Quick Recipe Version (TL;DR)

Yield: 10 slices (1 loaf or 1 single-layer 8-inch cake)
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 55–65 minutes for loaf; 30–35 minutes for round cake
Total Time: About 1 hour 30 minutes (plus full cooling before frosting)

Quick Ingredients

1 1/2 cups (195 g) all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp fine salt
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
2 large eggs (room temperature)
1/2 cup (120 ml) neutral oil
1/4 cup (60 g) plain yogurt or sour cream
3/4 cup (150 g) granulated sugar
1/4 cup (50 g) light brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups (about 220 g) finely grated carrots
2/3 cup (80 g) chopped walnuts or pecans
1/2 cup (80 g) raisins (optional)
8 oz (225 g) cream cheese, softened
4 Tbsp (56 g) unsalted butter, softened
1 3/4–2 cups (210–240 g) powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract (for frosting)
Pinch of salt and 2–3 tsp milk or cream, as needed

Do This

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and line a 9×5-inch loaf pan or an 8-inch round cake pan with parchment.
2. Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg in a bowl.
3. In another bowl, whisk eggs, oil, yogurt, sugars, and vanilla until smooth. Stir in grated carrots.
4. Fold dry ingredients into wet just until combined, then gently fold in nuts and raisins.
5. Pour into pan. Bake loaf 55–65 minutes (cake 30–35 minutes), until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs.
6. Cool 10–15 minutes in pan, then fully on a rack before frosting.
7. Beat cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, vanilla, salt, and milk until smooth and fluffy. Spread generously over cooled cake and garnish with extra nuts.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Moist, tender crumb packed with freshly grated carrots and warm spices.
Flexible: bake it as a cozy loaf or a simple single-layer celebration cake.
Topped with a tangy, fluffy cream cheese frosting that balances the sweetness.
Stays soft and flavorful for days, making it perfect for make-ahead and sharing.

Grocery List

Produce: Carrots (about 3–4 medium)
Dairy: Plain full-fat yogurt or sour cream, cream cheese (block style), unsalted butter, milk or cream (optional for frosting)
Pantry: All-purpose flour, granulated sugar, light brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, fine salt, ground cinnamon, ground ginger, ground nutmeg, neutral oil (such as canola or sunflower), vanilla extract, powdered sugar, walnuts or pecans, raisins (optional)

Full Ingredients

For the Carrot Cake (Loaf or Single Layer)

Butter or oil, for greasing pan
1 1/2 cups (195 g) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp fine sea salt
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
Optional: 1/8 tsp ground cloves, for extra warmth
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1/2 cup (120 ml) neutral oil (canola, sunflower, or light olive oil)
1/4 cup (60 g) plain full-fat yogurt or sour cream
3/4 cup (150 g) granulated sugar
1/4 cup (50 g) light brown sugar, packed
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 cups (about 220 g) finely grated peeled carrots, lightly packed (about 3–4 medium carrots)
2/3 cup (80 g) chopped walnuts or pecans (plus extra for garnish, if desired)
Optional: 1/2 cup (80 g) raisins (regular or golden)

For the Tangy Cream Cheese Frosting

8 oz (225 g) cream cheese, block style, softened to room temperature
4 Tbsp (56 g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
1 3/4–2 cups (210–240 g) powdered sugar, sifted
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
Pinch of fine salt
2–3 tsp milk or cream, as needed, to adjust consistency
Optional garnish: extra chopped nuts, a light dusting of cinnamon, or very thin carrot ribbons

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Prepare your pan and preheat the oven

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) with a rack in the center. Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan or an 8-inch round cake pan with butter or oil. Line the bottom with a piece of parchment paper cut to fit; this makes it much easier to lift the cake out cleanly.

Lightly dust the greased sides with flour, tapping out any excess. This helps the cake climb the sides of the pan and release without tearing.

Step 2: Mix the dry ingredients with warm spices

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and optional cloves until everything is evenly combined. This step distributes the leavening and spices so you do not end up with any bitter or overly spiced pockets in the finished cake.

Set this bowl aside; you will add it to the wet mixture later.

Step 3: Whisk together the wet ingredients

In a large mixing bowl, add the eggs, oil, yogurt (or sour cream), granulated sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla. Whisk until the mixture is smooth, slightly thickened, and the sugars have started to dissolve, about 30–60 seconds by hand.

Stir in the finely grated carrots until they are evenly distributed. The batter will look loose at this stage, but the carrots will help keep the cake wonderfully moist as it bakes.

Step 4: Combine the batter and fold in nuts and raisins

Sprinkle the dry ingredient mixture over the wet ingredients. Using a spatula or wooden spoon, gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet just until you no longer see streaks of flour. Avoid vigorous stirring so the cake stays tender and soft.

Fold in the chopped nuts and, if using, the raisins. Make sure they are evenly distributed, but stop mixing as soon as everything looks fairly uniform. Overmixing at this stage can lead to a tougher crumb.

Step 5: Bake until a moist crumb forms

Scrape the batter into your prepared pan and smooth the top with a spatula, nudging it into the corners if you are using a loaf pan.

Bake at 350°F (175°C) until the top is deeply golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs (no wet batter):

Loaf pan: 55–65 minutes
8-inch round cake pan: 30–35 minutes

If the top is browning too quickly, tent loosely with foil for the last 10–15 minutes of baking.

Step 6: Cool thoroughly before frosting

Remove the cake from the oven and place the pan on a wire rack. Let it cool in the pan for 10–15 minutes. Run a thin knife around the edges, then carefully turn the cake out onto the rack, peel off the parchment, and flip it right side up.

Allow the cake to cool completely—this can take 45–60 minutes for a loaf and 30–45 minutes for a thin round cake. Frosting a warm cake will cause the cream cheese icing to melt and slide off, so patience is important here.

Step 7: Make the tangy cream cheese frosting and finish the cake

While the cake cools, prepare the frosting. In a medium bowl, use a hand mixer (or a stand mixer with the paddle attachment) to beat the softened cream cheese and butter together on medium speed until smooth and creamy, 1–2 minutes.

Add 1 3/4 cups (210 g) of powdered sugar, the vanilla, and a pinch of salt. Mix on low until the sugar is mostly incorporated, then increase to medium and beat until fluffy, about 1–2 minutes. If the frosting seems too thick, beat in 2–3 teaspoons of milk or cream, a little at a time. If it is too soft, add up to an additional 1/4 cup (30 g) powdered sugar.

Once the cake is completely cool, spread the frosting generously over the top (and sides, if you are doing a round cake). Use the back of a spoon or an offset spatula to create soft swirls. Finish with a sprinkle of chopped nuts and a light dusting of cinnamon or a few delicate carrot ribbons, if desired. Slice and serve.

Pro Tips

Grate carrots finely: Use the fine or small holes on a box grater. Finely grated carrots melt into the batter, creating a moist, even crumb without big crunchy bits.
Do not squeeze out the carrot juice: The natural moisture in the carrots keeps the cake soft and tender. Grate, measure, and add directly to the batter.
Room-temperature ingredients: Let eggs, cream cheese, butter, and yogurt come to room temperature so they mix smoothly and evenly.
Check doneness early: Ovens vary. Start checking your cake 5–10 minutes before the minimum time so it does not dry out.
Cool completely before frosting: Cream cheese frosting is sensitive to heat. A fully cooled cake means a neat, thick layer of frosting that stays put.

Variations

Classic layer cake: Double the cake and frosting recipes. Divide the batter between two greased and parchment-lined 8-inch round pans and bake for 25–30 minutes. Cool, then stack with frosting between layers and over the top and sides.
Nutfree version: Omit the nuts entirely or replace them with an equal amount of raisins or chopped dried apricots for texture without allergens.
Orange-maple twist: Add 1 tsp finely grated orange zest to the batter and replace 2 Tbsp of the powdered sugar in the frosting with pure maple syrup for a subtle citrus-maple aroma.

Storage & Make-Ahead

Because of the cream cheese frosting, store the frosted cake in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4–5 days. For best flavor, let slices sit at room temperature for 20–30 minutes before serving so the crumb softens and the frosting turns creamy again.

Unfrosted cake (loaf or layer) can be wrapped tightly and kept at room temperature for up to 2 days or refrigerated for up to 5 days. You can also freeze unfrosted or frosted slices: wrap each slice well in plastic, then place in a freezer bag or container for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge or at room temperature for about 1 hour.

The cream cheese frosting can be made up to 3 days ahead. Store covered in the refrigerator and re-whip briefly before using, adding a teaspoon of milk if needed to loosen it.

Nutrition (per serving)

Approximate values for 1 of 10 slices (loaf or single 8-inch layer with frosting): about 430 calories, 25 g fat, 48 g carbohydrates, 1.5 g fiber, 34 g sugars, 5 g protein, and 270 mg sodium. Actual values will vary based on specific ingredients, nut and raisin use, and thickness of frosting.

Moist Spiced Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting