Here is the best carrot layer cake, with a twist on the recipe for the Yotam Ottolenghi carrot cake. It is beautifully moist and filled with carrots, walnuts, warm spices, and a delicious cream cheese frosting.
If you have been looking for the best carrot cake recipe, here is the answer. This carrot cake is dried fruit-free, not overspiced, and incredibly moist.
But if you want to try something new and interesting but still hold on tightly to your taste for comfort cake, this Italian carrot cake is another option. It is warm-spice-free and represents all the carrot cakes' simplicity and Italian authenticity.
What is carrot cake?
Carrot cake is a moist cake filled with grated carrots, warm spices, and cream cheese frosting. Its first recipe was probably published in 1827. The cake came to the States during the 1960s and became one of the most famous American classic desserts.
National Carrot Cake Day is celebrated annually on February 3 in the United States. Carrot lovers worldwide celebrate International Carrot Day annually on April 4th.
Ottolenghi carrot cake recipe
- This walnut and carrot cake is so simple that you will want to make it for your birthday, as an afternoon snack, or anytime.
- It is super moist due to the sunflower oil and grated carrots, which provide prime moisture for the cake. Read more about how to make cakes moist.
- The cake has a make-ahead option, and its maximum flavors are released the next day.
- It is incredibly easy and doesn't require any special skills.
Ingredients
For ingredients and detailed instructions, refer to the recipe card below.
For cake batter:
- Flour: Use all-purpose flour.
- Leavening agents: Baking powder and baking soda help raise the cake.
- Spices: Use a mix of ground cinnamon and ground cloves.
- Eggs: Use chilled eggs and an egg separator to separate the yolks from the whites. Then, bring the eggs to room temperature, as per the recipe.
- Sunflower oil brings moisture to the cake. Replace it with flavorless grapeseed oil if desired.
- Sugar: The recipe calls for granulated or caster sugar.
- Nuts: Use raw walnuts or pecans interchangeably.
- Coconut: Use shredded coconut or replace it with the same amount of raisins.
- Carrots: Grate carrots finely using a small grater or the fine shredding attachment on a food processor. Avoid store-bought shredded carrots, as they are thick and dry. Keep grated carrots in the fridge until you are ready to use them. You can make this step yourself a day ahead of time.
- Salt enhances the flavors of the cake.
For cream cheese frosting:
- Icing sugar: Make it yourself with a coffee grinder, or use store-bought powdered sugar.
- Cream cheese: Make sure to use cream cheese (not cream cheese spread) at room temperature.
- Butter: Use unsalted butter at room temperature. Take it out of the fridge 1 hour before you start.
- Honey: Use any honey you prefer, excluding buckwheat honey, for its intense flavor. Opt for acacia honey, which is known for its neutrality. Read on how to liquify honey.
How to make carrot cake
Step 1. Preheat oven to 340°F (170°C). Grease and layer the bottom and sides of an 8-inch (20-cm) round cake pan with parchment paper.
Step 2. To make cake batter, sift the dry ingredients-flour, baking powder, baking soda, and spices-into a large bowl and set aside.
Step 3. Whisk the whole egg with one egg yolk in a separate small bowl. Place sunflower oil and granulated sugar in a stand mixer or mixing bowl using an electric mixer. Beat for one minute at medium speed (photo 1).
Step 4. Decrease the speed and add beaten eggs. Add chopped walnuts, desiccated coconut, grated carrots, and sifted dry ingredients and combine (photo 2).
Step 5. Using an electric mixer, beat egg whites with salt until firm (photo 3). Carefully add the whites to the main preparation in three additions and mix them with a rubber spatula (photo 4).
Step 6. Pour the cake batter into the prepared pan (photo 5) and bake for about 1 hour.
Step 7. Check the cake's doneness with a toothpick or a cake tester: it is ready if it comes out dry. Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool (photo 6).
Step 8. To make a cream cheese frosting, place room-temperature cream cheese in a bowl and beat with an electric mixer.
Step 9. Whisk softened butter, icing (powdered) sugar, and honey in a separate bowl. Add this mixture to the cream cheese and whisk again (photo 7).
Step 10. To assemble the cake, remove the cooled cake from the pan and cut it horizontally with a serrated knife or a cake leveler.
Step 11. Place the first cake layer on a cake board or a serving plate. Spread half of the cream cheese frosting.
Step 12. Place the second cake layer and cover the remaining frosting, making waves on top. Sprinkle with chopped walnuts (photo 18).
Expert Tips
- Use this simple cake pan calculator to recalculate the ingredients for a different pan size.
- Cover the top of the cake with foil if it starts getting dark during baking.
- Make sure the cream cheese (not cream cheese spread) is at room temperature.
- Make-ahead option: Bake the cake one day in advance, wrap it in plastic film, and refrigerate. The next day, assemble the cake and let it chill for 2 to 3 hours before serving.
Recipe variations
A single layer of the carrot cake featuring a classic cream cheese frosting is a traditional carrot cake. But how can you make a carrot cake without cream cheese?
- Try sugar-free whipped cream or crème Chantilly as a cream cheese frosting alternative.
- Choose vanilla buttercream if whipped cream isn't your thing.
- Experiment with creating a carrot cake with chocolate frosting.
- Make your lemon glaze for a lighter taste. Mix 1 cup plus three tablespoons (150 g) icing sugar and 2-3 tablespoons of water.
- Finally, dust your carrot cake with a veil of powdered sugar and arrange candied carrots on top.
Storing and freezing
Store unfrosted carrot cake in an airtight container at room temperature for 1-2 days. If refrigerated, enjoy it longer, up to 7 days. Store frosted cake under a glass dome in the fridge for about a week.
Can you freeze carrot cake? It isn't recommended to freeze frosted cake, but you can freeze unfrosted one for up to 2-3 months.
Cover the cake with double plastic wrap and place it in a freezing bag or an airtight container. To thaw, leave the cake in the refrigerator overnight.
Recipe FAQ
The exact inventor of the modern American carrot cake remains mysterious, but a carrot pudding cooked in a Medieval palace began carrot cake history. There are several stories about how this pudding became a cream cheese-filled American favorite.
Carrot cake tastes like a spice nut cake, a blend of flavors topped with cream cheese frosting. Its flavors come mainly from carrots and warming spices like cinnamon, cloves, ginger, and nutmeg.
Love carrot desserts? Try these next!
Want more delicious and beautiful recipes? Subscribe to my newsletter and follow me on Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram for my latest updates. If you make this recipe, please leave a star rating on the recipe card and comment below!
PrintRecipe card
Ottolenghi Carrot Cake
Here is the best carrot layer cake, with a twist on the Yotam Ottolenghi carrot cake recipe. It is beautifully moist and filled with carrots, walnuts, warm spices, and a delicious cream cheese frosting.
- Total Time: 2 hours
- Yield: 12 1x
- Category: Cakes
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: British
Ingredients
For a cake batter:
- 1 cup + 4 ½ tablespoons (160 g) all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1 egg yolk, room temperature
- ⅔ cup +3 ½ tablespoons ( 200 g) sunflower oil
- 1 cup + 3 tablespoons (270 g) granulated sugar
- 1.7 oz (50 g) raw walnuts
- 1.7 oz (50 g) shredded coconut
- 4.7 oz (135 g) carrots
- 2 egg whites, room temperature
- 1 pinch of salt
For a cream cheese frosting:
- 12.3 oz (350 g) cream cheese, room temperature
- 5 oz (140 g) unsalted butter, softened
- ½ cup + 1 tablespoon (70 g) powdered (icing) sugar
- 2 ½ tablespoons (50 g) liquid honey
*Don't you have the correct baking pan on hand right now? Try this simple Cake Pan Converter!
** If needed, please refer to Baking Conversion Charts.
Instructions
-
Preheat oven to 340°F (170°C). Grease and layer the bottom and sides of an 8-inch (20 cm) round cake pan with parchment paper.
-
To make a cake batter, sift dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, baking soda, and spices in a large bowl and set aside.
-
Whisk the whole egg with one egg yolk in a separate small bowl. Place sunflower oil and granulated sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer or a mixing bowl using an electric mixer. Beat for one minute at medium speed.
-
Decrease the speed and add beaten eggs. Add chopped walnuts, desiccated coconut, grated carrots, sifted dry ingredients, and mix just to combine.
-
Using an electric mixer, beat egg whites with salt until firm. Carefully add the whites to the main preparation in three additions and mix them with a rubber spatula.
-
Pour the cake batter into the prepared pan and bake for about 1 hour. Check the cake's doneness with a toothpick or a cake tester: the cake is ready if it comes out dry. Take the cake out of the oven and let it cool.
-
To make a cream cheese frosting, place room-temperature cream cheese in a bowl and beat with an electric mixer. Whisk softened butter, icing (powdered) sugar, and honey in a separate bowl. Add this mixture to the cream cheese and whisk again.
-
To assemble the cake, remove the cooled cake from the pan and cut it horizontally with a serrated knife or a cake leveler. Place the first cake layer on a cake board or a serving plate. Spread half of the cream cheese frosting.
-
Place the second cake layer, and cover the remaining cream cheese frosting, making waves on top. Sprinkle with the remaining chopped walnuts.
Notes
- Use this simple cake pan calculator to recalculate the ingredients for a different pan size.
- Cover the top of the cake with foil if it starts getting dark during baking.
- Make sure the cream cheese (not cream cheese spread) is at room temperature.
- Make-ahead option: Bake the cake one day in advance, wrap it in plastic film, and refrigerate. The next day, assemble the cake and let it chill for 2 to 3 hours before serving.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 551
- Sugar: 29.9 g
- Sodium: 172 mg
- Fat: 41.3 g
- Saturated Fat: 15.6 g
- Carbohydrates: 42.5 g
- Fiber: 1.5 g
- Protein: 5.8 g
- Cholesterol: 90 mg
The nutritional information has been calculated using an online recipe nutrition calculator such as Verywellfit.com and is intended for informational purposes only. These figures should be used as a general guideline and not be construed as a guarantee.
The recipe was adapted from https://ottolenghi.co.uk/. It was originally published on November 10, 2019. This recipe has been updated and may differ from what was initially published.
Kim says
This is seriously the best carrot cake I've tasted. It's super moist, perfectly spiced and quite easy to make. This is now my go-to recipe for when I'm craving carrot cake. Thank you so much for the inspiration.
Irina says
I am so happy to hear that you liked the cake. Thank you!
Elena says
I'm interested in ur recipes.
Irina says
I am happy to hear that, Elena. Please, follow me on FB, IG or Pinterest, or subscribe to recipe newsletters.
Alexandra Coleman says
What kind of flour is used? Plain flour?
Irina says
Yes, it is all-purpose flour.
Beth says
This recipe would be a huge hit around my home but I do like your idea of changing it up with a lemon glaze - Delish!
Irina | Baking Like a Chef says
I believe that a tangy lemon glaze would perfectly fit this carrot cake. Thank you for your comment.
Natalie says
I love a good carrot cake! Looks so delicious and soft!
penelopi says
I love carrot cakes! I will try to Veganize it and bake it ?
Laura | Wandercooks says
OOoh yes, who knew the humble carrot was such a powerhouse ingredient! Just the justification I needed to eat this frequently haha. 😀
Irina | Baking Like a Chef says
I know, I know.. There are so many carrot cake recipes! I hope you enjoy this version!
Farah says
This looks so moist and decadent. I absolutely love carrot cake! Will have to give it a try thanks for the recipe!
Irina | Baking Like a Chef says
I will fall in love with this carrot cake!:) Enjoy!
Michelle Miller says
This Carrot cake looks absolutely fantastic!!! So moist!!!
Irina | Baking Like a Chef says
It is so moist. You are right! Thank you, Michelle!
Anita says
This is definitely one of the best carrot cake recipe I've tried. The cake is moist and paired perfectly with the cream cheese frosting. Definitely a keeper. 🙂
Irina says
Thank you so much, Anita! Happy baking and enjoy!:)
Suzy says
I love finding out the history of where classic foods come from! This looks so good!
Irina says
I hear you, Sizy!:) Thank you for your comment.
Farah says
I loved Ottolenghi during my London trip, and now I have to try this recipe! Thank you for this!
Irina says
Here we go, Farah! Please, enjoy the recipe!
Michelle Miller says
Quite easy indeed! Not too overwhelming to make and it looks super moist which is important!
Irina says
Yes, Michelle, this carrot cake is easy, moist and delicious! Thank you for your comment.
Jo Allison says
Love how beautifully moist and simply delicious this carrot cake is. I will be making it again and again.
Irina says
Thank you! I am happy to hear that you love this cake!
Aimee Mars says
Carrot cake is so delicious and I think it works year-round. I also love the little history lesson you included. This recipe looks great!
Irina says
Digging into a cake history gives some ideas and inspirations. I find it interesting and useful. Thanks!
Georgie says
This looks amazing! I love carrot cake and that frosting is to die for! Can't wait to make this!
Irina says
Please, let me know how it went, Georgie!
Irina says
You will love this layered version of the carrot cake. Enjoy the recipe, Georgie!
Julie says
This looks decadently delicious. We love carrot cake in my house. Will have to make it this week.
Irina says
Thanks and happy baking, Julie!
Irina says
Please, let me know how it went, Julie. Just enjoy the cake!
Jordin says
Wow, I need to try out this recipe ASAP! I love carrot cake, and making layer cake sounds amazing!
Irina says
Please, enjoy the cake, Jordin. Happy baking!
Irina says
The more layers, the more cream! Happy baking, Jordin.
Dannii says
You can't beat walnuts in carrot cake. I am definitely going to try this version!
Irina says
You will love this carrot cake, Dannii. Please, enjoy the recipe!
Irina says
You will love it, Dannii. It might become your new favorite:)
Farah Maizar says
This looks like an absolute dream! Thanks for the wonderful recipe!
Irina says
You are very welcome, Farah!
Irina says
You are welcome, Farah. Please, stay tuned for more recipes to come.
Anita says
This is an amazing carrot cake. I always tell myself that a carrot cake is healthy, so it's okay to eat more. I am sure your version is still just as healthy! 😀
Irina says
Thank you, Anita. The cake is divine!
Roxana Begum says
That cake looks so moist. One of the best carrot cake pics. Want to have a bite.
Irina says
Thank you so much, Roxana.
Noelle says
This was really simple to make, I loved all the flavors with the frosting added!!
Irina says
Yes, Noelle, this frosting is to die for. It will work for carrot cupcakes: it is just a tip.
Shannon says
I love carrot cake so much! Saving this one for later.
Irina says
You will love this carrot cake, Shannon. Please, enjoy the recipe!
Kelly Anthony says
Two cake layers bring this super moist carrot cake to the next level. I'm excited to make this for my family this Easter!
Irina says
Yes, I agree with you, Kelly. This carrot cake is a great Easter dessert. Thanks for your comment.
Vicky says
Can you make this as cup cakes? If so how would you adjust the cooking time?
Irina says
I assume that it is possible to try to make carrot cupcakes out of the same cake batter, but I have never tried to make them. So, unfortunately, I cannot recommend baking time.
Heather Flowers says
Can I double the recipe and bake in a 9x13 cake pan?
Irina says
Hello Heather, please, use this cake pan converter to adjust your cake pan and ingredients. Please, let me know if it works.
Jeanette de Vela says
Love your recipe. I hope you can make a video. Thanks.
Irina says
Thank you for visiting the recipe, Jeanette. I hope to do this one day. 🙂
Lucia says
Hi Irina
I tried your caramel carrot cake a few weeks ago and it was a great hit. Everyone loved it and so i decided to make it again However, it doesn’t seem to be the same recipe as the caramel and caramelized nuts are not mentioned. That was the twist you mentioned, but it seems to have gone missing. Could you please post your version which is really delicious
Irina says
Hello Lucia, I simplified the cake recipe and didn't save the exact recipe copy. But I was able to recover some parts of the recipe you need. The cake butter and cream cheese frosting remain unchanged. The missing piece is: To caramelize pecans, place 140 g of pecans and 60 g of powdered (icing) sugar in a non-stick frying pan. Heat the pan over medium heat and mix with a wooden spatula until the nuts are covered with caramel. Transfer pecans to parchment paper and let cool. Chop nuts into medium-sized pieces.
To make the salted caramel, heat granulated sugar in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat, shaking the pan over the stove. Sugar will start forming clumps that will eventually melt into a golden-colored caramel. Remove the pan from heat, add the butter cut into small cubes, and stir. Add warm heavy cream (be careful of the splash) and bring it to cook for about one minute. Remove from heat and mix one pinch of salt. (Follow this recipe >> https://sallysbakingaddiction.com/homemade-salted-caramel-recipe/)
To assemble the cake, remove the cooled cake from the pan and cut it horizontally with a serrated knife or a cake leveler. Mix the caramel with two-thirds of the chopped caramelized pecans. Cover the first cake layer with half of the cream cheese frosting and caramel/pecan mixture. Place the second cake layer, cover the remaining cream cheese frosting, folding waves on top. Sprinkle with the remaining chopped caramelized pecans.
P.S. Make the caramel following the recipe of Sally but take 1/2 amount of the ingredients for the caramel cake layer. It will be enough.
Benny says
I loved this recipe it's a shame you've changed it from when you first posted it. The caramelised pecans gave it such a different taste to the regular carrot cake, it gave it a nice crunch.
The recipe I'll still use as it's a lovely cake but the caramel and caramelised pecans gave it that extra wow!!
Irina Totterman says
Thank you, Benny, for making the recipe! Did you save the recipe with caramelized pecans?
Benny says
I hadn't printed the original recipe as I had saved it in my Pinterest then when I clicked on the link the recipe had changed. From what I remember it was around 100g pecan and 1/2 cup of icing sugar roasted and melted in a pan then lay the caramelised pecan on a tray to cook then chop them up. Add between the layers and ontop for decoration.
Mary Ellen Baum says
I know someone who hates coconut. Can I substitute with more carrot?
Irina Totterman says
Hello Mary, adding carrot would introduce extra moisture, which could affect the cake's texture. I suggest replacing the coconut with more walnuts instead. Happy baking!