Classic Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

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Serves 9 to 12 | Prep 20 min | Bake 35 to 40 min

Cake Ingredients

  • 2 large eggs
  • 175 g (¾ cup) brown sugar
  • 75 g (⅓ cup) plain yogurt
  • 120 ml (½ cup) vegetable oil
  • 225 g (1½ cups) plain flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 225 g (2 cups) grated carrots
  • 75 g (½ cup) chopped walnuts or pecans
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ½ teaspoon almond essence (optional)

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease an 8-inch (20 cm) square pan and line it with parchment, leaving some overhang so you can lift the cake out.
  2. Whisk the eggs and brown sugar in a large bowl for 1 to 2 minutes until slightly thickened and glossy.
  3. Add the yogurt, oil, vanilla, and almond essence. Whisk until smooth.
  4. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.
  5. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients with a spatula, stopping as soon as no dry streaks remain. Overmixing makes the cake tough.
  6. Fold in the grated carrots and nuts.
  7. Scrape the batter into the pan and smooth the top, as in your photo.
  8. Bake 35 to 40 minutes, until a toothpick in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
  9. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then lift out and cool completely on a rack before frosting.

Tip: Grate the carrots finely on the small holes of a box grater. Fine shreds melt into the crumb and keep the cake very moist, while coarse shreds can leave stringy bits.

2. Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients

  • 200 g (7 oz) full-fat cream cheese, softened
  • 60 g (¼ cup) unsalted butter, softened
  • 150 g (1¼ cups) powdered sugar, sifted
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Pinch of salt
  • A few drops of lemon juice (optional)

Method

  1. Beat the butter until creamy, about 1 minute.
  2. Add the cream cheese and beat just until smooth. Overbeating can make it runny.
  3. Add the powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt. Mix on low, then briefly on medium until fluffy.
  4. Spread over the completely cooled cake and scatter chopped nuts on top.
  5. Chill 30 minutes before slicing for clean squares.

Tip: If the frosting is too soft, refrigerate it for 15 to 20 minutes before spreading. If it’s too stiff, add a teaspoon of milk.

3. Pineapple Carrot Cake

Serves 12

Ingredients

  • All ingredients from Recipe 1
  • ½ cup crushed pineapple, very well drained
  • ⅓ cup shredded coconut
  • ⅓ cup raisins

Method

  1. Make the batter as in Recipe 1, folding in the pineapple, coconut, and raisins with the carrots.
  2. Bake 40 to 45 minutes, since the extra moisture needs more time.
  3. Cool and frost as usual.

Press the pineapple in a sieve first. Too much juice will make the center gummy.

4. Carrot Cake Cupcakes

Makes 12

Ingredients

  • 1 batch cake batter from Recipe 1
  • 1 batch cream cheese frosting
  • Chopped nuts or a tiny fondant carrot to decorate

Method

  1. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.
  2. Fill each about ¾ full.
  3. Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 18 to 22 minutes.
  4. Cool completely, then pipe or spread on the frosting.

5. Carrot Cake Loaf (No Frosting)

Serves 8 to 10

Ingredients

  • 1 batch cake batter from Recipe 1
  • 2 tablespoons demerara sugar for the top
  • ½ teaspoon ground ginger (optional)

Method

  1. Grease and line a 9×5-inch loaf pan.
  2. Pour in the batter and sprinkle the sugar on top.
  3. Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 50 to 55 minutes, tenting with foil if it browns too quickly.
  4. Cool and slice. It’s lovely toasted with butter.

6. Spiced Carrot Cake with Maple Glaze

Serves 9 to 12

Ingredients

  • 1 batch cake batter from Recipe 1
  • ½ teaspoon nutmeg
  • ½ teaspoon ground ginger
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cloves

Maple Glaze

  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 2 tablespoons maple syrup
  • 1 tablespoon milk
  • Pinch of salt

Method

  1. Add the extra spices to the dry ingredients and bake as in Recipe 1.
  2. Whisk the glaze ingredients until smooth and pourable.
  3. Drizzle over the cooled cake and let it set for 15 minutes.

7. Carrot Cake Muffins (Breakfast-Friendly)

Makes 12

Ingredients

  • 1 batch cake batter from Recipe 1
  • ½ cup rolled oats
  • 2 tablespoons milk
  • ½ cup raisins
  • 2 tablespoons sunflower seeds for topping

Method

  1. Stir the oats and milk into the finished batter along with the raisins.
  2. Divide among 12 lined muffin cups and top with seeds.
  3. Bake at 375°F (190°C) for 18 to 20 minutes.

These skip the frosting and keep well for breakfast on the go.

8. Carrot Cake Bars with Cream Cheese Swirl

Makes 16 bars

Ingredients

  • 1 batch cake batter from Recipe 1
  • 100 g (3.5 oz) cream cheese, softened
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 1 egg yolk

Method

  1. Spread the batter in the lined pan.
  2. Beat the cream cheese, sugar, and egg yolk until smooth.
  3. Dollop it over the batter and drag a knife through it to create swirls.
  4. Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 38 to 42 minutes.
  5. Cool completely, then refrigerate. Because of the cream cheese layer, store these in the fridge.

9. Dairy-Free Carrot Cake

Serves 9 to 12

Swaps

  • Use a thick, unsweetened coconut or soy yogurt instead of plain yogurt.
  • Keep the vegetable oil as is.
  • For the frosting, whip ½ cup softened vegan butter with 1½ cups powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla, and 2 to 3 tablespoons plant milk.

Method
Bake exactly as in Recipe 1. The eggs stay, so this is dairy-free but not vegan. For a fully vegan version, replace each egg with ¼ cup unsweetened applesauce, and expect a slightly denser crumb.

10. Carrot Cake Pancakes

Serves 3 to 4

Ingredients

  • 1 cup flour
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1 egg
  • 2 tablespoons oil
  • ½ cup finely grated carrot
  • ¼ cup chopped walnuts

Method

  1. Whisk the dry ingredients together, then whisk the milk, egg, and oil in another bowl.
  2. Combine the two, then fold in the carrot and walnuts. Rest 5 minutes.
  3. Cook ¼-cup scoops on a lightly oiled pan over medium heat, 2 to 3 minutes per side.
  4. Serve with a spoonful of the cream cheese frosting thinned with milk, or with maple syrup.

11. Carrot Cake Overnight Oats

Serves 1

Ingredients

  • ½ cup rolled oats
  • ½ cup milk
  • ¼ cup yogurt
  • ¼ cup finely grated carrot
  • 1 teaspoon maple syrup
  • ½ teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 tablespoon raisins
  • 1 tablespoon chopped walnuts

Method
Mix everything in a jar, cover, and refrigerate overnight. Top with extra nuts in the morning.

Tips for the Best Carrot Cake

  • Use oil, not butter. Oil keeps the crumb tender and moist for days.
  • Don’t skip the yogurt. It adds tenderness and a slight tang that balances the sweetness.
  • Toast the nuts. Five minutes in a 350°F (175°C) oven deepens their flavor. Cool them before folding in.
  • Measure flour carefully. Spoon it into the cup and level it off, or use the gram weights. Too much flour makes the cake dry.
  • Cool completely before frosting. A warm cake melts the frosting into a greasy layer.
  • Rest the cake. It tastes even better the next day, as the spices settle in.
  • Storage. Because of the cream cheese frosting, keep the cake covered in the fridge for up to 5 days. Bring slices to room temperature for 20 minutes before serving.
  • Freezing. Unfrosted cake freezes well for up to 3 months. Wrap it tightly, thaw overnight in the fridge, and frost fresh.

If you’d like, I can scale this to a 9×13 sheet cake or a layered cake, or convert the measurements for y

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