Easy Carrot Cake (Moist, With Cream Cheese Frosting)
The best easy carrot cake is a one-bowl oil cake packed with freshly grated carrots and topped with tangy cream cheese frosting. Oil and fresh carrots make it incredibly moist — it actually gets better the next day. No mixer needed for the cake itself; just whisk, fold in the carrots, and bake. The frosting is the classic finish.
The Quick Version
- Grate your own carrots — bagged pre-shredded are dry and woody.
- Oil + brown sugar + carrots = exceptionally moist.
- One bowl, no mixer for the cake.
- Cream cheese frosting is the classic, tangy finish.
How to make it
- Heat oven to 350°F (175°C); grease a 9×13 pan. Whisk flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt.
- Whisk oil, both sugars, 4 eggs and vanilla, then stir in 3 cups grated carrots.
- Fold in the dry ingredients, pour into the pan, and bake 30–38 minutes until a toothpick is clean. Cool completely.
- Beat cream cheese and butter smooth, beat in powdered sugar, and frost.
Foolproof tip: make sure the cake is fully cooled before frosting — cream cheese frosting softens fast and will slide off a warm cake.
Frequently asked questions
Fresh or pre-shredded carrots?
Always grate your own. Bagged shreds are thick, dry and won’t soften; fresh-grated carrots melt into the cake.
What makes carrot cake so moist?
Oil, lots of fresh carrots, and brown sugar. It even improves the day after baking.
Do I have to add nuts and raisins?
No — optional. Add ¾ cup nuts or ½ cup raisins if you like, or drained crushed pineapple for extra moisture.
Easy Carrot Cake
Ingredients
Instructions
- Heat oven to 350F (175C) and grease a 9×13 pan or two 9-inch rounds. Whisk the flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt.
- In a large bowl, whisk the oil, both sugars, eggs and vanilla until smooth, then stir in the grated carrots.
- Fold in the dry ingredients until just combined, pour into the pan, and bake 30-38 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely.
- Beat the softened cream cheese and butter until smooth, then beat in the powdered sugar. Frost the cooled cake.
More easy cakes
Part of our easy cake recipes. Love that cream cheese frosting? Try it on cream cheese brownies, or bake a classic pound cake next.
