Moist & Easy Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

You’re going to adore this carrot cake because it’s that perfect mix of easy to make and pretty impressive. Thanks to freshly shredded carrots and a splash of applesauce, it stays moist and tender every single bite. The crowning glory here is that rich, dreamy cream cheese frosting that starts with browned butter—that little extra step makes a world of difference. This recipe calls for three layers but don’t worry—you can absolutely make two 8-inch layers if that’s what fits your pans best.

Inside this post you’ll find the full ingredients list, clear step-by-step directions for both the cake and frosting, plus helpful photos to walk you through each part. I also share my top tips to nail this cake every time, ideas for mix-ins or swaps to customize it, advice on storing any leftovers, and even nutrition info. You’re looking at 15 minutes of hands-on prep and about 35 minutes baking, making enough to serve around 16 people—great for family dinners, parties, or potlucks.

• You’ll get simple, no-nonsense instructions for the cake layers and a foolproof frosting assembly.
• Find my notes about shredding carrots just right, plus mix-in suggestions like raisins and pecans, and ideas for changing pan sizes.

• I’ve included my favorite baker’s tips to make sure your cake stays moist and fresh, plus clever storage and make-ahead hacks that take stress out of hosting.

Why This Recipe Shines

This carrot cake hits every mark you want—soft, super moist layers full of fresh carrot goodness, a frosting that balances sweet and tang so well you’ll want seconds, and it comes together quick enough for a weeknight but looks fancy for any celebration. You’ll spend around 15 minutes prepping and just under an hour total to have a showstopper on your table. This recipe is a beloved favorite with a near-perfect 4.94 star rating from home bakers everywhere!

• Exceptionally moist texture — The combo of oil, applesauce, and freshly shredded carrots locks in moisture, keeping each slice tender and juicy for days without drying out. Every bite just melts away.
• Bold, delicious flavor — Classic cinnamon and brown sugar team up with that tangy cream cheese frosting. Browning the butter in the frosting amps it up with a subtle caramel warmth that makes it truly stand out.
• Quick and pantry-friendly — Most ingredients are everyday kitchen staples, so you can throw this cake together even on short notice with almost zero hassle.
• Feeds a large group — With 16 generous servings, it’s perfect for family dinners, neighborhood potlucks, and birthday parties alike.
• Great for prepping ahead — Bake your layers a day or two early (or freeze them), and whip up the frosting in advance too. Then just assemble when you’re ready to wow your crowd without breaking a sweat.
• Super flexible recipe — Want cupcakes instead? Sheet cake? Fancy it up with pineapple, coconut, or nuts? This recipe is a blank canvas ready for your favorite tweaks, and if you’re craving a full-on coconut dessert, try our Fluffy & Moist Coconut Cake.
• Looks like bakery-level but way simpler — You get that glossy, impressive look and indulgent flavor without fancy skills or equipment.

All in all, if you want a fail-proof, moist carrot cake topped with silky cream cheese frosting that you can easily personalize, this is your new kitchen MVP.

How to Make the Cake

1. Set your oven to 350°F. Grease and flour three 9-inch pans or two 8-inch pans, whichever you’re using.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt until well combined.
3. In a large bowl or your stand mixer, mix the vegetable or canola oil, unsweetened applesauce, vanilla extract, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until the batter looks smooth and creamy.

4. Add the eggs one by one, beating well after each. Then fold in the freshly shredded carrots. If you’re joining the mix-in club, toss in raisins and/or chopped pecans now.

5. Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture little by little until just combined. Make sure the batter is smooth without streaks of flour. Divide the batter evenly among your prepared pans.
6. Bake the layers in your preheated oven for about 35 minutes at 350°F, or until a toothpick poked through the center comes out clean.
7. 
8. Let the cakes cool completely on wire racks once you take them out of the oven.

9. While they cool, melt the butter over medium heat in a saucepan. Keep cooking and swirling it for 2–4 minutes until it turns a golden amber color and smells nutty—this is your browned butter magic. Remove from heat.

10. In a clean large bowl, beat together the softened cream cheese and your freshly browned butter until smooth, then stir in vanilla and salt.

11. Add powdered sugar slowly, one cup at a time, mixing well after each addition until the frosting is light, fluffy, and spreadable.

12. Now the fun part—assemble your cake! Spread a thick layer of frosting between each cake layer as you stack them. Once stacked, cover the top and sides smoothly with the remaining frosting.

13. For a little extra crunch and pretty presentation, sprinkle chopped pecans on top if you like.

Baker’s Shortcuts and Tips

• If you don’t have a big airtight container to store the whole cake, put it on a large plate, then stick toothpicks or bamboo skewers gently into the top. Wrap loosely with plastic wrap, making sure it doesn’t touch your frosting. This neat trick keeps your frosting perfect without pulling it off.

• No three pans? No worries. Bake each layer one at a time if you’ve just got one pan. Or, bake a sheet cake in a 12″ x 18″ x 3″ pan instead. Start with 40 minutes baking, then check with a toothpick and keep adding 5-minute chunks if it’s still wet inside.
• While convenient, pre-shredded carrots often dry out—better to shred your own carrots with a box grater for a moister, tastier cake. For step-by-step visuals and more moisture tips, see Sally’s favorite carrot cake recipe.
• If you don’t have an airtight container big enough for a whole cake, place the cake on a plate, stick toothpicks or bamboo skewers upright in the edges, then cover loosely with plastic wrap to protect the frosting without touching it.

Answers to Common Questions

Is Butter or Oil Best for Making Carrot Cake?

Butter is common in many cakes, but when it comes to carrot cake, I always suggest using vegetable or canola oil. That’s because oil keeps this cake moist and tender for much longer. Nobody wants a dry carrot cake, right? So when in doubt, go with oil for a moist, soft crumb every time—similar to what makes our moist lemon cake recipe so tender.

Is Butter or Oil Best for Making Carrot Cake?

Butter tends to dry carrot cake out faster, so I recommend vegetable or canola oil instead. Oil locks in moisture better and keeps your cake soft and tender longer. For the most moist and chewy carrot cake, always choose oil as your fat.

Ingredients for Cake and Frosting

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon baking soda
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 ½ teaspoons salt
• 1 ¼ cups vegetable or canola oil
• ⅔ cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1 ¼ cups granulated sugar
• 1 ¾ cups brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 6 large eggs
• 3 cups shredded carrots (freshly shredded works best)
• Optional: ½ cup raisins and/or ½ cup chopped pecans
• 16 ounces cream cheese (two 8-ounce blocks), softened
• 1 cup butter (browned for extra flavor)
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract (or 1 teaspoon vanilla + 2 teaspoons maple extract)
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• About 8 cups powdered sugar (add until frosting is your desired sweetness and texture)
• Optional: chopped pecans for decorating

Ways to Customize the Cake

• Trade pecans for walnuts or almonds to change up the crunch or flavor profile.
• Skip the raisins and swap in ½ cup sweetened shredded coconut for a tropical twist.
• Add ½ cup drained crushed pineapple along with the shredded carrots for extra moisture and a bit of tang. Just reduce the applesauce by 2-3 tablespoons if the batter feels too loose.
• Feel like cupcakes? Bake the batter in a muffin tin for 18–22 minutes and test doneness with a toothpick. For another cozy, spice-forward option, try our Gingerbread Cupcakes.
• Cut down on sugar by reducing granulated sugar by ¼ cup and/or using less powdered sugar in the frosting for a lighter sweetness. It tastes different but still delicious.
• For a gluten-free option, swap in a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend with xanthan gum. Watch the bake time carefully as it might vary slightly.

Storage and Serving Tips

Because of the cream cheese frosting, it’s best to keep this cake refrigerated so it stays fresh and safe to eat.

• Short-term storage (1–2 days): Store the frosted cake in an airtight container or cover tightly with plastic wrap. Chill it in the fridge and bring to room temperature 30 to 60 minutes before eating so the cake and frosting soften up perfectly.
• Refrigeration (3–4 days): You can keep the fully frosted cake stored in the fridge for up to 4 days. If you want to store just the unfrosted layers, wrap them well and keep them refrigerated for 3–4 days.
• Freezing (up to 2 months): Wrap cooled, unfrosted cake layers tightly in plastic wrap, then foil or a freezer bag. Freeze for up to two months. Thaw overnight in the fridge, then bring to room temperature before frosting. You can freeze frosted cakes, but note that the texture of the cream cheese frosting might change a bit—better to freeze layers only.
• Frosting only: Leftover cream cheese frosting keeps well in an airtight container in the fridge for 3–5 days. Before using, let it warm up to room temp and give it a quick whip to fluff it again.
• Warming a slice: For a cozy warmed bite, microwave a slice for 8–15 seconds (depending on your microwave). Just keep an eye so the frosting doesn’t melt away too much.
• Make-ahead ideas: Bake the cake layers a day or two before serving, let them cool well, then wrap tightly and store in the fridge or freezer. You can also prepare the frosting in advance and keep it refrigerated; just whip it gently before Print

  Print Recipe

  A super moist and flavorful three-layer carrot cake with a rich and fluffy cream cheese frosting, featuring fresh shredded carrots and browned butter for added depth of flavor.

  • Author: mapps6841@gmail.com
  • Prep Time: 15 mins
  • Cook Time: 35 mins
  • Total Time: 50 mins
  • Yield: 16 servings 1x
  • Category: Dessert
  • Cuisine: American

  Ingredients

  Scale 1x2x3x

  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon baking soda
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1 ½ teaspoons salt
  • 1 ¼ cups vegetable or canola oil
  • ⅔ cup unsweetened applesauce
  • 1 ¼ cups granulated sugar
  • 1 ¾ cups brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 6 large eggs
  • 3 cups shredded carrots (freshly shredded recommended)
  • Optional: ½ cup raisins and/or ½ cup chopped pecans
  • 16 ounces cream cheese (two 8-ounce blocks), softened
  • 1 cup butter
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract (or 1 tsp vanilla + 2 tsp maple extract)
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 8 cups powdered sugar (or as needed for desired frosting thickness)
  • Chopped pecans for topping (optional)

  Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour three 9-inch cake pans.
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.
  3. In a large bowl, cream together vegetable oil, applesauce, vanilla, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until combined.
  4. Add eggs one at a time to wet ingredients, beating well after each addition.
  5. Stir in shredded carrots and optional raisins and/or chopped pecans if using.
  6. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients in batches, stirring until no flour streaks remain.
  7. Evenly divide batter between prepared cake pans.
  8. Bake for about 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few crumbs.
  9. Remove cakes from oven and turn out onto cooling racks. Allow to cool completely before frosting.
  10. For frosting, melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. After melting, cook for 2-4 minutes until butter turns golden amber color, then remove from heat.
  11. In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and browned butter together until smooth.
  12. Add vanilla and salt to cream cheese mixture and mix well.
  13. Gradually add powdered sugar one cup at a time, beating well after each addition until frosting is smooth, luscious, and fluffy.
  14. Assemble cake by spreading frosting over each cake layer and stacking them.
  15. Spread remaining frosting over sides and top of assembled cake.
  16. Optionally, sprinkle chopped pecans over top for garnish.
  17. Store cake in an airtight container until ready to serve.

  Notes

  If you don’t have three cake pans, bake each layer one at a time in the same pan or bake a single sheet cake in a 12″ x 18″ x 3″ pan for about 40 minutes., Use freshly shredded carrots rather than pre-shredded to retain moisture and texture., If you lack a container large enough for storing the whole cake, place it on a large plate, insert toothpicks or skewers into the top, and loosely cover with plastic wrap to prevent frosting from sticking., For variations, add ½ cup chopped toasted walnuts, extra pecans, raisins, or ½ teaspoon nutmeg and ¼ teaspoon ground ginger for extra flavor., You can substitute the applesauce with ½ cup plain Greek yogurt or mashed banana for a different moist texture., For dairy-free options, use dairy-free cream cheese and vegan butter; chill frosting well before assembling., Assemble cake no more than 3-5 days before serving and keep refrigerated due to cream cheese frosting., Thaw frozen unfrosted cake layers or individual slices in the fridge overnight before frosting or serving.

  Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 slice
  • Calories: 770 kcal
  • Fat: 29 g
  • Carbohydrates: 123 g
  • Protein: 7 g