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Moist Carrot Cake

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The best recipe for Moist Carrot Cake! Very easy to make and topped with quick vanilla cream cheese frosting and chopped nuts.

Easy one layer cakes are my favorite, just like the popular One-Bowl Chocolate Cake and my Apple Crumb Cake.

moist carrot cake Moist Carrot Cake

This is my go-to carrot cake recipe. It’s moist, sweet, delicious and so easy to make. I don’t make layer cakes anymore, instead, I go for easy cakes, like my One-Bowl Chocolate Cake. The fewer dishes I need to use, the better. You only need one bowl, one measuring cup and one baking pan to make this delicious treat! Each piece melts in your mouth, and you can’t help yourself but reach for another one. This recipe can be made into cupcakes as well.

Ingredients:

  • all-purpose flour
  • white sugar
  • brown sugar
  • baking powder
  • baking soda
  • cinnamon, ginger, cloves
  • eggs
  • canola oil
  • vanilla extract
  • carrots
  • cream cheese
  • butter
  • powdered sugar

How to make Moist Carrot Cake?

  • Start by greasing and flouring your cake pan or simply line it with parchment paper.
  • Whisk together dry ingredients. Combine wet ingredients in a large measuring cup. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients, then fold in carrots. The batter will be thick.
  • Pour batter onto prepared baking pan. Bake until toothpick inserted in a few places comes out clean.
  • Make frosting by beating together cream cheese and butter. Add powdered sugar and vanilla and beat until creamy. Spread over cake. Chill cake until ready to serve. Top with chopped walnuts or pecans before serving.

carrot cake batter Moist Carrot Cake

Kitchen tools needed:

To make this cake you will need one mixing bowl, a whisk, one large measuring cup (for wet ingredients) and one square or round 8″ pan.

Best tips:

  • grate carrots on small hole side of your grater: you won’t have long strings of carrots in your cake.
  • measure out the flour: fluff it with a fork or spoon in the container you store your flour in; then spoon it into the measuring cup, level out the top. Do not dip your measuring cup right into the flour. You will end up with too much of it and the cake won’t be fluffy and moist.
  • add nuts, raisins or shredded coconut.
  • add cinnamon and nutmeg to frosting for added spice!

More easy dessert recipes:

For more recipes like this one, feel free to browse our Dessert Category.

pin it button Moist Carrot Cake

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5 from 15 votes
moist carrot cake A 150x150 Moist Carrot Cake
Print
Moist Carrot Cake
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
25 mins
Total Time
40 mins
 

The best recipe for Moist Carrot Cake! Very easy to make and topped with quick vanilla cream cheese frosting and chopped nuts.

Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: carrot cake
Servings: 9 servings
Calories: 443 kcal
Author: Anna
Ingredients
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 2 large eggs room temperature
  • 1/2 cup canola oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1.5 cup shredded carrots see note
  • 4 oz. cream cheese softened
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter softened
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 cups powdered sugar sifted
US Customary - Metric
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour 8" square or round cake pan (or line with parchment paper). Set aside.
  2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, sugars, baking powder, soda, cinnamon, ginger and cloves.
  3. In a large measuring cup, whisk oil with eggs. Add vanilla and whisk well.
  4. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and stir in with a wooden spoon.
  5. Add carrots and stir in well.
  6. Pour batter into prepared pan, tap it against the counter to release any air bubbles.
  7. Bake for 25 to 28 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in a few places comes out clean.
  8. Cool completely before frosting.
  9. To make frosting: in a large mixing bowl, beat cream cheese for 30 seconds. Add butter and beat for 2 minutes. Add powdered sugar, 1/4 cup at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Spread frosting on cake.
  10. Chill cake until ready to serve.
Recipe Notes
  • to measure out flour properly: fluff it with a fork or spoon in the container you store your flour in; then spoon it into the measuring cup, level out the top. Do not dip your measuring cup right into the flour. You will end up with too much of it and the cake won't be fluffy and moist.
  • grate carrots on small hole side of your grater
  • the cream cheese and butter should be very soft, as in you have to scrape it off the wrapper
Nutrition Facts
Moist Carrot Cake
Amount Per Serving
Calories 443 Calories from Fat 198
% Daily Value*
Fat 22g34%
Saturated Fat 6g38%
Cholesterol 63mg21%
Sodium 103mg4%
Potassium 167mg5%
Carbohydrates 57g19%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 44g49%
Protein 3g6%
Vitamin A 3940IU79%
Vitamin C 1.2mg1%
Calcium 53mg5%
Iron 1mg6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Ligita Millar says

    Good recipe. Used nutmeg and cinnamon only, no cloves or ginger in the batter. Also added raisins and walnuts. Topped with crushed walnuts before baking. No frosting, just icing sugar for serving. Delicious!

    Reply

  2. Salma E. says

    This carrot cake was a m a z i n g!! It was so moist, soft, and flavorful — even after storing it in the fridge! Fantastic recipe.

    Reply

  3. Danny says

    Made this today! Came out lovely. Wasn’t crumbly and was quite most. Would probably bake two next time for a double layer since there was a remainder of frosting.
    Thanks so much for this recipe.

    Reply

  7. Vanessa says

    Looks delicious! I noticed in the pictures you can see nuts in the cake, but you don’t mention nuts in the recipe.

    Reply

  8. Patricia says

    Carrot cake is one of my faves, and not one I make often. This recipe looks really easy to put together, and it look soooo delicious! I see this in my future!

    Reply

  11. Bee says

    Your cake looks amazing. It looks really hearty and full of spicy goodness. I like how you decorated just the top with the cream cheese and nuts. Gorgeous! I want a slice right now.

    Reply

  12. Chrissie Baker says

    This looks delicious! Now I have to add ANOTHER possible Easter dessert to my list — how am I going to decide?!

    Reply

  14. Beth Pierce says

    I have been wanting to teach my daughter how to prepare for Easter brunch for our household; this will be a great recipe for her to attempt for the first time! Yum!

    Reply

  15. Dorothy Reinhold says

    I may have to make a trial batch before Easter dinner. It would be a shame if I had to eat them all myself!

    Reply

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