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1 Comment Once upon a time – long, long ago – I thought carrot cake only existed in that joke about the rabbit. Back then it wasn’t very well known here in the Netherlands and honestly it sounded a little strange. I mean, a sweet cake made with carrots? That had to be a mistake. Fast forward a few years and carrot cake has become one of my absolute favorite cakes!
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
This recipe is incredibly easy to make, stays fresh for several days thanks to the raisins and carrots in the batter, and tastes delicious with a simple frosting made from cream cheese and quark (or yogurt). By combining the two, the topping is a little lighter than a traditional carrot cake frosting.
Recipe Ingredients
For this easy carrot cake you’ll need the following ingredients. Always check the full list in the recipe card below.
- Whole wheat flour – I used a mix of whole wheat flour and self-rising flour. You can also substitute the whole wheat portion with spelt flour.
- Raisins – These can also be replaced with dried cranberries or chopped dried apricots.
- Orange – Use some extra orange zest on top of the frosting as well. It looks pretty and adds great flavor.
- Brown sugar – I personally like dark brown sugar best here, but light brown sugar works too. It just has a slightly different flavor.
- Carrot – You’ll need about 10–10.5 oz (280–300 g) of carrot. Grate it finely. Pre-shredded carrots can also work, though they’re usually a bit drier. Just chop them slightly smaller if needed.
- Oil – This carrot cake is made with oil. You can substitute it with melted butter if you prefer, but the cake will be a bit firmer. It will still work fine.
How To Make Carrot Cake
Making a delicious carrot cake isn’t difficult at all. I actually have several variations of this recipe on the site as well. For example, you might want to check out my gluten-free carrot cake with a cashew frosting (so good!) or these gluten-free carrot cake muffins.
To make the carrot cake, start by preheating the oven. The temperature is slightly lower than you might be used to: 320°F (160°C, top and bottom heat).
Next, zest the orange and squeeze the juice. Mix the juice with the raisins and let them soak while you prepare the rest of the cake.
Combine the two types of flour with the baking powder and baking soda. In the bowl of a mixer, beat the eggs and sugar together until light and fluffy. With the mixer running on low speed, slowly add the oil.
Add the flour mixture in two batches and mix until combined. Once the batter comes together, stop mixing – don’t overmix.
Finally, stir in the raisins (including any remaining juice) and the grated carrot. It may seem like a lot of carrot, but it will work out in the end. Just mix everything well.
Pour the batter into a loaf or cake pan and smooth the top with a spatula or spoon. Bake in the oven for about 45 minutes, until golden brown and cooked through. A wooden skewer inserted into the center should come out clean.
FAQ Carrot Cake
Carrots make the cake wonderfully moist and add a subtle sweetness. Once baked, the carrots become soft and you don’t really taste “carrot” at all – just a warm, lightly sweet cake. And a little extra vegetable never hurts, right?
Yes, finely grated carrots work best. This allows them to distribute evenly throughout the batter and ensures the cake bakes evenly. Coarsely grated carrots may cause the cake to bake unevenly.
Absolutely! If you’re not a fan of raisins, you can substitute them with dried cranberries, chopped dried apricots, or even walnuts or pecans for a bit of crunch.
Cream cheese frosting pairs perfectly with carrot cake because it’s fresh and slightly tangy. That flavor contrasts nicely with the warm sweetness of the cake.
Carrot cake will stay fresh for 3 – 4 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator, especially if it has cream cheese frosting. Take it out about 30 minutes before serving so it can soften again.
Yes, carrot cake freezes very well. Preferably freeze it without frosting. Wrap the cake tightly and store it in the freezer for up to 3 months. Let it thaw slowly at room temperature.
Oil keeps the cake extra moist and soft for longer. Butter can be used, but the cake will usually have a slightly firmer texture.
More carrot recipes
Easy Carrot Cake
Ingredients
- 1 medium orange
- 140 g raisins
- 115 g whole meal flour
- 115 g self raising flour
- 1,5 tsp baking powder plus a pinch
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1,5 tsp ground cinnamon
- 140 g dark moscovado sugar
- 2 eggs
- 125 ml sunflower oil
- 300 g carrots finely grated
Frosting
- 100 g cream cheese
- 100 g quark or Greek yogurt
- 3 tbsp icing sugar sifted
- 1/2 tsp orange zest grated
Equipment
- Square baking tin 20 x 20 cm (8 x 8 inch)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 320°F (160°C).
- For the cake, zest the orange and squeeze about 3 tablespoons of juice. Pour the juice over the raisins in a bowl, stir in the zest, and let them soak while you prepare the cake. Grease a 20 x 20 cm (8 x 8 inch) baking pan and line the bottom with parchment paper.1 medium orange, 140 g raisins
- Combine the flours with the baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon.115 g whole meal flour, 115 g self raising flour, 1,5 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp baking soda, 1,5 tsp ground cinnamon
- Beat the eggs and sugar until thick and fluffy.140 g dark moscovado sugar, 2 eggs
- Slowly pour in the oil while mixing on low speed until fully combined.125 ml sunflower oil
- Add the flour mixture in two batches and gently fold it in with a spoon or rubber spatula. The batter will be fairly thick.
- Stir the grated carrot and raisins (including any soaking liquid) into the batter.300 g carrots
- Pour the batter into the lined baking pan and smooth the top with a spatula or spoon.
- Bake for about 45 minutes, or until a wooden skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Let the cake cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then remove and let it cool completely on a wire rack.
Frosting
- To make the frosting, mix the cream cheese, quark, powdered sugar, and orange zest together. Do not overmix.100 g cream cheese, 100 g quark, 3 tbsp icing sugar, 1/2 tsp orange zest
- Spread the frosting over the completely cooled cake and cut into 16 squares.
- This cake actually tastes even better if you store it covered in the refrigerator for a day or two.
Nutrition Information per portion:
Disclaimer:
The nutritional values above are calculated per portion. The details are based on standard nutritional tables and do not constitute a professional nutritional advice.
It’s delicious, it’s easy to make and a crowd favorite for sure!