Go Back
–+ servings
A piece of Carrot Cake with cream cheese frosting and carrot shaped candies on top sits on a plate with a fork laying next to it.
Print Recipe
4.41 from 5 votes

Easy Carrot Cake Recipe

You can finally kiss the overly-complicated recipes goodbye! This Carrot Cake is crazy-easy to make and you won't miss a thing!
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time55 minutes
Cooling Time30 minutes
Total Time1 hour 45 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Carrot Cake
Servings: 9
Calories: 609kcal
Author: Kelly Anthony

Ingredients

FOR THE CAKE:

  • 4 large carrots, peeled and cut into 1" pieces
  • 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 1 ¼ teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1 ¼ cups light brown sugar, lightly packed
  • 2 large eggs
  • ½ cup whole milk
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • ½ cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled to room temperature

FOR THE CREAM CHEESE FROSTING:

  • 1 ½ packages (12-ounces) cream cheese, room temperature
  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 2 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • Pinch of fine sea salt

Instructions

MAKE THE CAKE:

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F and have ready an 8x8" baking pan greased and lined with parchment paper.
  • Fill a large saucepan about ¾s of the way full of water, place over high heat, and bring to a boil. Use a slotted spoon to gently drop in carrots and boil for about 10 minutes or until fork tender. Drain the carrots and set aside to cool slightly.
  • Transfer the carrots to a food processor fitted with the blade attachment and process until smooth. Measure out ¾ cup of the purée and set aside until ready to use. Discard the remaining purée or save it for another use.
  • Over a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Set aside until ready to use.
  • To a large bowl, add brown sugar, eggs, milk, vanilla, and butter. Whisk to combine. Add in the measured carrot purée and whisk until smooth. Add the dry ingredients and mix until well combined.
  • Add the batter to the prepared pan and smooth over the top. Bake for 45-50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with just a few crumbs clinging to it. Transfer to a cooling rack until completely cooled.

MAKE THE CREAM CHEESE FROSTING:

  • Combine cream cheese and butter in a medium bowl and use a handheld mixer on medium-high speed to combine until smooth and creamy.
  • Add the sugar, vanilla, and salt and mix on low until most of the sugar has been incorporated. Increase the speed to medium-high and mix for 2 minutes more.
  • Transfer the cake to a cake stand or serving dish, add the icing on top, and spread to the edges. Serve and enjoy!

Nutrition

Calories: 609kcal | Carbohydrates: 76g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 32g | Saturated Fat: 20g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 123mg | Sodium: 359mg | Potassium: 328mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 59g | Vitamin A: 5661IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 143mg | Iron: 1mg