This carrot cake is ultra-moist, tender, and balanced enough that you actually want a second slice. Made with freshly grated carrots, warm cinnamon, sour cream, and a touch of olive oil, then finished with a thick layer of tangy vanilla bean cream cheese frosting.
When my recipe testers tried it, they all came back with the same feedback: not too sweet, the perfect amount of cinnamon, clear carrot flavor, and a soft, moist crumb with just enough walnut crunch.
It’s the kind of carrot cake that’s even better than from a bakery, that people who “don’t like carrot cake” end up loving!
How to Make Carrot Cake (Step by Step)
1
Cream the oils and sugars together with a hand mixer or stand mixer. I tested this cake with only neutral oil, but adding olive oil gave the flavor more depth without making it taste super oily.
2
Mix in the eggs, sour cream, and grated carrots. Freshly grated carrots matter here, and you don’t want to drain them. That natural moisture keeps the cake soft and plush.
3
Mix in the flour and chopped walnuts until just combined. Overmixing tightens the crumb, so I mix just until combined to keep things tender.
4
Portion the batter into two 8-inch cake pans. I recommend using a kitchen scale for even layers that bake evenly, stack cleanly, and make decorating much easier later.
5
Let the cakes cool on a wire rack before frosting. This is a crucial step! A warm cake will melt the frosting and cause it to fall over once you start to assemble it.
6
You don’t want to overbeat cream cheese frosting. It can quickly turn loose fast if overmixed. I stop as soon as it’s smooth and thick so it stays rich, stable, and easy to spread.
7
Assemble the cake layers with cream cheese frosting in between. Because the layers are even and tender, this cake stacks easily without feeling fragile or top-heavy.
8
Cover the cake with the remaining frosting. I like to reserve a little portion of frosting and color it with orange gel food coloring and green coloring to create little carrots on top.
This is truly a reliable and timeless cornerstone recipe, right up there with red velvet cake, and one I’d be proud to serve in a bakery alongside other classics like my moist chocolate cake.
I hope you love it as much as I do!
—Cambrea 🫶🏻
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Carrot Cake
Ingredients
For the Carrot Cake Batter
- 2 1/8 cups all-purpose flour, *See notes below for measuring*
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 3/4 cup canola oil
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar, packed
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 cup sour cream, room temperature
- 3 1/4 cups finely grated fresh carrots, **See notes
- 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste or extract
- 1/2 cup unsalted toasted walnuts, finely chopped
For the Vanilla Bean Cream Cheese Frosting
- 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 8 ounces full-fat cream cheese, cold
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream
- 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste
- Finely chopped walnuts, for decorating
- Orange & green gel food coloring, for the carrots, if decorating
Instructions
Make the Carrot Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Grease the sides of two 8-inch round cake pans, then line the bottoms with parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.2 1/8 cups (276 g) all-purpose flour, 2 teaspoons (3 g) ground cinnamon, 1 teaspoon (4 g) baking soda, 1 teaspoon (4 g) fine sea salt
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the canola oil, olive oil, brown sugar, and granulated sugar. Mix until combined.3/4 cup (164 g) canola oil, 1/4 cup (55 g) olive oil, 3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons (183 g) dark brown sugar, 1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- Add the eggs and mix until fully incorporated, scraping down the bowl as needed.3 (165 g) large eggs
- Mix in the sour cream until combined, then add the finely grated carrots and vanilla. Scrape down the bowl again.1 cup (220 g) sour cream, 3 1/4 cups (325 g) finely grated fresh carrots, 1 tablespoon (10 g) vanilla bean paste or extract
- Add the dry ingredients and finely chopped walnuts and mix on low speed until just combined, and no dry flour pockets remain.1/2 cup (45 g) unsalted toasted walnuts
- Evenly divide the batter between the prepared pans (~745 grams in each), smoothing the tops with a spatula.
- Bake for 28–35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs.
- Let the cakes cool in the pans on a wire rack for 20–30 minutes, or until cool enough to handle. Remove the cake layers from the pans and let them cool completely on the rack.
Make the Cream Cheese Frosting
- In a stand mixer bowl, cream the butter until fluffy, about 1-2 minutes.1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter
- Mix in the cream cheese on low until just combined.8 ounces full-fat cream cheese
- Add the powdered sugar and mix on low until incorporated, then increase to low-medium speed and beat until smooth and fluffy, about 2–3 minutes.3 cups (360 g) powdered sugar
- Mix in the heavy cream and vanilla bean paste until combined. *If piping carrots, set aside a small amount for that in a separate bowl.*2 tablespoons (20 g) heavy cream, 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste
Assemble the Cake
- Use a sharp serrated knife to level the tops of the cake layers to expose the crumb.
- Place one cake layer on a cake stand or serving platter. Spread ~3/4 cup frosting evenly over the top. Place the second cake layer upside down on top so the surface is perfectly flat.
- Apply a thin crumb coat of frosting over the top and sides of the cake, then refrigerate for 20 minutes, or until the frosting is set to the touch.
- Remove the cake from the refrigerator and frost the top and sides with the remaining cream cheese frosting.
- Decorate with additional chopped walnuts, if desired.Finely chopped walnuts
- To decorate with carrots, split the reserved frosting into two small bowls. Color one with orange gel food coloring and the other with green gel food coloring. Use a very small round tip for the carrots and a very small star tip for the green tops.Orange & green gel food coloring
This was the most delicious carrot cake I have ever had! Some carrot cakes crumble when you cut into them, but not this.