Classic Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
Most carrot cakes are heavy on spice but light on actual carrot flavor. As a carrot cake lover, I wanted the carrots to shine, so I kept the spices subtle and used carrots in two ways. First, a caramelized carrot purée mixes the batter, infusing every crumb. Second, I fold a generous amount of freshly shredded carrots for that classic texture and flavor.
To top this cake, I’ve chosen my Cream Cheese American Buttercream. My carrot cake is not overly sweet, and the frosting leans a bit sweeter, which works well. Feel free to make this cake a day ahead of time - as the cake sits in the fridge, the cake flavors meld together even more and the carroty flavor and spices migrate to the frosting, which I find delicious.
What makes this carrot cake’s flavor special?
The key to getting an intense carrot flavor in my cake is using two types of carrots: a caramelized carrot puree and finely shredded carrots.
Roasting the carrots caramelizes the sugars, which enhances the flavor. Baking soda is added to the carrots before roasting because it promotes the Maillard reaction, which is the chemical reaction that produces the browning of food and delicious toasty flavors. We then puree the carrots with a bit of butter, which releases the fat-soluble carotenoids. This disperses evenly throughout the batter, giving the final a beautiful natural orange color.
A carrot cake wouldn’t be complete without the second type, shredded carrots. Carrots integrate more evenly into the cake's crumb by finely shredding them. I don’t blot or remove moisture from the carrots in this recipe. Carrots also contain juices, which provide moisture and flavor.
My carrot cake recipe also uses a combination of butter and oil to create a lighter crumb. Cakes containing only oil (and no other aeration technique, such as adding beaten egg whites) are super moist, but the crumb is also heavier and denser. This is quite lovely in some cakes and common for carrot cakes. But I think you'll find my version lighter, which makes it ideal for stacking into layer cakes.
What is the size of this carrot cake?
The carrot cake recipe below makes a 6-inch 3-layer cake filled and frosted with 5 ¼ cups of Cream Cheese American Buttercream. It serves 6-8 adults with a nice slice of cake (pictured above).
This cake requires three 6-inch pans. Each cake layer bakes up about 1 inch tall; all said and done, my frosted cake is about 10 inches tall. If you only have two pans (or one), you can bake the layers sequentially. Just make sure your pans are cleaned and prepped before using them again.
You’ll also need a cake board, platter, or cake stand to hold your cake.
Here’s how to know how big a board/plate you’ll need: This is a 6-inch cake, and usually, we need a bit of clearance for decorating. Plus, it looks a little more polished with a slightly bigger board. Aim for at least 2 inches bigger than your cake size, so 8 inches for this cake style.
You can make this cake using either a stand mixer or a hand mixer.
One thing to note, however, is that when you use a hand mixer, the cake will come out slightly denser and therefore shorter (about 1/8 to1/4 of an inch less). The aeration of this cake depends on mixing the fats and sugars thoroughly until they are very light, which can be difficult to do with a hand mixer. So, if you prefer a more aerated cake, use the stand mixer. The hand mixer still makes an incredible cake and is what I used for the cake in this tutorial. (For contrast, the carrot cake in my Carrot Cake YouTube video was made using a stand mixer.)
Also, inclusions (such as nuts, raisins, etc.) all decrease the cake's rise just a bit, not so much that I don’t use them—you’ll see in these pics that I used toasted pecans as the flavor tradeoff is worth the bit of extra rise. These, of course, are optional.
Can my carrot cake be made into a different size or cupcakes?
If you want a bigger cake (or an entirely different shape, e.g., 9X13), you can create your cake using my Cakeculator, which allows you to build a recipe based on the pan size you’re trying to bake. For the Cake Flavor, select “Carrot Lover’s,” and for the Frosting Flavor, select “Cream Cheese American Buttercream.” Choose any pan size you need.
The selections for this exact recipe are:
Cake Flavor: Carrot Lover’s
Pan Size: 6” (15.2 cm) round, 3 layers
Frosting Flavor: Cream Cheese American Buttercream
Frosting Level: Medium
What is the frosting like for this carrot cake?
My cream cheese American buttercream is made with cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, and a bit of vanilla. It’s the easiest cream cheese frosting I have on my site, and I can have it ready for a cake in about 15 minutes. Because it is American Buttercream, it is on the sweeter side but also the cream-cheesiest.
My cream cheese frosting is stable due to the mixing method, which requires us to mix the butter and powdered sugar before adding the cream cheese. This allows the cream cheese to remain intact rather than softening up, which occurs when it is saturated with sugar. You’ll find mine incredibly easy to decorate and work with.
How far in advance can you make this carrot cake?
This cake is best consumed within 24-48 hours of baking the cake layers. Usually, I bake my carrot cake layers the day before I need to serve them. I wrap them in plastic and keep them on my countertop. The day of serving, I’ll whip up the buttercream (this particular one only takes me about 15 minutes to make) and work on assembly.
I’ll then place the frosted cake in the fridge to firm up, if needed. Always allow it to come to room temperature for about 30 minutes before serving.
Alternatively, you can do this all in one day—this is not an enormously complex cake. To save even more time, you could always make the carrot puree ahead of time and store it in the fridge until you need it for the cake batter.
Step by step:
This is a visual tutorial for assembling the cake. If you need help making the carrot cake, I have another, more detailed post with visuals on the carrot cake process. Likewise, I have a great tutorial on my Cream Cheese American Buttercream here.
Also, if you need help selecting cake tools, check out my Cake Tools Guide.
STEP 1 | LEVEL (AND OPTIONALLY, DIVIDE) YOUR CAKE LAYERS
If your cake layers have domed tops, use a serrated knife or cake leveler to trim them flat (1a). I usually use my shortest cake as a guide, so they are all the same size. This will make stacking and decorating easier (1b).
Note: You can also slice your cake layers in half horizontally to get thinner layers. In this case, you’ll have six layers, each about ½ inches high. (If you go this route, you’ll repeat step 3 until all the layers are used up—just make sure you don’t use up all your frosting, so use about half as you normally would to fill.)
STEP 2 | PREPARE YOUR CAKE BOARD OR LARGE PLATE.
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Place a small dollop of frosting in the center of your cake board or serving plate to anchor the cake to the board. Center the first cake layer on the board (3a).
STEP 3 | PLACE THE FIRST CAKE LAYER.
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Place a generous amount of frosting (a little less than 1 cup) in the center of the cake (3b). Spread it evenly, going from edge to edge (3c).
STEP 4 | REPEAT WITH THE SECOND LAYER.
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Place the second cake layer on top of the frosted one (4a). Check at eye level to ensure the cake is even. Press down gently to secure. Add another layer of frosting and spread evenly (4b).
STEP 5 | TOP WITH THE FINAL CAKE LAYER.
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Place your final cake layer upside down (so the bottom is facing up) for a flat, clean top.
STEP 6 | APPLY A CRUMB COAT.
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Spread a thin layer of frosting over the entire cake to prevent any crumbs from showing (6a). It may look messy; don’t worry, this is normal. Chill the cake for about 30 minutes to allow it to set (6b).
STEP 7 | APPLY A TOP COAT.
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Apply a thicker layer of frosting to the cake (7a). Smooth the sides and top with a spatula or bench scraper (7b).
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Optionally, you can decorate by piping some swirls along the perimeter or other designs. I decided to just add some toasted nuts along with some edible garden flowers for a simpler design (7c).
STEP 8 | CHILL OR SERVE.
Chill for 20–30 minutes for clean slices, or serve immediately if you prefer.
Cakes with cream cheese frosting should only stay at room temperature for 2 hours. After that, I place the cake in the fridge, where the frosting will firm up completely after a couple of hours. I then wrap the cake in plastic wrap to keep any odors out. This cake is excellent to serve the next day; just remove the plastic wrap before it reaches room temperature; otherwise, you risk messing up your buttercream.
Video
Read this before you begin
Measure by weight, if possible.
Measuring by weight is the best way for you to replicate my recipes. I develop recipes using ingredients (even liquids) measured in grams, which is why you see them listed first in the recipe cards. For measurements under 5 grams, I will typically only list the volumetric measurements (teaspoons, etc.), as most home scales are not precise for such small weights.
In most cases, I have converted grams to volumetric measurements (aka US customary units) for bakers who prefer this method. However, the measurements are not as precise and may have awkward proportions. The recipes should still work, but for the ultimate precision, try to use weight.
This is the OXO scale I use daily. I also purchased this budget version of a good scale, which I keep at my Mom’s house for baking. If you’re interested in other tools I use for my baking, I’ve compiled a list here.
Use room temperature ingredients.
All my ingredients should be used at room temperature, or 65-75 °F/18-24 °C. I will always indicate if you need something outside this range. If no details are given, room temperature is the default.
Pay attention to the ingredient descriptions.
I try not to be brand-specific, but I will always note an interesting result from a type of ingredient, be it negative or positive.
A specific note regarding salt: I use Diamond Crystal Kosher salt for everything on this site except for frostings. In frostings, you want the salt to dissolve more easily, and kosher salt tends to leave granules behind. If you substitute table salt (more finely granulated) for recipes that list kosher salt, you must use half the volume indicated in my recipes.
Substitutions are hard.
That said, substitutions aren’t impossible but can be the toughest part of recipe development. Small swaps, like reduced-fat milk (2% fat) for whole milk (3.5% fat), usually work fine. However, bigger changes—such as replacing oil with applesauce or sour cream with Greek yogurt—can significantly impact texture and density.
Be wary of general, all-purpose substitutions in baking; I find that usually there is never a one size-fits-all solution. I carefully select ingredients for my recipes, so for the best results, start with the original recipe and modify with caution.
Read all the recipe instructions before beginning.
I’m in the “Pre-read the Chapter before Class Lecture” club... and I invite you to join! Baking new recipes can be intimidating, so let’s set you up for success. I want you to think about timeframes. Most fillings and frostings can be made ahead of time, and give you an extra day for mental space. Also, as you become a more proficient baker, you can anticipate and recognize steps. (“Oh, this has a meringue step, so I’ll need an extra clean bowl…” etc.) Ensure you go down the ingredient list and have everything at the right temperature.
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Carrot Lover’s Cake with Cream Cheese American Buttercream
Carrot Puree:
- 49 g ( 3 ½ tablespoons) unsalted butter (🥕 carrot puree)
- ½ teaspoon baking soda (🥕 carrot puree)
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt (🥕 carrot puree)
- 392 g (2 ⅔ cups) carrots*, peeled & sliced 1/4 in. (🥕 carrot puree)
Carrot Cake:
- 130 g (1 ⅛ cups) carrots*, finely grated
- 236 g (2 cups) all-purpose flour, unbleached
- 2 ⅛ teaspoons baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt (I use Diamond Crystal Kosher; for fine salt, add half the volume)
- ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
- 210 g (¾ cup) caramelized carrot puree**
- 49 g (3 ½ tablespoons) sour cream, full-fat
- 4 g (¾ teaspoon) vanilla extract
- 61 g (4 ¼ tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened slightly
- 280 g (1 ⅓ cups) brown sugar (light or dark)
- 32 g (2 ½ tablespoons) oil (canola or vegetable)
- 70 g (3 ½ large) egg yolks (whisk yolks, then measure out)
- 88 g (1 ¾ large) whole eggs (whisk eggs, then measure out)
- 3/4 cup add-ins***
Cream Cheese American Buttercream:
- 396 g (1 ¾ cups) full-fat cream cheese, cold from fridge
- 343 g (1 ½ cups + ½ tablespoon) unsalted butter, cold from the fridge
- 490 g (4 ⅛ cups) powdered (confectioner's) sugar, unsifted if not clumpy
- 9 g (1 ¾ teaspoons) vanilla extract
- 2 g (¼ teaspoon) fine sea salt
Carrot Puree:
- 49 g ( 3 ½ tablespoons) unsalted butter (🥕 carrot puree)
- ½ teaspoon baking soda (🥕 carrot puree)
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt (🥕 carrot puree)
- 392 g (2 ⅔ cups) carrots*, peeled & sliced 1/4 in. (🥕 carrot puree)
Carrot Cake:
- 130 g (1 ⅛ cups) carrots*, finely grated
- 236 g (2 cups) all-purpose flour, unbleached
- 2 ⅛ teaspoons baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt (I use Diamond Crystal Kosher; for fine salt, add half the volume)
- ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
- 210 g (¾ cup) caramelized carrot puree**
- 49 g (3 ½ tablespoons) sour cream, full-fat
- 4 g (¾ teaspoon) vanilla extract
- 61 g (4 ¼ tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened slightly
- 280 g (1 ⅓ cups) brown sugar (light or dark)
- 32 g (2 ½ tablespoons) oil (canola or vegetable)
- 70 g (3 ½ large) egg yolks (whisk yolks, then measure out)
- 88 g (1 ¾ large) whole eggs (whisk eggs, then measure out)
- 3/4 cup add-ins***
Cream Cheese American Buttercream:
- 396 g (1 ¾ cups) full-fat cream cheese, cold from fridge
- 343 g (1 ½ cups + ½ tablespoon) unsalted butter, cold from the fridge
- 490 g (4 ⅛ cups) powdered (confectioner's) sugar, unsifted if not clumpy
- 9 g (1 ¾ teaspoons) vanilla extract
- 2 g (¼ teaspoon) fine sea salt
Carrot Cake
- Make the caramelized carrot puree (Use the ingredients labeled: "🥕 carrot puree"):
a. Preheat the oven to 400°F (205 °C).
b. Add the butter to a small baking dish and place it in the oven until melted for a few minutes. Remove the pan and carefully stir in the baking soda and salt. Toss the carrots in the melted butter.
c. Cover with foil and bake for about 45-50 minutes. Remove the foil during the last 10 minutes to get some extra caramelization. You'll know they're done when the carrots are slightly caramelized (browned) on their surfaces and easily mashed with a fork. If not, keep baking uncovered.
d. Puree the carrots using a blender or food processor.
e. Set your carrot puree aside to cool for at least 15 minutes before using. You can also do this step ahead of time and store your carrot puree in an airtight container in the fridge. If I’m moving straight through the recipe, I’ll grate my carrots (in the next step) and prep my mix-ins (such as chopping nuts) while I wait. - Preheat the oven for the cakes.
Move your rack to the middle position. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180 °C). - Prepare the pans.
Butter or spray the insides of three 6" cake pans with oil, and line the bottoms with a circle of parchment paper. (If you don't have 3 pans, you can bake the cakes sequentially. The batter will be fine sitting out at room temp.) - Grate carrots.
Using the small holes on a box grater, finely grate the carrots. Place them into a bowl so they don't dry out. (Don't blot them dry; we want all that carrot goodness, moisture, and all to flavor our cake.) - Prepare the dry and wet mixtures.
Whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and allspice in a small bowl for 30 seconds. Set the bowl aside.
In a measuring cup, stir the cooled carrot puree, sour cream, and vanilla until the sour cream is smooth. Set that aside as well. - Cream the fats with sugar.
In a mixer with the paddle attachment, beat the softened butter, brown sugar, and oil at medium-high speed until smooth, about 2-4 minutes. Scrape down the bowl at least once. - Add eggs.
At the lowest speed, mix the yolks to combine. Add in the egg(s), turn the speed up to medium, and mix until the batter no longer looks curdled and is smooth and light brown in 30 seconds.
Don’t overmix at this step, or you risk over-aerating the batter, which will cause the cake to rise during baking and inevitably fall during cooling (the crumb is just too heavy with the carrots). It will still be yummy and frostable, though. - Alternate adding the dry and wet mixtures.
Add the dry ingredients in 3 additions and the wet (carrot–sour cream) in 2, alternating as follows:
a. Add half the flour and mix on low just until incorporated. Scrape down.
b. Add half the carrot–sour cream mixture, mix, and scrape.
c. Mix half of the remaining flour mixture on low speed and scrape down the sides.
d. Add the rest of your sour cream-carrot mixture, mix it on low, and scrape.
e. Finish with the remaining flour, shredded carrots, and any add-ins. Fold by hand to avoid overmixing and break up any clumps of carrots. If your batter has many add-ins (or even just carrots), smooth it out with a spatula to ensure it's even in the pan, so it bakes evenly. - Fill the pans.
Evenly distribute the batter into the prepared pans. - Bake for about 23-28 minutes.
When you shake the pan, the centers should not jiggle. A skewer inserted in the center should only have a few crumbs. If you have a thermometer, the internal temperature should be around 190-200°F/88-93°C. - Cool and remove the cakes.
Move the pans to a wire rack and allow to cool slightly in the pan.
I remove cakes while still slightly warm to help retain moisture. Once the pan is cool enough to handle, run a knife around the edge. Then, carefully invert it onto a wire rack or a plate. The cake should release easily—just peel off the parchment.
This is a stopping point. You can wrap the cake layers in plastic and leave them on the counter. Frost and serve the next day. Or, you can forge ahead and do everything in one day. However, if you leave your cake out for more than 30 minutes, wrap it in plastic to prevent it from drying out.
Cream Cheese American Buttercream
- Smooth out the cream cheese.
In a large mixing bowl (using a stand mixer, attach your paddle attachment), mix the cold cream cheese on low speed until smooth and no lumps remain. Mix as little as possible and stop when it's smooth.
You can check with a spatula by smearing it around a little, scraping the cream cheese into another small bowl, and setting it aside. - Smooth out the butter.
Cut the cold butter into chunks so it’s easier to work with, and add it to the same bowl. There is no need to clean the bowl or attachments. Cream until smooth, with no visible lumps. - Add the powdered sugar in increments.
Add about a third of the powdered sugar (no need to measure exactly) and mix on low speed. Once combined, add the next third and repeat the process. With the final addition, mix in the vanilla and a pinch of salt—cream cheese is already salted, so adjust to taste at the end. If using a hand mixer, this part takes the longest; I use a scraping motion to help it come together faster. - Add cream cheese and smooth out the buttercream.Add the smooth, cold cream cheese to the butter-sugar mixture and mix on low until the lumps disappear. Use a spatula to finish blending—the frosting will thin out slightly as the cream cheese is incorporated. Avoid overmixing to prevent the frosting from becoming too thin.
Assembly
- Level (and optionally, divide) your cake layers
If your cake layers have domed tops, use a serrated knife or cake leveler to trim them flat. I usually use my shortest cake as a guide, so they are all the same size. This will make stacking and decorating easier.
You can also slice your cake layers in half horizontally to get thinner layers. In this case, you’ll have six layers, each about ½ inches high. (If you go this route, you’ll repeat step 3 until all the layers are used up—just make sure you don’t use up all your frosting, so use about half as you normally would to fill.)
- Prepare your cake board or large plate.
Place a small dollop of frosting in the center of your cake board or serving plate to anchor the cake to the board. - Place the first cake layer.
Center the first cake layer on the board. Place a generous amount of frosting (a little less than 1 cup) in the center of the cake. Spread it evenly, going from edge to edge. - Repeat with the second layer.
Place the second cake layer on top of the frosted one. Check at eye level to ensure the cake is even. Press down gently to secure. Add another layer of frosting and spread evenly. - Top with the final cake layer.
Place your final cake layer upside down (so the bottom is facing up) for a flat, clean top. - Apply a crumb coat.
Spread a thin layer of frosting over the entire cake to prevent any crumbs from showing. It may look messy; don’t worry, this is normal. Chill the cake for about 30 minutes to allow it to set. - Apply a top coat.
Apply a thicker layer of frosting to the cake. Smooth the sides and top with a spatula or bench scraper.
Optionally, you can decorate by piping some swirls along the perimeter or other designs. I decided to just add some toasted nuts along with some edible garden flowers for a simpler design. - Chill or serve.Chill for 20–30 minutes for clean slices, or serve immediately if you prefer.
Cakes with cream cheese frosting should only stay at room temperature for 2 hours. After that, I place the cake in the fridge, where the frosting will firm up completely after a couple of hours. I then wrap the cake in plastic wrap to keep any odors out. This cake is excellent to serve the next day; just remove the plastic wrap before it reaches room temperature; otherwise, you risk messing up your buttercream.
Recipe Card - Adriana's Notes
*The quality of this cake hinges on the carrots. Try to find bright orange and sweet ones, preferably with the greens attached, so you know they’re fresh!
**The initial roasting step may yield extra carrot puree. Roast using the amounts indicated for the carrot puree, and then measure how much you need.
***Dried fruit and nuts are "add-ins" for carrot cake and are pretty divisive; you either love or hate them in your cakes. You can alter this recipe to suit any palate.
You can add up to the total volume indicated in your recipe. Things that work well are raisins, currants, toasted walnuts or pecans, chopped candied ginger, a pinch of finely grated orange zest, or shredded coconut. My favorites are raisins, toasted pecans, and just a touch of orange zest.
If you add extra ingredients, smooth out your batter so that it bakes evenly. (This is not necessary for cupcakes.) Also, it may take a couple of minutes longer to bake with additions, so use a skewer or thermometer to ensure there is no uncooked batter in the center.
****I have only tried making this buttercream with block-style cream cheese.
*****Try to use the highest-quality powdered sugar you can find, which is typically labeled “10X” or higher. Generic brands tend to cut their powdered sugar with a higher ratio or coarser types of starch, which, when uncooked, can feel grainy or sandy in the final frosting. One American brand that works well for me is C&H.
Recommended Sugar Lab Recipes + Experiments
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