Cream cheese – one block of cream cheese will make the frosting. Avoid using spreadable or whipped cream cheese which has a higher moisture content and will affect the consistency of the frosting.
Lemon juice – this really enhances the tanginess of the cream cheese!
Powdered sugar – it’s also called icing sugar. Make sure you sift it before making the frosting since those pesky lumps can sometimes never break down. Sifted icing sugar will give you a fluffier frosting.
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If you have a tried and true recipe for carrot cake, I’m here to convince you that this one is better. My BEST Carrot Cake recipe is moist, flavorful and topped with the fluffiest cream cheese frosting! I have issues with carrot cake because I had tried so many and they taste of mostly one thing: oil. Not this one. This one is ultra moist and delicious with almost half the amount of oil compared to most. It is soft, tender and so flavorful with the perfect amount of spice and a soft fluffy texture that’s not dense nor gummy. And, my secret ingredient: maple syrup! Moisture comes in the form of finely shredded carrots, yogurt and liquid sugars. If you’re also looking to make cupcakes, check out my Carrot Cake Cupcakes recipe too!
best carrot cake recipe sliced on wooden plank
WHY YOU WILL LOVE THIS RECIPE
Easy to make – this cake is simple and quick to prepare. The most work is grating the carrots.
Less oil – let’s clear something up: oil does not make cakes moist. Moisture (in the form of liquid) makes things moist. Oil makes things soft and tender which gives the perception of moistness. So many carrot cake recipes have too much oil that it makes the texture gummy and pasty. My cake has just ⅔ cup of oil vs. more than 1 cup that you might find in most recipes.
Moist carrot cake – this recipe makes a moist carrot cake with a soft texture and stays moist for days without drying out.
Soft crumb texture – the crumb is tender and fluffy and it’s even soft straight from the fridge.
Flavorful spice cake – a fragrant blend of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and allspice adds such a wonderful flavor.
Fluffy cream cheese frosting – this frosting! It is incredible. Say goodbye to runny cream cheese frosting – this one is thick and fluffy and actually tastes of tangy cream cheese. It’s not too sweet and you can even pipe it onto the cake.
best carrot cake slice on plate
INGREDIENTS FOR CARROT CAKE
Here are some notes about the ingredients. For a full list of ingredients, check out the recipe card at the bottom of the page.
All purpose flour – regular unbleached all-purpose flour works just fine in this carrot cake recipe for a moist and soft texture.
Spices – a fragrant blend of cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg and ginger is just right here! I’ve played with the blend of spices a lot and this is the combination I love the most for carrot cake. Feel free to leave out the allspice if you don’t have it, or add a pinch of ground clove instead.
