Easy and incredibly moist carrot cake recipe made with real ingredients. You will have to raid your garden for this amazing cake!

Real ingredients means REAL flavor!
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From Scratch Carrot Cake

Carrot cakes are traditionally less fussy than many other layer cakes, making it ideal for beginners. However, the flavors are so amazing it’s ideal for any age to enjoy!

Carrot Cake Tips

Allow the cakes to cool completely before assembling the cake. I like to use a chilled cake for assembly and a room-temperature frosting. You may need to level your cake prior to assembly.

The cream cheese frosting is SWEET. If you are hesitant, try tasting as you go and add in the confectioner’s sugar a cup at a time. You may be able to use less sugar.

BONUS: One way to make this cake AMAZING (and for the 21+ crowd) is to plump up your raisins in rum or the alcohol of choice.

Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese frosting
Real ingredients means REAL flavor!
4.94 from 15 votes

From-Scratch Carrot Cake

Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Easy and incredibly moist carrot cake recipe made with real ingredients. You will have to raid your garden for this amazing cake!

Ingredients

  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • 1 ¼ cups vegetable oil
  • 3 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
  • 2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
  • 1 cup raisins
  • 1 cup chopped walnuts
  • 2 ¼ cups grated carrots
  • ½ cup pineapple, diced

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray two 8-inch round cake pans with non-stick cooking spray.
  • Beat the sugar, oil, vanilla and eggs in mixer until it is a light yellow.
  • In a separate bowl sift together flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, and salt.
  • With the mixer on low speed, slowly and gently add in the dry ingredients. Mix until JUST combined.
  • Remove bowl from mixer and fold raisins, nuts, carrots, and pineapple.
  • Divide the batter equally between the pans. Bake for 55-60 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
  • Allow the cakes to cool completely on a wire rack.

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Reader Comments

    1. I made it using 9″ pans and I baked for 40 minutes and thought it was slightly over-baked to just right (it was my first carrot cake so I had nothing to compare it to). I suggest 35-40 minutes.

  1. Love carrot cake and had been looking for a recipe with pineapple however do not like raisins. Could additional pineapple be added as a substitute?

  2. Can the 2 cups of sugar be substituted for anything else or reduced or omitted in this cake? Would the cake still taste good with any of these options? Thanks in advance!

  3. This is a great recipe Amanda, I’ve made this many times and it’s absolutely delish. It’s the perfect size (8″ pans)
    Always make it for Easter ! You’re awesome!

  4. hi ,could you please convert this recipe to ounces or grams as i live in ireland and all the cup measures are different her
    thank you

    1. It’s very easy to convert measurements with a quick google search ie 1 cup to ounces and it will bring it right up.

    2. 680 gm sugar
      510 gm oil
      935 gm flour
      5ml vanilla
      12gm cinnamon
      0.689gm nutmeg.
      12 gm baking soda (bicarb of soda).
      8.53 gm salt.
      150g raisins.
      125g walnuts.
      115g carrots grated.
      115g pineapple

  5. This is much like a recipe I have been using for 40 years. Definitely must have the pineapple in it. I put pineapple and nuts in the cream cheese frosting also. Delicious!

4.94 from 15 votes (10 ratings without comment)

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