Classic Carrot Cake Recipe

Deliciously moist and lightly spiced, this is our go-to carrot cake that turns out perfectly, every time. If you’d like to bake a carrot layer cake or cupcakes using this recipe, scroll to the bottom of the method for ingredient conversions.

Recipe alterations: Add another 1 tsp of ground ginger and 60g of finely chopped crystalised ginger for a delicious Carrot & Ginger Cake.

50 Mins

12 Serves

7 Steps

Recipe Tip

Peel carrots before using, carrot peel is quite bitter and can impart this bitterness into your cake.

Ingredients

Cake

1 ¼ cup (200g) brown sugar, lightly packed
2 eggs
200ml sunflower oil
2 tsp Queen Organic Vanilla Bean Paste
200 g plain flour
½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
1 tsp baking powder
2 tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp ground ginger
¼ tsp ground nutmeg
½ tsp salt
1 ⅔ cup (200g) carrots, peeled & grated finely
⅔ cup (80g) walnuts or pecans, chopped

Cream Cheese Icing

125g cream cheese
1 tsp Queen Vanilla Bean Paste
50g unsalted butter, softened
2 cups (300g) icing sugar

Method - Cake

1
Preheat oven to 170°C (fan forced). Grease and line a medium 21cm x 11cm loaf tin with baking paper.
2
Whisk together sugar, eggs, oil and Vanilla Bean Paste in a large bowl until well combined.
3
Sift together flour, bicarb soda, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger and salt. Add to mixture and mix until just combined. Stir in the grated carrots and walnuts until incorporated.
4
Add mixture to prepared tin and bake for 35-40 minutes or until sponge bounces back when pressed. Allow cake to cool for 10 minutes in the tin before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Method - Icing

1
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat cream cheese until smooth.
2
Add Vanilla Bean Paste and butter and mix until just incorporated. Add icing sugar and mix on low until combined – do not over mix.
3
Spread icing onto cooled loaf and slice to serve.

Convert this recipe

1 x 20cm Round Single layer cake: 50-55 minutes – using above recipe

2 x 20cm Round Layer cake: 25-30 Minutes – using above recipe (please note that these are sandwich layers (2-2.5cm tall) if you’d like taller layers, use the 3 x 20cm recipe below and cook for 30-35 minutes)

3 x 20cm Round Layer cake: 25-30 Minutes – recipe + 50%:
300g brown sugar
3 large eggs
300ml sunflower oil
3 tsp Queen Organic Vanilla Bean Paste
300 g plain flour
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1 tsp baking powder
2 tsp ground cinnamon
3/4 tsp ground ginger
3/4 tsp salt
2 1/2 cup (300g) carrots, peeled & grated finely
1 cup (120g) walnuts or pecans, chopped

To make 12 standard size cupcakes:
150g brown sugar
2 large eggs
150ml sunflower oil
2 tsp Queen Organic Vanilla Bean Paste
1 cup (150g) plain flour
3/4 tsp bicarbonate of soda
3/4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp ground cinnamon
¼ tsp ground ginger
¼ tsp salt
1 1/4 cup (150g) carrots, peeled & grated finely
1/2 cup (60g) walnuts or pecans, chopped

Cooking time for cupcakes: Fill cupcake cases 1/4 cup full and bake for 18-20 minutes or until cupcake bounces back when pressed.

How much cream cheese icing will I need? Our Cream Cheese Icing Recipe has all the ratios you need for your bake.

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