Easy carrot cake recipe

You can bake this classic carrot cake using basic ingredients found in almost every kitchen. Below you will find the proportions, preparation steps, and advice for serving and storage.

Ingredients

250 g finely grated carrots
200 g wheat flour
150 g sugar
2 eggs
120 ml vegetable oil
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Step-by-step instructions

Preheat your oven to 180°C and line a standard loaf pan with baking parchment.
Whisk the eggs with the sugar and vegetable oil until combined. Stir in the finely grated carrots.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon. Add to the wet ingredients and mix briefly.
Pour the batter into the loaf pan and bake for 45-55 minutes, until a wooden skewer comes out clean. Let the cake cool completely before slicing.

Prep time and servings

Time: 70 minutes. Yield: 10 slices.

Tips and variations

Grate the carrots finely and do not squeeze out their juice unless they are swimming in liquid.
A handful of chopped nuts pairs nicely with the spiced batter.
If the top begins to brown too quickly in the oven, tent it loosely with a sheet of baking parchment.

Preparing the carrots and batter

Wash, peel, and finely grate the carrots. Weigh the required amount after peeling. Fine shreds soften during baking and distribute moisture evenly throughout the crumb. Do not squeeze out the juice by default, as that moisture is accounted for in the recipe balance. However, if the carrots release excessive pooling liquid after sitting, pour off the pooled liquid.

Whisk the eggs, sugar, and oil together with a hand whisk or fork until homogeneous. You do not need to beat them into a pale foam. In a separate bowl, stir the baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon into the flour so no clumps remain. Once added to the wet mixture, stir only until the dry flour disappears. Overmixing will make the cake crumb dense and heavy.

The batter should be thick yet easy to scoop with a spatula. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the mixing bowl before pouring the batter into the pan to ensure no dry pockets linger. Smooth the top gently without pressing down. Line the bottom and sides of the loaf pan with parchment paper, leaving small wings extending past the edges for easy lifting later.

Baking and cooling

Set the pan on the center rack of your preheated oven. Avoid opening the oven door during the first half of baking. Near the end of the baking window, insert a wooden skewer into the center: it should come out without wet batter. A few moist crumbs clinging to the wood are normal, but runny batter indicates the cake needs several more minutes.

If the top surface darkens before the interior finishes baking, lay a sheet of baking paper loosely over the pan. Baking times can vary depending on oven calibration and pan material, so rely on the skewer test. Once baked, let the cake rest in the pan for a moment, then transfer it to a wire rack. Cool completely before cutting, which keeps the crumb tender and prevents slices from crumbling under the knife.

Add-ins and storage

If you like nuts, fold a handful of chopped nuts in alongside the carrots or at the end of mixing. You can also prepare a simple cream cheese glaze by beating cream cheese with powdered sugar to taste. Spread frosting only over a thoroughly cooled cake, otherwise the topping will melt and run down the sides. The cake also tastes great served plain.

Store the cooled cake covered to prevent the surface from drying out. If you frost it with cream cheese icing, store the cake in the refrigerator. To freeze, slice the cake into portions and wrap each piece securely. Thaw covered, adding any fresh frosting after thawing. This allows you to pull out just the right number of servings whenever needed.

If you choose to bake this batter in a different pan, consider the batter depth. In a wider cake pan, the batter will sit thinner and bake more quickly. In a deeper or smaller tin, check the center carefully with a skewer before switching off the oven. Never judge doneness by crust color alone.

Chop nuts into medium pieces rather than fine dust before folding them into the bowl. This preserves a pleasant crunch in every slice while allowing the batter to spread smoothly in the pan.