Easy Carrot Cake Recipe

Name: Easy Carrot Cake Recipe
Prep time: 135 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 175 min
Ingredients: 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour; 1 ¼ teaspoon baking powder; 1 teaspoon baking soda; 1 ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon; ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg; 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves; ½ teaspoon salt; 1 pound carrots (peeled); 1 ½ cups granulated sugar; ½ cup packed light brown sugar; 4 large eggs; 1 ½ cups vegetable oil; 1 cup shredded sweetened coconut; 8 ounces cream cheese (softened but still cool); 5 Tablespoons butter softened (but still cool); 1 Tablespoon sour cream; ½ teaspoon vanilla extract; 1 ¼ cups powdered sugar; chopped or halved pecans or walnuts (optional); shredded coconut (optional)

The recipe prices will vary based on fluctuating grocery costs. Please use what is posted as a guide.

Recipe Cost $11.14

Recipe Serving Cost $0.93

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This easy carrot cake is just the thing when you get a craving for a moist, sweet treat and need it fast! It’s a simple recipe with all the essential elements: spicy, moist cake and fluffy cream cheese frosting.

This recipe costs approximately $11.14 to make. It serves 12 and costs about $0.93 per serving.

If you’re a fan of carrot cake as much as I am, you’ll love some of the variations I’ve made before, such as carrot loaf cake, carrot cake whoopie pies, and carrot cake bars. So now you have something for every occasion.

Have you ever had a carrot cake emergency? When the weather warms up, and your sweet tooth starts talking to you…

You start dreaming of spicy cake and pools of fluffy cream cheese frosting, and no other cake will do. And this, folks, is a carrot cake emergency! Luckily I have us covered with this simple recipe.

This carrot cake recipe is a definite crowd-pleaser, too. My family demolished the cake. We probably could have made a good dent on a second pan!

Ingredients & Estimated Cost

Per Serving Cost: $0.93

Recipe Cost: $11.14

To make this simple carrot cake recipe, you’ll need…

2 ½ cups all-purpose flour: $0.48
1 ¼ teaspoon baking powder: $0.05
1 teaspoon baking soda: $0.01
1 ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon: $0.05
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg: $0.29
⅛ teaspoon ground cloves: $0.04
½ teaspoon salt: $0.01
1 pound carrots peeled: $1.07
1 ½ cups granulated sugar: $0.57
½ cup packed light brown sugar: $0.23
4 large eggs: $1.72
1 ½ cups vegetable oil: $0.97
1 cup shredded sweetened coconut: $0.98
8 ounces cream cheese softened but still cool: $2.98
5 Tablespoons butter softened but still cool: $0.70
1 Tablespoon sour cream: $0.15
½ teaspoon vanilla extract: $0.34
1 ¼ cups powdered sugar: $0.50

NOTE: The recipe prices are calculated by using grocery store websites. The recipe cost is calculated by the amounts needed for the recipe. Therefore, the actual cost will vary depending on what ingredients you already have. I updated the pricing for this recipe in May 2023.

How To Make A Carrot Cake

As I said, this is an easy carrot cake with no fancy or time-consuming steps, though it may seem like a lot initially. It’s great for those random mid-week cravings you get!

To make this carrot cake recipe:

For the cake:

Move the oven rack to the middle position and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Spray a 13×9-inch pan with nonstick cooking spray and set it aside.
Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and salt in a medium bowl. Set it aside.
Using the large holes of a box grater, shred the carrots. You should end up with about 3 cups. Set it aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the granulated sugar, brown sugar, and eggs on medium-high until combined (about 45 seconds).
Reduce the speed to low, and slowly pour in the oil. Then, increase the speed to high and mix until the mixture is light in color and well blended (about 60-90 seconds).
Turn the mixer off and fold in the carrots, dry ingredients, and coconut by hand until the batter is evenly mixed and no streaks of flour remain.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread it into an even layer.
Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean (about 35-40 minutes).
Place the cake on a wire rack and cool to room temperature (about 2 hours).
Once the cake is cool, make the frosting below.

For the carrot cake frosting:

Add the cream cheese, butter, sour cream, and vanilla to the stand mixer bowl fitted with the whisk attachment.
Mix on high until combined (about 60 seconds), scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
Add the powdered sugar and mix on high until it’s nice and fluffy (about 1 minute).
Spread the frosting evenly over the cake using an offset spatula.
Cut the carrot cake into 12 squares and serve.

Recipe Variations

Gluten-Free Option: Substitute the all-purpose flour with a gluten-free flour blend. Ensure the baking powder and baking soda are also gluten-free.
Nutty Twist: Add chopped walnuts or pecans to the batter for a crunchy texture and enhanced flavor. Sprinkle some on top as well for garnish.
Citrus Zest: Add some zest of orange or lemon to the batter for a refreshing citrus twist. It complements the carrot flavor beautifully.
Raisin Addition: Mix a handful of raisins or other dried fruits like cranberries or chopped dates into the batter for a burst of sweetness.
Vegan Option: Replace the eggs with flax eggs (1 tablespoon ground flaxseed mixed with three tablespoons water per egg) and use plant-based milk. Choose a vegan frosting or make a simple glaze using powdered sugar and dairy-free milk. Also, ensure the granulated, brown, and powdered sugar you use is vegan-friendly.

A picture of the finished cake in a cake pan.

Storage & Serving Tips

SERVE: You’ll want to wait for the cake to cool (about 2 hours) before making the frosting, frosting, and serving.

STORE: Because of the cream cheese frosting, you should store this cake in the fridge. You can leave this cake at room temperature for up to three hours before popping it back into the refrigerator, where it’ll be good for a week.

FREEZE: If you choose to freeze the cake, then wrap it in 2 layers of plastic wrap and two layers of foil. It will keep for three months in the freezer if stored in this manner.

REHEAT: Thaw at room temperature when ready to have your carrot cake again.

Recipe FAQs

How long does it take to make this carrot cake recipe?

The prep time is about 15 minutes, and the cooking time is 40 minutes. You’ll need to wait about 2 hours for the cake to cool, but that’s very hands-off!

How many servings does this carrot cake recipe produce?

You should be able to cut it into 12 equal slices.

Can I substitute applesauce for oil in carrot cake?

Definitely! You can substitute equal parts of applesauce for the oil. So if the recipe calls for 1 ½ cups of oil, you can use 1 ½ cups of applesauce instead.

More cake recipes:

● Orange Creamsicle Cake

● White Forest Cake

● Cinnamon Crumb Cake

● Strawberry Cream Cake

● Black Forest Cherry Cake