This is the best version of a classic moist carrot cake I’ve found. Perfectly spiced with an excellent texture, this carrot cake delivers everything you want in a homemade dessert.
If you thought traditional cream cheese frosting was unbeatable, wait until you try the brown butter cream cheese frosting — it elevates this cake in every way.
Back when Phil and I first started dating, I baked a towering three-layer carrot cake just because I felt like it. It was loaded with crushed pineapple, coconut, and toasted walnuts. He was excited—carrot cake, after all, was his favorite—until he tasted it. He doesn’t care for pineapple or coconut, and nuts in cake weren’t his thing. I learned the hard way that simpler is sometimes better.
So for his birthday this year I made the most classic, straightforward carrot cake I could find. The result is not plain or boring: this moist carrot cake is flavorful, tender, and exactly what a carrot cake should be.
Why is carrot cake made with oil?
Oil produces a moister crumb than butter. Butter is wonderful in lightly flavored cakes like vanilla, where its flavor is a central feature, but in a spiced cake with bold flavors the butter taste is less noticeable. For a reliably moist carrot cake, vegetable oil — such as canola — is an excellent choice because its neutral flavor lets the spices and carrots shine.
A few more notes about this easy, moist carrot cake
2 versus 4 layers
The recipe yields two thick 8-inch layers. I sliced each layer in half to create a four-layer cake for a taller presentation, but that step is optional. Whether you want more cake or more frosting is a matter of personal preference. If you do slice the layers, use a serrated bread knife and go slowly for even layers.
Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting
The frosting is a classic cream cheese base made even more interesting with brown butter. Browning the butter adds a deep, nutty complexity that pairs beautifully with the tang of cream cheese. If you prefer, you can skip the browning step, but the flavor boost is worth the few extra minutes at the stove.
Nuts or no nuts?
I left the nuts out of my cake because my husband prefers it that way, but the recipe includes an optional cup of chopped nuts for those who enjoy them. Walnuts and pecans are both traditional, and you can also add raisins or other dried fruit if you like.
Can carrot cake be made ahead?
Absolutely. Like many cakes and quick breads, carrot cake often tastes even better the next day as the flavors meld and the crumb becomes more tender. Store it in the refrigerator because of the cream cheese frosting; it will remain moist for a week. Many people freeze carrot cake, even frosted, with good results.
Happiest of birthdays to my husband Phil! xx
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If you make this recipe, I’d love to see a photo — tag me on Instagram @ourhappymess!
Moist Carrot Cake with Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
Moist Carrot Cake
- butter for the pans
- 2 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for pans
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 4 eggs at room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 cups canola or vegetable oil
- 3 cups shredded carrots
- 1 cup finely chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)
Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened (to be browned)
- 8 oz cream cheese (one package), softened
- 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
- 2 cups confectioner’s sugar (icing sugar)
Instructions
Moist Carrot Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter two 8-inch cake pans, line the bottoms with parchment, and dust the pans with flour, tapping out any excess.
- Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon together in a medium bowl.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the eggs on high until foamy, about 3–4 minutes. With the mixer running, slowly add the sugar and beat until pale yellow, about 3 more minutes.
- With the mixer running, very slowly add the oil. If the oil separates from the egg mixture, pause and allow it to emulsify before continuing. Aim for a smooth, uniform batter.
- Reduce mixer speed to low and add the flour mixture in three additions, mixing just until smooth and scraping down the bowl as needed.
- Fold in the shredded carrots and nuts (if using) with a rubber spatula.
- Divide the batter evenly between the two pans and bake 40–45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool in the pans 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting
- Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Swirl frequently until the foam subsides, brown bits form on the bottom, and the butter develops a nutty aroma. Watch closely so it doesn’t burn.
- Pour the brown butter into a bowl and let it cool for a few minutes, then chill in the fridge or freezer for about 15 minutes until just set but still spreadable. If it hardens too much, let it soften at room temperature briefly.
- In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the brown butter, brown sugar, and cream cheese. Beat on medium-high for 5–6 minutes, scraping the sides as needed, until well blended.
- With the mixer on low, gradually add the confectioner’s sugar. Increase to high and beat 4–5 minutes more until the frosting is fluffy and lump-free.
Notes
The cake recipe is adapted from the Model Bakery Cookbook.
Nutrition
Carbohydrates: 72 g |
Protein: 7 g |
Fat: 28 g |
Saturated Fat: 12 g