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Sweet & Simple Carrot Cake

An easy, moist carrot cake dessert moms will love—simple ingredients, kid-approved flavor, and perfect for weeknight treats or family gatherings.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Cooling Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 55 minutes
Servings: 12 Servings
Course: Dessert
Calories: 492
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

For the Cake
  • Nonstick cooking spray
  • 18 onces carrots, scrubbed clean or peeled
  • 1¾ cup (373g) light brown sugar
  • 1 cup vegetable oil
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1 tbsp pumpkin pie spice
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 2½ cups (300g) all-purpose flour
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp baking soda
For the cream cheese frosting
  • 8 onces cream cheese
  • 1 stick (4 ounces) unsalted butter, softened
  • 3 cups (340g) powdered sugar
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract

Method
 

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
    To make the cake, grease a 9x13-inch cake pan generously with nonstick cooking spray or butter. Line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper and grease the parchment.
  2. Make the batter:
    Grate the carrots on a box grater directly into a large mixing bowl. Add the brown sugar, vegetable oil, eggs, pumpkin pie spice, and salt and whisk until fully combined.
    Add the flour, baking powder, and baking soda. Use the whisk to gently stir the batter just until no streaks of flour remain.
  3. Bake:
    Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, 35 to 45 minutes.
    Let the cake cool completely in the pan on a wire rack, about 1 hour.
  4. Make the frosting:
    While the cake finishes cooling, make the cream cheese frosting.
    In a large bowl, use a hand mixer to beat the softened cream cheese and butter on medium-high speed until fully combined and smooth, about 2 minutes. Add the powdered sugar, salt, and vanilla. Beat on low speed for 30 seconds, then increase to medium-high and beat until fully combined and creamy, about 3 minutes.
  5. Frost the cake:
    Use an offset spatula or the back of a spoon to spread the frosting over the top of the cooled cake. Slice and serve.
    Store the cake, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.