Name: Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 50 min
Ingredients: 100 g pecans (chopped); 2 carrots (peeled and finely grated); 100 g raisins; 335 g brown sugar; 265 g self-raising flour; ½ teaspoon salt; 2½ teaspoons ground cinnamon; ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg; 100 g natural plain yogurt; 230 ml vegetable oil; 4 medium eggs (at room temperature); 1 tablespoon orange zest; 1 teaspoon vanilla; 300 g full-fat cream cheese (softened); 150 g powdered sugar; 200 g heavy cream (cold); Ground cinnamon (for dusting)

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This carrot cake with cream cheese frosting combines two spiced layers with pecans, raisins and a little orange zest. The frosting is made with cream cheese and cold heavy cream, whipped together for a light finish that can be piped between the layers and over the top.

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Carrot cake layered with cream cheese frosting and cinnamon on top, with a slice cut out showing the moist carrot and raisin filling.

Why You'll Love This Carrot Cake

A simple batter: Mix the wet and dry ingredients separately, then stir them together before dividing between the pans.
Flavor in every slice: Brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg bring warmth, while orange zest adds a citrus note.
A useful baking cue: The layers bake until a toothpick comes out clean, then cool completely before assembly.
No extra chilling: Once the layers have cooled and the frosting is added, the cake is ready to slice.

Carrot cake is one of those desserts I like for both a quiet afternoon of baking and a celebration. It has a place alongside my yogurt cake and chocolate banana cake, but the spices, fruit, and nuts give it a character of its own. There is enough going on in each slice that a simple finish suits it well.

The frosting is worth a little attention here: it uses heavy cream rather than butter, so the method is to whip it with the sweetened cream cheese until it holds its shape. The two cakes are baked separately, which means there is no need to split a thick cake before filling it. For a larger dessert table, lemon olive oil cake brings a different citrus flavor, while blueberry crumble adds a fruit dessert to serve alongside the cakes.

A piece of Carrot cake layered with cream cheese frosting and cinnamon on top, showing the moist carrot and raisin filling.

Key Ingredients in Easy Carrot Cake

You'll find the full quantities in the recipe card. These ingredients give the cake its flavor, texture and finish:

Carrots, pecans and raisins: Finely grated carrots add moisture and blend into the crumb. Pecans give the cake a little crunch, while raisins add pockets of sweetness.
Self-raising flour and spices: Self-raising flour gives the batter structure and includes the raising agent. Cinnamon and nutmeg provide the warm spice flavor, with a little salt to balance the sweetness.
Brown sugar, oil and yogurt: Brown sugar adds a deeper sweetness, oil helps keep the crumb tender, and natural plain yogurt adds moisture to the batter.
Eggs, orange zest and vanilla: Eggs bind the mixture and help the layers hold together. Orange zest adds a bright citrus note, while vanilla rounds out the spices.
Cream cheese, powdered sugar and heavy cream: Full-fat cream cheese brings tang, powdered sugar sweetens the frosting, and cold heavy cream gives it its whipped texture.

How to Make Carrot Cake

You can find the complete printable recipe with measurements below, but here's an overview of how it comes together:

1. Prep the dry mix: Finely chop the pecans and grate the peeled carrots. Add them to a large mixing bowl along with raisins, brown sugar, self-raising flour, salt, ground cinnamon, and grated nutmeg. Whisk all the dry ingredients together until well combined.

2. Make the wet mixture: In a separate bowl, whisk together natural yogurt, vegetable oil, eggs, orange zest, and vanilla until smooth and fully blended.

3. Combine wet and dry: Gradually add the wet ingredients into the dry mixture, stirring until a smooth, cohesive batter forms.

4. Bake the cakes: Divide the batter evenly between two 9-inch round cake pans lined with parchment paper. Bake at 160°C (320°F) with the fan on for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

5. Cool the cakes: Let the cakes cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

6. Make the frosting: In a bowl, whip softened cream cheese and icing sugar until smooth. Add heavy cream and continue whipping until stiff peaks form. Transfer the frosting to a piping bag.

7. Assemble the cake: Place one cake layer on a stand or plate, spread frosting evenly over the top, then place the second cake layer on top.

8. Decorate and serve: Pipe the remaining frosting decoratively over the cake, dust with ground cinnamon, slice, and serve.

Slice of moist carrot cake with cream cheese frosting, raisins, walnuts, and grated carrots, topped with piped frosting and cinnamon on a gray plate.

Tips for a Moist Carrot Cake

Grate the carrots finely: Fine shreds distribute more evenly through the batter and avoid large pieces in the finished crumb.
Stop mixing once combined: Stir only until the flour is incorporated; prolonged mixing can make the cake dense.
Check both layers: Test the center of each cake toward the end of baking, rather than assuming both are ready at exactly the same moment.
Let the layers cool fully: Warm cake can soften the frosting and make assembly difficult. Keep the cakes on the rack until completely cool.

Storage

Cover the leftover carrot cake and refrigerate it in an airtight container for 3-5 days. Keep the frosting protected so it does not pick up odors from other foods in the refrigerator.