Preparing carrot cake from scratch doesn’t stray far from the standard cake-making process. The only wild card is the carrots themselves. After all, it’s called carrot cake. The vitamin-packed veggies are the earthy dessert’s namesake.

Carrots should be finely shredded by hand. Avoid pre-shredded carrots at the grocery store; they are usually too thick. Instead, buy large whole carrots, and shred them at home. The fastest way is to use a food processor’s grater attachment. A box grater is another option. Be sure to completely wash and peel the carrots beforehand.

Ultimately, any scratch-made layer cake is a layered labor of love. Try to enjoy the process as much as the dessert itself.

carrot cake batter
It’s important to use finely shredded carrots.
Steven Karl Metzer

Batter: To create the batter, start by spooning the flour into your measuring cup. This will ensure the flour is not compacted and the measurement is accurate. Using an oil like avocado oil keeps this cake moist. Any neutral oil, such as vegetable or canola, will work just fine. For the spices, balanced and warm spices, such as ginger, cinnamon, and nutmeg, will add flavor. Adjust or add complementary spices to your liking.

Pans: The recipe below calls for two 9-inch cake pans, but 8-inch cake pans work fine as well, but just note that the baking time will increase slightly with the smaller pans. Prepping the cake pans is just as important as prepping the cake batter.

Line the bottom of your cake pan with parchment paper or foil, and grease the sides. The liner will act as an insurance policy for easy release and provide extra structural support; even if you use a cake pan with a nonstick coating, you should still add a liner.

Cut out a circle of parchment paper or foil that sits flat on the bottom of each cake pan. Once it’s in place, grease the sides of the pan with butter or nonstick spray, then pour your batter on top, and bake as instructed.

candied pecans
Elevate your carrot cake with candied pecans.
Steven Karl Metzer

Frosting: When it comes to carrot cake frosting, cream cheese is the most popular choice. The recipe below actually uses both butter and cream cheese. Be sure they are softened to room temperature. Otherwise, you’ll end up with tiny chunks of cream cheese that will be nearly impossible to remove. Cream cheese frosting tends to be on the softer side, so don’t plan to use this frosting for any intricate piping.

Candied Pecans: The finished cake is topped with chopped candied pecans. Making the pecans only takes about five minutes and adds amazing flavor, texture, and decoration. Don’t skip this accoutrement.

carrot cake frosting
Cream cheese is the most popular carrot cake frosting.
Steven Karl Metzer

Decoration: There’s no shortage of options when it comes to cake decorating. Carrot cakes tend to be more on the rustic side. Lean into it. This cake utilizes actual carrots and their green carrot tops to create a very easy-to-decorate yet highly visual finished cake.

Frosting cakes takes time and patience. Offset icing spatulas are the best choice, but a rubber spatula can also get the job done. Start with the top of the cake, moving on to the sides. Remember: Candied pecans will be placed on top of the cake and will cover up any icing imperfections.

Carrot Cake

carrot cake
Steven Karl Metzer

Prep time: 1 hour. Bake time: 30 minutes. Yield: 1 9-inch layer cake.

Ingredients

For the cake:

  • 3 cups flour
  • 2½ teaspoons baking powder
  • 1½ teaspoons baking soda
  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon ginger
  • 1 teaspoon nutmeg
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 2 cups brown sugar
  • 1 cup avocado oil (or other neutral oil)
  • ½ cup unsweetened apple sauce
  • 4 eggs
  • 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
  • ¼ cup heavy cream
  • 3 cups grated carrots

For the candied pecans:

  • ⅓ cup brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon maple syrup
  • 2 tablespoons water
  • 1 cup pecan pieces
  • pinch of salt

For the frosting:

  • 2 (8-ounce) cartons cream cheese, softened
  • 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 4 cups powdered sugar

Instructions

For the cake:

  1. Preheat oven to 350° F. Line the bottom of two 9-inch cake pans with parchment paper or foil, then spray with nonstick cooking spray.
  2. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and salt. Set aside.
  3. Combine brown sugar, oil, and applesauce in a mixing bowl. Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until combined and smooth, about 1 minute. Beat in the eggs. Gradually add half of the flour mixture, then beat in Greek yogurt and heavy cream. Gradually add remaining flour mixture, then add carrots. Continue mixing until fully combined and smooth.
  4. Divide the batter evenly between cake pans. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

For the candied pecans:

  1. While the cakes are cooling, prepare candied pecans for the topping. Place a sheet of foil on a cooling rack.
  2. Place brown sugar, maple syrup, and water in a skillet. Cook over medium heat until mixture is boiling. Add pecans and salt and cook, stirring constantly for 2 minutes more. Remove from heat, and scoop nuts onto the foil-lined cooling rack in an even layer, and let cool completely.
  3. Transfer nuts to a cutting board, and loosely chop into small pieces. Set aside until ready to frost the cake.

For the frosting:

  1. Combine cream cheese, butter, and vanilla in a large bowl. Beat on medium speed until combined and smooth. Gradually add powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, until fully incorporated.

For assembly and decorating:

  1. Place 1 cake layer onto a cake stand, and add about 1 cup of frosting. Use a spatula to spread into an even layer, fully covering the top. Place the second layer on top. Use the remaining icing to frost the top and the sides of the cake. Transfer to refrigerator to chill while preparing the carrot decoration.
  2. Trim off carrot tops, leaving about 2 inches on top; rinse and dry the greens thoroughly, and set aside. Cut the bottoms of the carrots off, leaving a 3-inch base (with the 2-inch carrot tops attached). Wash and peel the carrots, and thoroughly dry.
  3. Drape the carrot greens around the base of the cake plate. Add the carrots on top of the cake, pressing into the icing to secure in place. Add the candied pecans in an even layer on top of the cake.
  4. Return to the refrigerator until ready to serve. Store cake in refrigerator, loosely covered.

Adrienne Blumthal is a formally trained pastry chef, recipe developer, and food stylist based in Chicago.

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