Carrot Cake

This carrot cake is moist yet fluffy with a smooth cream cheese frosting that melts in your mouth! The recipe can be vegan and is so easy to make!

The Best Carrot Cake

Just in time for Easter I got this carrot cake recipe ready to share with you.

If you’ve been looking for a quick and easy recipe for the classic Easter dessert, this one will not disappoint! It turns out perfectly every single time and can be vegan by changing just two ingredients. And it’s really not just for Easter, it’s a great cake year-round.

This carrot cake is moist yet fluffy, full of flavor, and topped with the smoothest cream cheese frosting.

It’s loaded with juicy shredded carrots, making it super moist. Some finely chopped almonds add a bit of crunch, which I think makes this carrot cake extra delicious. It’s flavored with just the right amount of ground cinnamon, which beautifully complements the carrots.

This recipe makes one round 8-inch single layer carrot cake. If you want to make a double layer carrot cake, simply double the recipe and use two round 8-inch pans. Remember to adjust the amount of frosting, also depending on whether you want to frost the sides of the cake as well.

As for decorating, let your creactivity run wild, but perhaps you would agree that it looks mouthwatering even without any decoration. If you choose to decorate, think carrot shreds, chopped almonds or nuts, swirled frosting etc.

This recipe is so easy to make. I like to make this recipe with a combination of a blender and a hand mixer. But you can make the whole recipe in a blender or food processor, just make sure it’s large enough for this recipe. If you don’t have a blender or food processor, or hand mixer either, you can also prepare the whole recipe by hand. I’ve written out the different methods in the notes section of the recipe below.

The frosting is ridiculously easy to make, just mix the two ingredients together in a bowl with a fork or small whisk.

I haven’t yet tried it, but I’d argue that you could reduce the sugar to 1/2 cup (100 g) if you’d like the cake to be less sweet and healthier. If you also want to reduce the sugar in the frosting, you can go ahead and use 1/4 cup (30 g) powdered sugar instead of 1/3 cup (40 g) as written down below in the recipe. The cream cheese flavor will be more dominant then. However, if you’d like your frosting to be sweeter, use up to 1/2 cup (60 g) powdered sugar.

Vegan Carrot Cake

I have successfully turned this carrot cake into a vegan carrot cake. The texture will be a bit moister and a bit less fluffy, but you’ll have the same amazing taste. For that, you’ll just need to change two ingredients. Replace one egg with 1/4 cup (61 g) applesauce in the batter. And use your favorite vegan cream cheese for the frosting.

If you make this recipe, I’d love to know how it turned out! Please let me know by giving it a star rating and leaving a comment below. Or snap a photo and tag @teatimeontheporch on Instagram so I can see it! I’d love to see your carrot cake!

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Carrot Cake

By Christina

Yields: 8 – 12 slices

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes minutes

Total Time: 55 minutes minutes

This carrot cake is moist yet fluffy with a smooth cream cheese frosting that melts in your mouth! The recipe can be vegan and is so easy to make!

Ingredients

For the Batter

• 2 large or 3 medium carrots (250 g)
• 1/3 cup (48 g) whole almonds, or hazelnuts
• 2 large eggs, or 1/2 cup (122 g) applesauce for vegan
• 3/4 cup (150 g) granulated sugar, or raw cane sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon (4 g) vanilla sugar, store-bought or homemade, you can omit
• 2 teaspoons (9 g) baking powder
• 1 cup (125 g) all-purpose flour
• 6 tablespoons (84 g) vegetable oil, such as canola oil

For the Frosting

• 4 ounces (113 g) cream cheese, vegan if desired
• 1/3 cup (40 g) powdererd sugar

Instructions

• Set an oven rack in the middle position and preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Grease and flour an 8-inch springform pan.
• Peel the carrots, then trim off the top of each carrot. (See notes below for different methods for making this cake!) Cut the carrots into rough pieces. In a blender or food processor, blend the carrots and almonds until finely chopped. Transfer the mixture into a large mixing bowl.
• Add the eggs, sugar, cinnamon, vanilla sugar, and baking powder. Using a hand mixer fitted with beaters, mix on medium speed until smooth and fluffy, about 30 seconds.
• Add the vegetable oil and flour and mix on low speed just until combined.
• Bake for about 40 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted comes out clean.
• Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then invert the cake onto a plate and let cool completely (if you want, you can cover the cake with the cake pan while it cools).
• To make the frosting, stir together the cream cheese and powdered sugar in a small bowl with a fork or small whisk. Spread evenly on top of the cooled cake.
• Once frosted, you could serve the cake right away, or let sit in the refrigerator for a while before serving. The cake must be stored in the refrigerator.

Notes

Storage & Freezing Instructions: This cake keeps covered in the refrigerator for about 3 days. It can also be frozen (in larger parts or individual slices) for up to 3 months.

Different Methods: You can make the whole recipe in a blender or food processor, just make sure it’s large enough for this recipe. Instead of transferring the carrot almond mixture to a large mixing bowl, continue the recipe either in your blender or food processor. Then blend in step 3 for about 30 seconds until smooth and fluffy, and pulse a few times in step 4 just until combined. If you don’t have a blender or food processor, or hand mixer either, you can also prepare the whole recipe by hand. Then shred the carrots by hand and chop the almonds by hand as well, or use pre-chopped almonds. 200 grams of shredded carrots go into the batter. Instead of a hand mixer, use a whisk in step 3 and either a whisk, spatula, or wooden spoon in step 4.

Did You Make This Recipe?

I’d love to know how it turned out! Please leave a comment below. Or snap a photo and tag @teatimeontheporch on Instagram so I can see it!