The World’s Best Carrot Cake Is Also the Easiest
This easy one-bowl carrot cake recipe skips any fussy techniques for a simple cake that comes together in the time it takes for the oven to preheat. It’s a versatile blank canvas for your favorite mix-ins and is topped with a velvety cream cheese frosting.
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- Prep time
- 15 min
- Cook time
- 40 min
- Yield
- 16 servings
- Difficulty
- HARD
Ingredients
- Nonstick cooking spray
- 18 oz carrots, scrubbed clean or peeled
- 1+3/4 cup (373g) light brown sugar
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 4 large eggs
- 1 tbsp pumpkin pie spice
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 2+1/2 cup (300g) all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened
- 1 stick (4 ounces) unsalted butter, softened
- 3 cup (340g) powdered sugar
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- 1
To make the cake, grease a 9x13-inch cake pan generously with nonstick cooking spray or butter. Line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper and grease the parchment.
- 2
Grate the carrots on a box grater directly into a large mixing bowl. Add the brown sugar, vegetable oil, eggs, pumpkin pie spice, and salt and whisk until fully combined. Add the flour, baking powder, and baking soda. Use the whisk to gently stir the batter just until no streaks of flour remain.
- 3
Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, 35 to 45 minutes. Let the cake cool completely in the pan on a wire rack, about 1 hour.
- 4
While the cake finishes cooling, make the cream cheese frosting. In a large bowl, use a hand mixer to beat the softened cream cheese and butter on medium-high speed until fully combined and smooth, about 2 minutes. Add the powdered sugar, salt, and vanilla. Beat on low speed for 30 seconds, then increase to medium-high and beat until fully combined and creamy, about 3 minutes.
- 5
Use an offset spatula or the back of a spoon to spread the frosting over the top of the cooled cake. Slice and serve. Store the cake, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Love the recipe? Leave us stars and a comment below!