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This easy carrot cake is deliciously moist and topped with a velvety cream cheese frosting! A nut-free sheet cake that is ready in 35 minutes and super simple to throw together.
My simple carrot sheet cake is perfectly moist and fluffy, and the frosting is just perfect – not overpowering! So you can actually taste the cake with its moist crumb and warm spices and not just sweetness.
Made with finely grated carrots and spiced with cinnamon and nutmeg, this easy sheet cake is sure to be a crowd-pleaser. Everyone will want seconds!
Sheet cakes are so simple to throw together and feed a large crowd. This simple carrot cake recipe is no exception!
Looking for more carrot recipes? Try out my Carrot Pineapple Cake, a layer cake made with crushed pineapple and nuts, or my Carrot Cake Cupcakes.
Why Our Recipe
- Moist and flavorful: This cake is so moist and has just the perfect balance of sweetness and flavor from the carrots and spices. This is not an overpoweringly sweet cake!
- Easy: Our recipe is very easy to make and uses simple ingredients that you have in your kitchen. A straightforward recipe that even beginner bakers can successfully make!
- Crowd-pleaser: Sheet cakes are perfect for a large crowd. Perfect for birthdays, Easter dinner, or family gatherings!
- Make ahead: This cake can be made one day ahead and tastes even better on the second day!
Key Ingredients (& Swaps)
Here is an overview of the ingredients you’ll need for this recipe. Scroll down to the recipe card at the bottom for quantities.
- Brown sugar: I use brown sugar in this recipe because it not only adds sweetness but also flavor and moisture. You can use light or dark brown sugar.
- Oil: Use a flavor-neutral oil, for example, avocado or canola oil.
- Eggs: Make sure the eggs are at room temperature for the best baking results.
- Carrots: You need 5 medium carrots. Peel them before shredding them with a food processor or with a box grater. I don’t recommend using pre-shredded carrots or baby carrots in this recipe; fresh carrots taste much better.
- Orange: Orange zest adds a lot of flavor and goes perfectly with the carrot. We also use the orange juice in the batter for added moisture and flavor. I prefer to use organic oranges for zesting.
- Spices: Cinnamon and nutmeg are my go-to for carrot cake, but you can also add a little ground ginger for some extra spice.
- Butter: Use unsalted butter for the frosting. Make sure it is at room temperature.
- Cream cheese: A block of cream cheese is firmer and works best for baking and frostings. Don’t use cream cheese spread in a tub or whipped cream cheese for making frosting.
Looking for more cake recipes? Try out my super moist Apple Streusel Sheet Cake, this easy Lemon Sheet Cake Recipe, or my easy Banana Cake.
My Top Tips Before You Start
- A great way to dress up the cake would be to decorate it with edible sugar carrots or sprinkle toasted walnuts or pecans on top.
- You need 5 medium carrots for this recipe. I find it easiest to shred them in my food processor with the shredding disc in place.
- Make sure to grate the carrots finely so they don’t sink to the bottom during baking. Don’t use the pre-shredded kind for the best taste!
- Depending on your oven, this recipe takes about 20-30 minutes to bake. Always test the cake with a skewer to make sure it is done.
- If you like raisins, you can add 3/4 cup to the batter. The baking time will be slightly longer.
How to make carrot cake
To make this cake, you don’t need a stand mixer; just use a bowl and a spatula, and you’re good to go. Super simple, and it makes cleaning up much easier! Combine the dry ingredients in one bowl and the wet ingredients in another, like when you make muffins.
Sift the dry ingredients into the bowl with the wet ingredients and mix until just combined. Because this cake is made in a sheet pan, it bakes and cools much quicker. Frost the top of the cake with the tangy cream cheese frosting, and serve it!
It feeds a whole crowd and is a perfect dessert for Easter or any other occasion where you need a simple, delicious cake but don’t have the time to be artsy and make a layered cake.
Storage & Freezing
Make-ahead: The cake can be baked one day in advance. Store it unfrosted in an airtight container or covered with plastic wrap at room temperature. The cake will taste even better on the second day. Frost it just before serving.
Store: You can store the frosted cake in the fridge for up to 3 days. Let it come to room temperature before serving for the best texture.
Freeze: The unfrosted cake can also be frozen for up to 2 months. Make sure it’s wrapped airtight and defrost at room temperature. Frost before serving.
More cake recipes to try
Easy Carrot Cake Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 4 large eggs, room temperature
- 2 cups finely grated carrots, about 5 medium carrots
- 1 large orange, zest finely grated
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon grated nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon salt
For the Cream Cheese Frosting
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 8 oz cream cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C) and grease a 13×9-inch cake pan. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine sugar, vegetable oil, and eggs with a spatula. Add grated carrots, orange zest, and juice from the orange. Mix until combined.1 cup light brown sugar, 1 cup vegetable oil, 4 large eggs, 2 cups finely grated carrots, 1 large orange
- In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Sift the dry mixture into the large bowl with the wet ingredients. Mix until just combined.2 cups all-purpose flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon grated nutmeg, ½ teaspoon salt
- Pour carrot cake batter into prepared baking dish and bake for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Allow the cake to cool down completely before frosting it.
- To make the frosting, beat together butter and confectioners' sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until light and fluffy.¼ cup unsalted butter, 1 cup powdered sugar
- Add vanilla extract and cream cheese and beat until blended. Frost cooled cake.1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 8 oz cream cheese
I messed up here and there and made some sunstitutions but it still tasted great! I had trouble with the time though, I think I ended up having to cook it for around an hour, but it came out just right.
This carrot cake is amazing love the orange and carrot flavour. The cake I split into two small cake tins and took 20 minutes to cook in a fan forced oven. Layered the cakes with cream cheese frosting delicious.