Best and Easiest Carrot Cake Recipe

With Easter around the corner, I thought I would share my favorite carrot cake recipe. I have been making this since 2012 and it has become a family favorite. A former colleague gave it to me after she brought in leftovers to our office and I have made it every year since.

Ingredients for Carrot Cake

2 Cups sugar

1 1/2 cups oil

4 eggs (room temperature)

2 cups plain flour

2 tsp baking powder

2 tsp baking soda

2 tsp salt

2 tsp cinnamon

3 cups grated carrots (better to hand grate vs. food processor)

1/2 cup of raisins or nuts (optional)

Cream sugar and oil until light and fluffy.  Add eggs, cream.  Sift flour, baking powder, soda, salt and cinnamon into first mixture and mix well.  Fold in carrots and nuts/raisins. 

NOTE ON CARROTS: Over the years I have found it is better to hand grate the carrots over using a food processor. Be sure to then squeeze excess liquid with a few paper towels. If you coat them in 1 tbs of flour, they won’t sink in the cake!

Bake at 300 for 30 to 40 minutes.  (This recipe is for a 3 layer cake.  I usually do it in 2 nine inch rounds and it is more than 45 minutes.  I just keep checking with a knife in the middle to see when it seems done).  You also need to grease and flour your pans. 

Cream Cheese Icing Recipe

1 stick butter

1 1/2 boxes powdered sugar

2 tsp vanilla

1 pack (8 oz) cream cheese

Let your butter and cream cheese sit out and soften for a while before you start trying to mix all this up.  I usually add 1 tsp of milk to make it easier to mix the powdered sugar in though you don’t have to do this.   

I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as my family!