Now, pour yourself a cup of coffee or a nice, cold glass of milk, dig in, and enjoy!
Mmmm-mmmm! Carrot and cream cheese perfection!
I think you’ll agree – this is the best homemade carrot cake ever!
Crazy-Good Carrot Cake With Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
Cake Ingredients
- 2 cups all purpose flour (can substitute 1 cup of the AP flour with 1 cup whole wheat flour)
- 1.5 cups sugar
- 1 tsp EACH baking powder & baking soda
- 1 tsp EACH salt & cinnamon
- 3 cups grated carrots
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 4 eggs
Icing Ingredients
- 3 oz cream cheese (half-brick)
- 1/4 cup butter (softened)
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 2 cups icing sugar (confectioners/powdered sugar)
Instructions
To make your Cake:
- Pre-heat oven to 325ºF
- Stir together flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon.
- Add carrots, eggs and oil
- Beat on high with electric beaters, for 2 minutes.
- Pour into sprayed 9×13 baking dish or cake pan
- Bake at 325ºF for 50-60 minutes (check for doneness at 50 mins)
- Let cake cool before icing.
To make your icing:
- Beat cream cheese, butter and vanilla with electric beaters until well-blended.
- Gradually add icing sugar 1/2 cup at a time, and beat until smooth and creamy.
- Slather frosting on top of cooled cake.
Nutrition
More of our Favourite Desserts:
- Crazy Banana Cake with Cream Cheese Icing
- Banana Chocolate Chip Bundt Cake
- Easy, No-Bake Blueberry Cheesecake
- Banana Chocolate Chip Bread Machine Recipe
- Luscious Lemon Delight
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Jackie is a mom, wife, home daycare provider, and the creative spirit behind Happy Hooligans. She specializes in kids’ crafts and activities, easy recipes, and parenting. She began blogging in 2011, and today, Happy Hooligans inspires more than 2 million parents, caregivers and Early Years Professionals all over the globe.
Nikki
Hi, do you have the weights of the ingredients for the carrots, flour and oil please, as I cannot find cups in the UK and this recipe sounds amazing! Many thanks
happyhooligans
Hi Nikki, I’m sorry, I don’t have the weight ingredients, but if you google “measurement conversions”, you can convert all of the amounts into measurements that you’re familiar with. Our “cup” is an 8 oz. cup.
Sherry S
I cup is 250ml. If you have a liquid measuring cut, it should have ml marked on it.
Leila Bassett
Do you grate your carrots on the fine side or the regular thicker side?
happyhooligans
I guess you’d say mine are on the thicker side? The holes in my grater are quite large.
lorraine
i use my mini chopper its easy and the carrots come out fine, i like the shirt pieces better than long grated strips. 😉
Siv
Hi, I am stuffing my face with this delicious carrot cake as we speak and just had to pass by to thank you for it in between the bites. 🙂 It’s heavenly light and moist. Baked it in a 10x 15 inch dish for approx 30 mins. Thank you so much for the recipy, no return for me either! 🙂
happyhooligans
Yay! I’m glad you love it! I know what you mean about stuffing your face with it. Ha! It’s SOOO good!
Janae simenson
my cake is more like cookie dough why is that? thank you! 🙂
happyhooligans
Hmmm. I have no idea, Janae. It sounds like maybe there isn’t enough liquid in there? Are you certain that you had your measurements right?
amanda
It could be the method you use to measure the flour could have had the measuring cup more densely packed so you would end up with a denser cake
Rubina
I just made the cake today & because I added the carrots last, I thought the same about the texture, but I just kept following the instructions (the electric beaters were useful for a thick batter) & it turned out beautifully. Light & moist.
Theresa (Capri + 3)
We just made this and had a piece. Yum! I never really liked carrot cake due to the walnuts in so many recipes and it often was not moist. This was moist and delicious. Our kids LOVE it!
Petra
I want to ask you could you maybe just once give me the measures.
Im from holland and a cup doesnt ring a bell im sorry to say.
Thx for the reciepes in my mailbox…love them
happyhooligans
You can google “measurement conversions” to convert any measurement, Petra. One cup here equals 8 fluid ounces. 🙂 Glad you’re loving the recipes!
Katelyn
Hi! I was wondering if you had temp and baking times (if different) for making this into cupcakes (both regular sized and mini)?? I love making individual desserts to help with portion control! Must have treats but must control the temptation to eat the whole thing!
happyhooligans
I haven’t tried that personally, but if you scroll through the comments on the post, you might find someone who has?
Jibbet
Simply delicious!!! This carrot cake was soooo easy to make with simple ingredients! Would definitely recommend this recipe….. or maybe I’ll keep it as a little secret 😉 I made it for my boyfriend and I, we were both pleasantly surprised with the outcome. It was so easy that I’ll definitely be making it for friends and family in the future!!
Jackie Currie
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! It’s one of our favourites here too!!
Shannon
I made cupcakes last night, 25 mins , the toothpick came out clean.
Andrea
If you wanted to make this in two layers (rounds). What size do you think would use up the batter?
Jackie Currie
Hi Andrea, This article about substituting pan sizes. There’s a section for 9×13 which lists the sizes of round pans you can use instead: https://www.kingarthurbaking.com/blog/2019/04/23/the-essential-alternative-baking-pan-sizes
Yunita
Hi, do you think I can use 2 cups of self raising flour instead and forgo the baking powder and baking soda?
happyhooligans
I’m not sure. I don’t use self-raising flour, Yunita. I’d imagine you can “google” it to see if you can substitute.
sathya
can i substitute 2 cups of wheat flour for all purpose flour
happyhooligans
I’ve done half and half, Sathya – one cup all purpose and one cup whole wheat flour. It makes for a more dense cake, but it’s nice. I’ve never done the full 2 cup substitution though.
Stacie
this sounds easy and amazing! Do you think it would be possible to add raisins?
happyhooligans
I imagine it would be!
KJ
Just made this carrot cake, it was amazing! The cake turned out great. Be sure to keep tabs on it baking, mine took only about 45 min or so to bake. I added a few raisins into the mix because I like raisins. Icing turned out amazing. Very happy with the cake.
jenny j
how many people does this recipe serve?
happyhooligans
It’s a 9×13 cake, Jenny, if that gives you an idea.
Maxine B
Just made the cake and the icing…. IT WAS GREAT! The cake was beyond easy to make and beyond delicious. I added a bit extra cinnamon just because I love cinnamon and it wasn’t over powering it was great. I also doubled the butter in the icing just because i wanted extra. As well, I chopped up some pecans for the top of the cake.
Definitely try this recipe I highly recommend it !!!!!
happyhooligans
Glad you loved it, Maxine! Isn’t it just the best?! Topping with pecans sounds divine!
Fortune Goulais
First time I have made carrot cake and cream cheese icing…. Turned out delicious…. I made it in a bunt pan and it took about the same amount of time…. Live in a house with four adults who live for dessert 🙂 Thank you for this recipe
Patticakes
Can you use grated sweet potatoes? Your recipe sounds amazing.
David
I’ve made this cake it is very good..I will be making it for the holidays
Penny/Lane78
Made the Crazy Good Carrot Cake with the Crazy Good cream cheese/butter frosting…, 5 stars! It’s CRAZY DELICIOUS!!!
happyhooligans
Woohoo! Thank you for your glowing review! Glad you loved it!
Penny
Made the crazy three carrot cake….soooo crazy good both my husband and son couldn’t get enough. I love the cream cheese frosting… Crazy delicious
Nancy
Made this cake for my boyfriends birthday, everyone loved it!
It was nice and moist and the icing was great. Thanks!
happyhooligans
Yay! Glad you loved it, Nancy!
mary bayne
am I able to cook this in 9′ round pans?
happyhooligans
I’ve never tried, Mary, but I think you should. You might have to reduce the baking time by a bit, but I’m not certain.
Brittany
I made this cake today to bring to my boyfriends parents for Easter. I followed the timing instructions thinking it would have to bake for 50 mins. I checked it at 35 mins and it was already over done. Now I have a dried up carrot cake and nothing to bring. I’m suprised the cooking time was that far off I wish I hadn’t of chosen this cake
happyhooligans
I’m more surprised than you, Brittany! I’ve made this cake dozens of times, and it’s always moist and delicious. If you scroll through the comments, you’ll see that it was for others as well. Are you sure you had the baking temperature right? It’s 325ºF. If that was right, I’m guessing there must have been an error in your measurements? I’ve never had a problem with the recipe in all the years I’ve been making it. Sorry it didn’t turn out for you. 🙁
Hallie Ann
I absolutely loved this cake. I made this last minute for Easter dinner, and it came out perfect. Super moist, beautiful flavor, easy to mix and bake. Making and frosting 2 tier cakes stress me out, so this recipe was perfect. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe!
Anna
Would this recipe be good for layered carrot cake ? i going to make this recipe for mother`s day and i wanted to layer the cream cheese frosting inside of the cake and on top as well. . Should i use the cream cheese recipe for this recipe or the thinker one from the banana cake recipe ?
happyhooligans
I’ve never made it as a layer cake, Anna. I imagine it would be fine made that way. I would use the cream cheese recipe from the banana cake post. It uses a full brick of cream cheese, so it will make more than this one, which would be good as you’re going to be frosting that middle layer.
Karen
Hi! I was just wondering if it would be possible to add walnuts to this recipe? If so, at which stage do you recommend they should be added? Thank you so much! Really love this recipe. Cake looks extremely yummy!
happyhooligans
You bet. I would just stir them into the batter before pouring into the baking dish. You could also sprinkle them on top of the icing if you’d rather.
Michelle`
mine too!!! wtf.. totally disappointed.
happyhooligans
I’m not sure what the reason would be, Michelle. I’m guessing one of your measurements or ingredients might have been off. I’ve made this cake for years – usually once a month, and I’ve never had any troubles with it.
Melissa Prevost
I modified this to be gluten free (I make my own mix of flours) and it turned out beautifully! I made it for a birthday at work and it lasted like 15 minutes! I had doctors who don’t even work in my area coming looking for this amazing cake! This is totally a keeper. And a I totally doubled the icing…
happyhooligans
Yay! So glad it was a huge hit!
David
Hi ..I have made this cake a couple of times …I cut the sugar to 1 cup of sugar ..it come out so good..and I use a frosting that only call for 1 cup of power sugar. ..I’m not into sweet stuff …this is my favorite Carrot Cake…
happyhooligans
So glad you love this cake too! Great tips about cutting back on the sugar. Thanks for sharing!
Astrid
I also used only one cup of sugar and found it to be plenty sweet enough 🙂
I doubled the cream cheese frosting too 🙂
Purple Butterfly
This carrot cake is amazing. Super moist n delicious..Hats off to you.. Thanks for the wonderful recipe
happyhooligans
I’m glad you loved it too!
Christin
Can this cake be made into 3 tiers? I have compared it to similar recipes that have same amount of flour and do have 3 tiers instead of 9×13. Just wondered if that would affect baking time?
happyhooligans
I would think so, Christin. You’d have to alter the baking time to suit the pan size. I would google baking times for assorted cake sizes i.e. 9×9, 8inch round, etc. This recipe makes a lot of icing too. You might have enough to do a triple layer cake.
Chivas
I made it yesterday and it was awesome! Thanks for this recipe 🙂
happyhooligans
Oh good! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Eva
Lovely recipe, thank you.
happyhooligans
Glad you liked it, Eva!
Barb
I followed the recipe, triple checked my measurements and still wound up with cookie dough consistency. I’m worried that it won’t turn out either way 🙁 and that I’ve wasted some good quality organic ingredients. Advice on a way to thin it to appropriate consistency without fouling it up even more?
happyhooligans
Hmm. I make it regularly, Barb, and I’ve never had any issues with the batter being that thick/dense. I just scrolled through the comments on the post, and most people say it turned out beautifully for them. One other person said their batter was more like dough but I can’t imagine what you and she might have done that would result in that happening. Did you bake it? Did it turn out?
Rubina
I just baked it today & I understand what you mean about the texture, but just continue to follow the directions (especially the electric beaters, because the batter is so thick) because it turns out beautifully. Light & moist.
Christine
I made your carrot cake tonight and its awesome! Thank you!
happyhooligans
I’m so glad you loved it, Christine!
Lisa
I make this recipe for my family and I made it for my sisters bridal shower.. Everyone loved it!
happyhooligans
Yay! Glad you love it too, Lisa!
Thalia
Have You tried with melted butter instead of oil? Thanks
happyhooligans
I haven’t, Thalia. Sorry. I’m not sure what the results would be like if you changed the recipe that drastically. Most cakes call for oil, and not butter, so I’m thinking that’s probably for a reason. Baking is such a “science”. I never make major changes to my recipes in case things didn’t work out.
Wendy
I made this and it was a bit dry but I think that it’s due to each oven and probably the altitude. So I added an extra egg, an extra 1/4 cup of oil and I added 1.5 extra cups of carrot. Same cook time (50 minutes). I used a glass baking pan I live in Southern California for reference on altitude and climate I know that does affect bake times and temps.
Rebecca Strachan
I have made this cake before, and loved it I was curious if it was possible to halve the recipe? Would it still come out ok?
happyhooligans
I’m guessing it would, Rebecca, but it’s hard to say. Baking is such a science, and the success of a recipe usually depends on the specific ingredients and amounts being adhered to. You can usually double a recipe without a problem, but halving it, and reducing the amount of some ingredients, may be an issue. Sorry I can’t say for sure!
Nancy
Delicious! This is the 3rd time I have made it and it is so good <3
mary ann
is it all right to add raisins to this recipe? how much can i add and if i soaked the raisins would it have any
effect with the batter? i am just wondering if it would add too much moisture
happyhooligans
I’ve had others tell me they’ve added raisins, and the cake turns out beautifully. I would likely soak my raisins first. I’ve never had a problem with them adding too much moisture to recipes when I soak them for muffins, so I think you’d be alright.
Amy
Amazing cake!! Was a big hit, even the cake haters were going for seconds. The only changes I made, was that I doubled the icing recipe. The cream cheese bricks in Canada are 8oz too, so for half a brick you’re using 4oz of cream cheese not 3oz. I also added 1 tsp of cinnamon into the double batch of icing and sprinkled chopped pecans on top. It won’t let me star rate it for some reason. 5 stars!!
David
I was wondering if I made a 2 9 inch rounds what would be the cook time?
Robyn
Hi, well I read most of the comments, a few didn’t have success but most did so I thought I would give it a go, as we say in Australia. Made it in a large square tin, used slightly less sugar, cooked for about the 50 mins. Used one and a half times the Philly cream and butter (because that’s what I had and didn’t want to chuck the cream in the bin) and the 2 cups icing sugar. It tasted awesome. Oh, I also put in the 1 cup of walnuts. My husband said it was perfect. By the way I really like that the people commenting have actually COOKED the cake, I hate it when people all comment on the picture, like I’m not eating a photo, tell me what it tasted like, I don’t want to waste 4 eggs and strain my arm grating 3 cups of carrots. Thanks for a great recipe.
Frank bass
Looks yummy and easy thxs
Rebecca Budd
Just made this yesterday and it came out perfect my family gave it 5 ⭐️
happyhooligans
Yay! Glad everyone loved it, Rebecca!
Ruth
Happy Easter! I have made this cake before, for my father-in-law’s birthday, as a (9-inch) round, two layer cake. It is divine! Everyone gobbled it up! No adjustments were needed and I too live in Southern California. (I don’t understand why someone else altered the ingredients.) I am making it again for my family Easter gathering and was wondering if you have ever frozen the cakes for a few days and then thawed in the fridge right before frosting? I’m making 3 cakes and 2 batches of cookies so I’m trying to save some time on the day of. Thanks so much for this deliciousness! Absolutely scrumptious!
happyhooligans
I haven’t frozen this cake before, but I’ve done it with lots of box mixed cakes, Ruth. I can’t see why it wouldn’t work for this one. I always let mine thaw at room temperature for a few hours. Sounds like you are going to be busy this weekend! Have a lovely Easter!
Samantha
I made the batter and made sure it was exact measurements. My dough came out very thick/dense. It smells amazing still though so I’m baking it now. Will let you know if it still comes out tasty when the batter is thick like that. I wonder why it came out so thick for only a few of us?
happyhooligans
I don’t know why it would turn out so thick, Samantha, but I’m making it later this afternoon for our Mother’s Day dessert tomorrow, so I’ll pay attention when I’m mixing things to see if I can figure out what might have caused it to turn out like that for you. I hope it bakes well for you. It’s such an amazing cake.
Samantha
Hi again! Update: the cake came out moist and DELICIOUS. I made it for the residents at a care home I work at (skipped the icing because majority are diabetic) and they love it. Thanks so much for the recipe.
I think the issue is I mixed the batter by hand rather than using an electric mixer as recipe required.
Have a wonderful Mothers Day
Samantha
happyhooligans
Yay! I’m so glad it turned out, Samantha, and that everyone loved it! I made it last night, after seeing your comment about mixing it by hand, and I think you’re right. That’s probably the reason it was so thick. Good to know it turns out just as well either way! You have a lovely Mother’s Day too! x
Lois
This is by far the best carrot cake ever! My adult kids ask for it on their birthdays! Have one in the oven right now for son’s birthday tomorrow. It had no nuts and no pineapple which so many carrot cake recipes call for…
happyhooligans
I’m so glad everyone there loves it too, Lois!
Zara
May I know how many and what sized carrots you used for this? I’m not sure how to gauge a number for 3 cups of grated carrot, thanks!
happyhooligans
I just grate mine directly into a large measuring bowl, and I stop grating when I get to the 3 cup mark. What you can do is fill a large glass bowl with 3 cups of water. Mark the outside of the bowl at the waterline with pencil or piece of tape or sticky note. Empty the water and grate your carrots into the bowl, stopping when you get to the waterline mark. You’ll probably require about 3-4 large carrots.
isti
If i wanted to add walnuts and raisins, about how much should i add?
happyhooligans
That’s a good question. I’ve never made it with either. I would google “carrot cake with walnuts and raisins”, and see what the recommended amount is in the recipes that pop up.
Sam
hi this is samuel. I was one of the contestants on junior master chef. Just wanted to say this looks great.
happyhooligans
Congratulations, Sam! You have to try this one. It’s amazing!
marisa
As i type this i have my mouth full of this delicious cake! It was the very first time I’ve baked carrot cake and it was a success!Thnak you so much for sharing this recipe ! the cake is fluffy and moist is just so delicious!50 minutes was just the perfect time for my cake 🙂
happyhooligans
You are so welcome, Marisa! Yay! I’m so glad you love it! It might have been your first time, but I’ll be it won’t be your last! Enjoy!
dot
can you substitute 4 eggs . The carrot cake calls for 4 eggs can I add just 2 and substitute other for applesauce,. I dont like using a lot of eggs.
Can I use olive oil instead of vegetable oil
THanks
Dot
happyhooligans
Baking is a science, and achieving exact results means using the exact ingredients because the results are based on how they interact with each other. You can try substituting – if you’ve had success with that substitution before, you’ll probably be ok, but the cake’s density and texture will likely be different. It may be great – just different. Re: olive oil, most bakers don’t recommend baking with olive oil because of the flavour it imparts, but so again, you can try swapping the oil, but it will likely affect the flavour of the cake.
Catherine
Best carrot cake receipt I have ever eaten so moist I divided into 2 9 inch cake pan and baked itfor 25 minutes to make a double layer 325 oven
happyhooligans
Great to know, Catherine! Thanks you! And I’m glad you loved it too!
Huda
This was so good, thank u so much
happyhooligans
You’re welcome! I’m so glad you loved it!
Becky
So I’m just wondering how big of a bake pan it fills and thickness? I’m making a cake in a design for my friends birthday just trying to figure it out
happyhooligans
It’s a 9×13 baking dish, and probably about 2 to 2.5 inches deep.
Susan
You might want to separate the ingredients for the cake and the ingredients for the icing as I accidentally combined all of the together in my cake.
Glenda Jones
How much do I need to change the recipe so that it is thick enough to use to decorate cupcakes for a wedding .
happyhooligans
That’s a good question, Glenda. I can’t speak from experience here, but if it were me, I would add a icing sugar in small increments until the icing reaches the right consistency.
happyhooligans
I’m not exactly sure, Jen. It’s the only recipe that I’ve made that calls for the baking soda to be dissolved too. I’ve done some googling, and it seems that while there are very few, some recipes do call for the baking soda to be dissolved first in water, milk or yogurt. It speeds up the leavening process. I’m not sure what the difference would be in the cookies if the baking soda wasn’t dissolved first, but because baking is a science, and to get the best results, the instructions should always be followed, I just do what I’m told when baking. lol
Colleen Robertson
Hi, very interested in making your carrot cake for a weekend function (3 days time). I like the ingredient mix. Can you tell me if the oven temperature would be fan forced or normal oven temp? (I am from Australia and we seem to use fan forced the most).
Look forward to your reply, Colleen
happyhooligans
The temp is for a regular oven, Colleen.
Margaret
I made this recipe this week using the icing from the banana cake. Our family just loved it! Huge hit! Thanks for sharing such a great recipe!
happyhooligans
You’re welcome, Margaret! So glad your family loved it too!
Mary Ann Crate
I have done both crazy carrot and banana it was hit not only with my family but with friends as well . The best ever cakes moist melt in your mouth want a second piece of deliciousness. This will always be my go to when I’m ask to make a dessert for a dinner invite .
happyhooligans
I’m so honoured to know that both of my cakes are favourites with you and your peeps, Mary Ann! I made both in one week recently, and even having them back to back, I couldn’t decide which one I loved best.
Janet
I followed all the instructions to the letter and my cake was ready in 36 minutes. Not sure what made me check it but was so glad I did!
happyhooligans
Is it possible that you baked it at 350º instead of 325º, Janet? I know, out of habit, I often set my oven temp to 350º without even thinking about it.
Paul
This Cake is easy to make and is delicious!! Everyone who tried mine, said it’s the best they ever had!!! Thanks for posting!
happyhooligans
Glad your friends and family love it too, Paul!
Rubina
Thank you so much for sharing this recipe! I had another carrot cake recipe to try out, but didn’t like their icing, so I tried yours, which is fantastic. I like the half-brick because it’s such a nice lighter blend of buttery & cream-cheesy perfection! Now to try the cake recipe…
happyhooligans
Yay! I’m so glad you love the icing, Rubina! Let me know how you like the cake!
Rubina
I finally baked the cake & you’re right it’s fantastic!! I also love that all the measurements are so simple…it makes it super-quick to make &.not too many measuring spoons/cups to wash after!
Elise
I’ve baked this recipe twice- first as a sheet cake and then as cupcakes- and enjoyed it both ways. The cupcakes were a little less moist but still delicious. The recipe yields 24 regular size cupcakes and cooked in about 15 minutes. Thank you!
happyhooligans
Good to know, Elise! I’ve never made this recipe as cupcakes!
Niki
Vegetable oil is a no go for us so I’m hoping to experiment with coconut oil, the flavour will be perfect and while it’s solid in Canada it’s liquid in warmer climates… I read how baking is chemistry and curious if you’ve had any feedback on using coconut oil? I’ve used coconut oil for every other baked good with no issues so assuming it’ll be ok but it’s for my baking which is grain free… this is for my husband. If any positive experimentation feedback please share! Thanks 🙂
Ami
Thank u for sharing amazing recipe ….I cooked for my day care kids …n they just loved it !!!
happyhooligans
You’re so welcome! I’m glad they loved it!
Evonne Lee
I’m a big fan of carrot cake and always have to pay a premium for a slice at cafe / bakery. I had no idea it’s so easy and cheap to make and this recipe is a winner. My partner loves it. I added in raisins and walnut. And also reduced the sugar used for cream cheese frosting as i thought the cake was already sweet and wanted to balance it out. Thank you for sharing your recipe!
happyhooligans
You’re so welcome, Evonne! Glad you guys loved it!
Lydia @ Thrifty Frugal Mom
Can’t wait to try this! One question. You say to use 3 oz. cream cheese or 1/2 block. But 1/2 block is actually 4 oz. (They typically are 8 oz. total). Just curious which amount you actually use when you make it.
Nancy
What is the correct amount of cream cheese to use? 3 oz or 4oz.
Jackie Currie
I use half a brick of cream cheese, Nancy. In the recipe, I have that noted as 3oz. If you want a thicker icing, you can use the full brick, but follow the instructions in my “crazy banana cake” recipe if you’re making your frosting that way.
Alex
I doubled the cinnamon to 2 tsp and added crushed pinapple, the pinapple makes it super moist!!! Amazing recipe!
Natalie
This was by far one of my favorite recipes for Carrot Cake. My husband could not get over how delicious this was. It did not last long at all. Thank you for sharing.
happyhooligans
Yay!! You’re so welcome, Natalie!
happyhooligans
And Natalie, you should try my Crazy Banana Cake too. It might be even better than the carrot cake! It’s a tough call. I can’t decide which one is my favourite.
Rachel
Sounds great, I’m thinking about making it in a heart shaped tin for my hubby…think it would be less cooking time :/
happyhooligans
I’m not really sure, Rachel. I would just start checking about 15 minutes before it’s supposed to be done and then every 5 minutes afterwards to make sure you don’t over-bake it.
Leya Dany
Hi,
Whatever you mentioned about this carrot cake is TRUE!!The first time I baked this cake my kids went nuts over it.And I have baked it a dozen times since.My friends,kids’ friends all love it…and some of the words used to describe it were..”amazing,phenomenal”…and more of the kind,I just wish to say thank you for sharing this recipe which has helped me make so many people happy!
Amy
Hi! I was wondering how the cake does structurally. A friend of mine has requested a 2-tier carrot cake for her daughter’s birthday…this one sounds delicious, but I’m not sure if it could handle the weight of another cake on top of it (it would be a little cake; a 6 inch top and an 8 inch bottom).
Cindy
Hello,
I made your crazy banana cake first…DELICIOUS!! Then I saw your crazy carrot cake recipe. This was AMAZING!! I’ve made it 3 times & each time was just as good as the time before! My family said it was better than a restaurant close by who is famous for their carrot cake dessert! Now that’s a great compliment! I never cared much for carrot cake, but this cake is awesome!! The best cake I have ever had. I’m going to try making cupcakes next time with this recipe & hope they come out just as good. This is the only cake that I have ever made that is gone the same day!!! Do you have any other flavored crazy cake recipes, maybe lemon? Thank you again!!
happyhooligans
Hi Cindy! I’m so glad you loved the cakes! Believe it or not, I have one of each in my fridge as we speak! Unfortunately, I don’t have anymore crazy cake recipes, but I do have these cupcakes that are made with crazy ingredients if you want to check them out: https://happyhooligans.ca/crazy-cupcake-recipes/
Cindy
Thank you so much for the cupcake recipes! I will def be trying the orange crush ones for sure. I do have one question: If I made cupcakes out of your crazy carrot cake recipe, how long would I bake them for & at what temperature? I have one cake in the oven now, for tomorrow, Easter & I would love to make the carrot cupcakes for the little ones…thank you so much & Happy Easter!
Sristi
Hi, thank you for sharing this recipe..it turned out so light fluffy n moist. An hour ago i was preparing the batter and now almost half is finished…dat also without the frosting.my hubby n my lil girl loved it.. This will deftly be my go to recipe netym i wanna have carrot cake. Many thanks…
Sristi
Hi, thanks for sharing this amazing recipe. I halved the recipe and substituted vegetable oil with olive. The cake turned out super moist, light n fluffy and it was oh so delicious. My hubby n my lil girl loved it, an hour ago i was preparing the batter and now almost half is gone, that also without the frosting. I am planing to make another one tomorrow morning for my father who is diabetics..so I’ll be substituting sugar with artificial sweetener..hope it turns out yummy like the one i made today…thanks again
happyhooligans
So glad your family loved it, Sristi! Let me know how it turns out tomorrow!
Qudsia
I’ve only tried the frosting for a cake I was already making. I almost doubled all the frosting ingredients except sugar (so basically halved the sugar)…came out perfect for our taste. It’s an easier measurement when doubling up, as I used one stick of butter (1/2 cup; 8oz), and one regular sized cream cheese pack/bar (8 oz). Will be using again and again.. Maybe next time I’ll try adding a little lemon juice and zest in the frosting and a pinch of salt. Will try the cake recipe some day soon.
Raheemah
I would like to made this in two 8/9″ round pans, how long should it bae for. Thanks in advance?
happyhooligans
Hey, Raheemah. A 9×13 should go into two 9″ pans well. As for baking time, I would start checking them at about the 30-35 minute mark and every 5 minutes after. When the edges pull away from the sides of the pans and the surface is springy to the touch, it’s a good sign that it’s ready. Do the toothpick test to make sure though.
Carly
Best carrot cake ever! It is so moist and has lots of flavours!
happyhooligans
Glad you loved it, Carly!
Lauren
Is the cake okay to go in the fridge (not iced) overnight? Or will it dry out? Im
planning on making it a day early for Easter.
happyhooligans
I wouldn’t refrigerate it overnight. I would just cover it with foil or plastic wrap and leave it out. If you do refrigerate it make sure it’s tightly wrapped so it doesn’t dry out at all.
Yamile A. Navarro L.
I was looking for a moist but easy carrot cake recipe. I found many, but this one with the introduction “crazy good” I thought ok, lets give it a try. It took me no time to prepare, I did half of the Batter as I only had 2 eggs, left it 45 minutes. Because I love coffee in my cakes I added a Tbsp instant coffee to the Icing. I have to say the cake is as described here… absolutely moist and delicious! Thank you!
happyhooligans
Yay! I’m so happy you gave it a try, Yamile! I’ve never thought to add coffee to my icing. I’ll bet that would be delicious!
Stephanie
This whole recipe failed miserably. I did everything EXACT and double checked everything before I did it just to be sure. Still turned out horrible. The only thing I did differently was mixing everything by hand. The cake was dry and didn’t rise much and just didn’t taste like carrot cake. The icing was BAD. 2 cups of sugar is way too much and not enough cream cheese at all to cover the cake. Idk what went wrong but it was a disaster.
happyhooligans
I don’t know what could’ve gone wrong either, Stephanie. If you scroll through the comments on the post you’ll see that most of the 150 comments left echo my sentiments – that this is the best carrot cake ever, so something definitely was amiss in your kitchen.
Sally
I read the comments and checked at 35 minutes. My oven runs hot, so it was probably closer to 350 degrees. I gave it another few minutes to make sure, but it was done within 40 minutes. I doubled the icing recipe (except sugar) and added 1 tsp. of cinnamon. I also sprinkled a little cinnamon on top just to make it pretty.
Elisha
Hi there! I’ve tried your banana cake and it was amazing and thought I’d give the carrot cake a try. Had 2 questions though. One, how would you go about adding walnuts? (I’m worried about the moist-mess if I add them). Two, does the recipe turn out the same if you food process the carrots?
Thank you!!
susan mcguire
I had what appeared to be thick cookie dough and thought wth ? so i began to scroll the comments to see if there was a solution or if this is how it was supose to be. i gave up half way through the comments greased the cake pan and wholly molly the batter had changed into a cake batter in the time it took me to do the above. i think what the issue is the carrots and the mixer. I do not have a mixer and so mixing but hand it was thick to use a mixer would of battered the carrots around making more liquid my reason for this thought is as the carrots sat in a bowl while i mixed the dry then added the liquids the carrots had liquid in the bottom of the bowel. love love love this tasty cake thank you
Dent
Hi I tried this with homemade cheesecake and it was yummy! Thanks
Tamara
Hi, I would love to make this recipe soon!
I was wondering if it’s possible to freeze the cake with the frosting so I can enjoy is throughout the next couple of weeks.
happyhooligans
I would think it would freeze well, Tamara. Just let it cool completely and wrap it tightly with plastic wrap and then with foil or with plastic wrap and then into a sealable container.
Zoe
Hi! I made this for a potluck (I think it was my first time making carrot cake) and it was a hit! I had people finding me to tell me how good it was! I did add some extra spices (1/4 tsp nutmeg, 1/4 tsp ground ginger, 1/8 tsp clove) because I’m a fan of pumpkin spice, but again, it was a hit! And I used the banana cake icing, and OMG so tasty!!!
happyhooligans
Yay! So glad everyone loved it, Zoe!
Emily
Could anyone let me know how far in advance i could make this cake? I would need to bake it on the Thursday to be served on the Saturday- would it still be moist?
happyhooligans
Yes, it will still be moist on Saturday. I would probably make it the day before if possible, but sometimes ours lasts for a couple of days, and it’s amazing, right to the last bite. Just make sure it’s sealed well with plastic wrap when you refrigerate it.
Lydia @ Thrifty Frugal Mom
This looks delicious and I’m in the process of making it now. I’d love a clarification though. For the cream cheese you say 3 oz. (half a brick), but half a brick of cream cheese would actually be 4 oz. Do you know which amount you actually use?
Thanks!
Yen
Hi! I have tried this exact recipe over the weekend but used a round 9″ pan for a friend’s birthday. It domed, but still turned out pretty good after frosting with cream cheese and sprinkled some chopped walnuts and carrot cake crumb on top. It was gone in a few minutes!
I still have extra carrots, so I made another batch for my colleagues. This time, I used a 9″ x 13″ sheet cake pan. I added some chopped walnuts and dates (since we have a lot of it here in Qatar). I adjusted the temperature a bit lower, covered the pan with aluminum foil, but made sure to add extra baking time. It was perfect! I had no more cream cheese frosting, so I brought it at work as a plain carrot cake. They were asking for more! 🙂
The picture is posted in my Instagram account: @kapitanaskitchen
Thanks a lot for this recipe!!!
Jackie Currie
So glad you loved it! I checked out your IG. The round cake you frosted looks amazing!
Brittany
I’m making this recipe for some clients of mine, but she wants them in cupcake form! 24 cupcakes. Would you recommend I add more to this recipe? How long would you cook it for? Thanks!!
Jackie Currie
I haven’t done it with this recipe, but I’ve done it with other cake recipes, Brittany. Just watch your bake time. Do a toothpick test much sooner than you would for a cake. I would start testing at the 15 minute mark.
Jo
I just made the cake & it turned out really well but . . . . the frosting turned to liquid. I’ve got it in the fridge hoping it will thicken up, my kitchen was a bit hot. Is it possible to overheat it? Do you think that would teen it into liquid?
Think I’m going to have to start over ☹️
Jackie Currie
Oh my. I’ve never heard of that happening, but it does make sense. Butter turns to liquid when temperatures are very warm, so I’m guessing the butter in the frosting did just that. Hopefully it will firm up in the fridge, and you can beat it again.
Carly
Hi, I’ve never made carrot cake before and I’m planning on making this today for my boyfriends birthday tomorrow. Would you recommend leaving the icing off until I serve it or will it be ok iced overnight?
Thank you!
Carly 🙂
Jackie Currie
Hi Carly! You’re in for a treat! It’s so good!! You’ll be fine to ice it the day before. Just keep it covered in the fridge overnight. You can take it out a little ahead of time so it’s not super-cold when you serve it.
Amanda
Soo good and sooo easy! I don’t care for carrot cake, but I’m obsessed with this cake! Delicious!
Nakita
I have made this recipe 5 times in the last 2 months because every week we need to go to a party it’s been requested! The only alteration I make is subbing out one egg for a mashed ripe banana and boy is it delicious! Will never make another carrot cake again
Jackie Currie
Wow! That’s so great to hear, Nakita! I’m glad you love this cake as much as we do!
Charlotte Laviolette
I absolutely love this recipe. So does my husband! The only problem is that everytime I make it, and it’s been at least 20 times, it falls in the middle. I have a convection oven, and I have tried baking it several different temperatures and times and it still always falls. Any suggestions? Thanks
Jackie Currie
I’m sorry, Charlotte. I don’t know what would cause your cake to collapse in the middle every time. I make it often, and I’ve never had that happen. I wish I had an answer for you!
Jackie Currie
Hey Charlotte! I just came across this article, and thought about you. I wonder if you’re beating the batter at too high of a speed? https://blog.kingarthurflour.com/2014/07/15/how-to-prevent-dense-gluey-streaks-in-your-cake/
Ella
Just tried this recipe. It is absolutely the best carrot cake I’ve ever made. My 4 year old devoured it over the chocolate cake next to it. Thank you
Jackie Currie
Yay! So glad your family loves it as much as we do, Ella! I’d take it over chocolate cake any day too!
Von
I’ve been craving carrot cake for a while, so I chose this recipe to try for Easter potluck at the office… I was not disappointed.
I love baking, but I’m disabled and have a hard time getting around; therefore, I prefer easy recipes with minimal prep/cleanup, and this fit the bill. It smelled wonderful, tasted better, and the cream cheese icing was to die for~ my coworkers loved it, and I’m going to bake another one for us (my husband and I) tomorrow.
-I might try again with a bit more sugar, since he prefers sweeter cake. But the recipe as is was perfect for me. Will definitely make this again.
Jackie Currie
Yay! I’m glad you loved it so much too, Von! I made one last weekend and I’m making another this weekend for Easter too!
Arantxa Beatriz St-Maurice
Ive been making this for a couple of years now, it’s definitely my “go to”, I definitely love how it’s on the “healthier” side of cakes seeing that the greatest ingredient used is carrots.
I grate my carrots on the big side. I’ve tried it with the smaller side especially when making mini cupcakes but I don’t see much of a difference. I like how I can grate the carrots ahead of time and when I’m ready to bake it’s already grated. Roughly 3 large carrots makes 3 cups. I’ve also only ever used brown sugar and it tastes amazing.
I’ve used it to make cakes, cupcakes and mini cupcakes in many occasions, baby showers, kids birthday’s (my eldest is 4 so I am more than happy to choose this healthier option on their birthdays) and just a lunch with friends. I’ve even made it as just muffins (without the icing) as a good afternoon snack when out and about. The batter makes about 84 mini cupcakes, or 24 regular cupcakes and are cooked in abt 15 and 22 mins respectively. The icing also goes well with Wilton decorator preferred fondant. They also freeze well, defrost super quickly. I’ve even forgotten one in the back of the fridge and tried it over a week later (maybe even 2 weeks) and it was still amazing and moist.
Thank you so much for this super easy recipe!
Roschelle
Seriously bad for my waistline but it’s soooo good. It is definitely the best carrot cake I Have had. I wanted to add a tin of crushed pineapple so I reduced the carrots to 2 cups. Added an extra teaspoon of cinnamon. My batter was too think even before adding the carrots or pineapple so I added an extra egg. A extremely delicious result. Thank you for the recipe. This is defilitly my go to carrot cak3 recipe.
Rochelle
I’m sorry, Not being rude or disrespectful, but I’m just wondering, Why people ask if u can add this or substitute that? she is simply sharing HER VERSION of the recipe. Try your own version then if it works for u let us know, Thank u for sharing this delicious recipe! I added 1\2 cup each of raisins and walnuts. Then followed the recipe as written
Simply Divine!!!!
Lujain
I know this comment is very very late and idk if you’re gonna see it, but this is literally the best carrot cake I’ve ever tried in my life! And I’ve got the same comment from every person that tasted it and now it became my favorite dessert to make!! Much love and respect 🙂
robyn
Do you use salted or unsalted butter?
Jackie Currie
I always use salted butter when baking because that’s what I have on hand. Many people prefer to use unsalted for baking, but this cake will work either way.
Megan
This was a perfect carrot cake recipe. I used 1 pound of carrots and baked it for 50 minutes and it turned out perfectly. The only thing I added was a little bit of ground ginger. Sometimes I find carrot cakes too sweet, but I really enjoyed this one. I didn’t make the frosting, but opted for store bought cream cheese frosting and added a couple of tablespoons of sour cream for some tang. Great and easy cake!
Jackie Currie
Glad you loved it, Megan!
Judy
Hi there I made your banana cake in bundt pan and it turned out great, can carrot cake recipe be cooked in one also?
Jackie Currie
I would imagine so, Judy. I’ve never tried it, but if the banana cake worked, I’m guessing the carrot cake would as well.
Daphne
I added 100g chopped pecan nuts. Everyone who tasted this cake said it was the best they had eaten. Thank you for this wonderful recipe.
Jackie Currie
Thanks so much for the 5-star review, Daphne! I’m glad you loved this recipe too!
Zenobia
For no apparent reason, I never liked carrot cake. Then I tasted it once, and ever since that day I’ve been eating it. It tasted so good that I thought, this must be very difficult to achieve.
After I stumbled across your recipe, saw the little ingredients required and how easy it was to assemble, I took up the challenge.
I baked one today, and it exceeded my expectations.
Thank you for sharing this recipe.
I can now show off my baking skills, by taking it to family celebrations. Love this cake
Jackie Currie
Thanks so much for the wonderful review, Zenobia!
Linda
This is my go-to! So quick and simple to make and it tastes delicious every time! I add a couple tablespoons of lemon juice to the frosting to give it a fresh pop. Thank you so much for this great recipe!
Jackie Currie
I’m so happy to hear it’s one of your favourites too, Linda. I’m going to add a dash of lemon to my frosting next time!
GabbyJ
Have made this same recipe for years,,,love it!
Lately, been baking it in 2 8×8 foil pans and freeze one for later..
Have also, used 2 cups grated carrot and 1 grated Zuchinni…Yum!
Jackie Currie
Great idea, Gabby! Glad to know that works!
SHAWNA
Can I substitute anything for the oil without compromising the taste/moisture? I just kind of cringe when I think of a whole cup of vegetable oil in a cake. I was thinking melted grass fed butter maybe?
Jackie Currie
I can’t say for sure, Shawna. I’ve only used oil. I would do some googling about replacing oil with butter in a cake recipe. It might be ok or it might seriously affect the results. Wish I could be of more help. Sorry!
Deborah
This is the best carrot cake I have ever made. A very strong point to make is I followed the directions exactly. Even the 2min to beat mix with electric mixer. I added my own golden raisins and it only took 50 minutes to cook. My son loves carrot cake so I am super excited for him to try this when he comes home from school.
Jackie Currie
I’m glad you loved it, Deborah! I’ve made it twice in the past few weeks as we’ve had a couple of birthdays here, and this was the cake that was requested both times. 🙂
Janice
I think it was a great basic recipe and it is definitely a keeper! But I found it somewhat dry? Ami missing a liquid I.in the recipe? Otherwise loved it and will definitely try baking it for less time next time? I baked for 50 minutes but did use an amber glass pan and maybe should have dropped the temp to 325. Great flavour and my discriminating nine year old granddaughter loved it.
Tess Seaward
This is the only carrot cake I ever bake ! Thank you so much for this recipe..