The Best Carrot Cake
This is the Best Carrot Cake Recipe not because of the ingredients, but how they’re put together. If you think there’s nothing new to learn about good old carrot cake, think again! This cake is super moist with a lovely soft texture, and just look at that color!
One of my favorite things to do as a baker is to take a mediocre or even “pretty good” recipe and make it better. Often the smallest changes can make a huge difference in the outcome.
How you mix a recipe, and how you handle ingredients, can transform your baking. If you click on the Baking School tab in the main menu you’ll find a wealth of information about baking ingredients and techniques, including my favorite post about how to create the best cake recipes.
Why this is the best carrot cake
- Most carrot cakes add thick shreds of carrot, coarsely chopped nuts and big raisins. The result is a cake with a chunky-lumpy texture.
- In this recipe the carrots are finely grated, just shy of becoming a puree. The pulverized carrots release lots of juice so the resulting cake is extra moist, extra flavorful and is beautiful deep orange color.
- Currants are much smaller than raisins and soaking them in warm water softens to the point that they almost blend into the cake. The pre-plumped currants won’t draw moisture from the batter.
- Finely grated walnuts (pecans would also be good) are distributed throughout the cake so the crumb remains soft and fine rather than coarse and chunky.
Carrot Cake Ingredients
Ingredient Notes
- Carrots – Obviously integral to a carrot cake. Grinding the carrots finely releases more carrot juice than shredding for a moister cake with gorgeous orange color.
- Currants – Are optional but add sweetness and moisture to the cake.
- Walnuts – Also optional, but the walnuts are finely ground to keep the fine texture of this cake. Pecans can be substituted.
- AP Flour – Medium protein flour has enough gluten to allow the moist batter to rise in the oven without collapsing, but not so much protein that the cake becomes tough.
- Oil – Coats the flour proteins better than than butter. A cake made with oil will be more tender than one made with butter.
- Lemon Extract – Sparks the flavor of the cake.
How to make Carrot Cake
See the recipe card for detailed instructions and measurements.
- Plump currents in hot water before adding them to the batter.
- Finely grind the walnuts.
- Grind the carrots in a food processor until they are almost a chunky puree.
- Emulsify the oil, brown sugar granulated sugar and eggs for a smooth batter.
- Add the currants, walnuts and carrots to the egg mixture.
- Add the dry ingredients to the batter then divide the batter between two or three 8″ pans.
- The batter can also be baked into cupcakes.
- Bake the cake until the center springs back when lightly pressed.
- Cool completely before frosting.
- Fill the layers with half a batch of Cream Cheese frosting.
- Ice the cake with the remaining frosting.
You should also try this fabulous homemade Carrot Cake Ice Cream recipe. It’s outrageously delicious.
You might also want to try my Red Velvet Cake, Zucchini Cake and Dutch Breakfast Cake.
If you love this recipe as much as I do, please consider giving it a 5-star review.
Carrot Cake Recipe
If you think there’s nothing new to learn about good old carrot cake, think again! This is A Better Carrot Cake Recipe not because of the ingredients, but how they’re put together.
servings
Ingredients
Carrot Cake Batter
- 5 oz currants (1 cup)
- 1 pound carrots
- 4 oz walnuts (1 cup)
- 10 oz all purpose flour (2 cups, see note)
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons ginger
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 9 oz vegetable oil (1 ¼ cups)
- 8 oz granulated sugar (1 cup)
- 8 oz brown sugar (1 cup)
- 4 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon lemon extract
Assembly
- 1 recipe Cream Cheese Frosting
- 4 oz ground walnuts for decorating (optional)
Instructions
Cake Batter
- Preheat the oven to 350 °F. Line three 8"x3" round cake pans with parchment paper, or butter and flour the pans. (see note 1).
- Place 5 oz currants in a small bowl and pour enough hot water over to cover. Set aside for 20 minutes to plump. Grind 1 pound carrots in a food processor fitted with a blade until finely ground (see photo). Transfer the carrots to a medium bowl. Grind 4 oz walnuts in the food processor until finely ground (see photo). Add the walnuts to the bowl with the carrots.
- Sift together 10 oz all purpose flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 2 teaspoons cinnamonn, 2 teaspoons ginger, ½ teaspoon nutmeg and ½ teaspoon salt Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer or in a mixing bowl combine 9 oz vegetable oil, 8 oz granulated sugar and 8 oz brown sugar and mix on low speed until it resembles applesauce. With the mixer running on low, add 4 large eggs, 1 tablespoon vanilla extract and 1 teaspoon lemon extract. Mix until the batter is smooth and emulsified.
- Add the ground carrots and the walnuts. Drain the water from the currents and add them to the batter. Add the dry ingredients in three batches, scraping the bowl in between. Mix until completely combined.
- Divide the batter evenly between the pans. Bake until the cake springs back when lightly pressed or a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 30 minutes. If you bake 2 layers they may take a little longer to bake.
- Turn the cakes out onto a cooling rack and cool completely (see note 2)
Assembly
- Set aside half the frosting to ice the cake. Place one cake layer, flat side down, on the serving platter. Spread 1/2 of the remaining frosting over the layer. Repeat with the 2nd layer. Place the third layer, flat side up, on top.1 recipe Cream Cheese Frosting
- Ice the cake with a very thin layer of frosting. This is called the "crumb coat". Refrigerate the cake to set the crumb coat.
- Ice the cake with a final coating. Press ground walnuts onto the sides of the cake. Chill to set the cake. (see note 3).
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Notes
If measuring the flour by volume use the “dip & sweep” method. That is, dip the measuring cup into the flour bin, overfill it, then sweep away the excess.
The cake can be baked in two pans for thicker layers. The batter can also be baked as cupcakes.
The cakes can be baked several days before, wrapped and refrigerated. Or bake several weeks before and freeze.
I like to chill the assembled cake to set the layers. Leave the cake at room temperature for about 1 hour before serving to soften the frosting. Leftovers should be refrigerated or frozen because of the cream cheese in the frosting.
Have you tried this recipe?Mention @eileen.bakingsense or tag #bakingsense!
Fantastic carrot cake recipe. I will make it tonight. Thanks for sharing it.
Most carrot cakeS taste heavy, wet, dense, and gummy. What is the texture of this one? Can I omit the currants?
I don’t think this cake is any of those things. It is moist and tender. Yes, you can omit the currants if you don’t like them.
Hi Eileen, I’m wondering the recipe ask for a pound of carrots is it a pound before peelling?
Thank you
Yes.
Hi Eileen, Back in 1981 when my mom found a carrot cake recipe in the Sunday Bulletin, the recipe called for 3 cups grated carrots. To my joy, I was the lucky one hand grating the carrots
while studying for a Gov’t Economics Final in summer school. Grated carrots do make a big difference. Now i shred the carrots in the food processor and then chop them to a fine blend.
best cake ever!
Yes, the finely grated carrots really make a difference.
I just made this cake and when I tasted the batter, the nutmeg completely overpowered everything. It tastes and smells more like a holiday spiced cake. I can’t taste the actual cake bc I’m making it for a friend. I’m so worried it’s going to be ruined with nutmeg. Does nutmeg flavor tone down after it’s baked?
I’ve never had this experience with the nutmeg in this cake. There is significantly more ginger and cinnamon and I find that those come forward more than the nutmeg. I use freshly grated nutmeg and find that it blends nicely with the flavors in the cake. If you are really worried and want to taste the cake after it’s baked but before you assemble the cake you can trim a bit off the top as you prepare the layers.
Thank you for your reply! My friend said it was delicious! I’m making it again, and will get fresh nutmeg. I think mine might be a bit old!