This easy carrot cake is moist, full of warm cinnamon flavor, and topped with a creamy frosting. Made with freshly grated carrots, crunchy pecans, and sweet raisins, it’s a classic dessert that’s perfect for any occasion!

Ingredients Needed:

For the Carrot Cake:

260g (2 cups) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
2 teaspoons baking soda
½ teaspoon fine sea salt
1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
295ml (1 ¼ cups) vegetable oil
200g (1 cup) granulated sugar
190g (1 cup, lightly packed) brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 large eggs, at room temperature
300g (3 cups) grated carrots (about 5-6 medium carrots)
120g (1 cup) chopped pecans
70g (½ cup) raisins

For the Creamy Frosting:

225g (8 oz) cream cheese, at room temperature
2 teaspoons cornstarch (optional)
140g (1 ¼ cups) powdered sugar
80ml (⅓ cup) cold heavy cream (double cream for UK bakers)
50g (½ cup) chopped pecans (for topping)

How To Make Carrot Cake Recipe?

Preheat the oven: Set the oven to 176°C. Grease two 9-inch round cake pans, line with parchment paper, and grease again.
Mix dry ingredients: In a bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.
Mix wet ingredients: In a separate large bowl, whisk oil, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla extract.
Add eggs: Whisk in the eggs one at a time until the mixture is smooth.
Combine batter: Using a spatula, stir in the dry ingredients in three parts until fully combined.
Add carrots and mix-ins: Fold in the grated carrots, pecans, and raisins.
Bake the cake: Divide the batter evenly between the cake pans and bake for 35-45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Cool the cakes: Let them rest in the pans for 15 minutes, then turn them out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Make the frosting: In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Mix in the powdered sugar and cornstarch until fully combined.
Whip the cream: Pour in the heavy cream and beat for 2-3 minutes until light and fluffy. Chill until ready to use.
Frost the cake: Spread frosting over one cake layer, place the second layer on top, and spread frosting over the top. Sprinkle with chopped pecans.

Recipe Tips:

Use Fresh Baking Soda: Old baking soda won’t help your cake rise properly. Make sure your baking soda is fresh—replace it every 6 months for the best results.
Grate Carrots Finely: Hand-grated carrots work best because they blend into the batter and keep the cake moist. Avoid pre-shredded store-bought carrots as they are too dry.
Mix Gently After Adding Flour: Overmixing the batter after adding the dry ingredients can make the cake dense and tough. Stir just until the flour disappears for a soft and fluffy texture.
Cool the Cakes Completely Before Frosting: If the cake is even slightly warm, the frosting will melt and become runny. Let the layers cool fully on a wire rack before adding frosting.
Use Cold Cream for the Frosting: For the best-whipped frosting, use very cold heavy cream. This helps it whip up thick and creamy without turning runny.

How To Store Leftovers?

Refrigerate: Let the carrot cake cool completely. Then, cover it well with plastic wrap or put it in an airtight container. Store in the fridge for up to 1 week.
Freeze: Wrap the cake layers tightly in plastic wrap and place them in a freezer-safe bag or container. Freeze for up to 3 months.

Nutrition Facts:

Calories: 535 kcal
Total Fat: 33.4g
Saturated Fat: 6.9g
Cholesterol: 69.3mg
Sodium: 315.9mg
Potassium: 200mg
Total Carbohydrate: 56.4g
Dietary Fiber: 2.4g
Sugars: 40.5g
Protein: 5.6g

Try More Delia Smith Recipes:

Delia Smith Bread Pudding Recipe
Delia Smith Swiss Roll Recipe

Delia Smith Carrot Cake Recipe

Course: DessertCuisine: BritishDifficulty: Easy

Servings

servings

Prep time

minutes

Cooking time

minutes

Calories

535

kcal

Ingredients

For the Carrot Cake:
260g (2 cups) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
2 teaspoons baking soda
½ teaspoon fine sea salt
1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
295ml (1 ¼ cups) vegetable oil
200g (1 cup) granulated sugar
190g (1 cup, lightly packed) brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 large eggs, at room temperature
300g (3 cups) grated carrots (about 5-6 medium carrots)
120g (1 cup) chopped pecans
70g (½ cup) raisins
For the Creamy Frosting:
225g (8 oz) cream cheese, at room temperature
2 teaspoons cornstarch (optional)
140g (1 ¼ cups) powdered sugar
80ml (⅓ cup) cold heavy cream (double cream for UK bakers)
50g (½ cup) chopped pecans (for topping)

Directions

Preheat the oven: Set the oven to 176°C. Grease two 9-inch round cake pans, line with parchment paper, and grease again.
Mix dry ingredients: In a bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.
Mix wet ingredients: In a separate large bowl, whisk oil, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla extract.
Add eggs: Whisk in the eggs one at a time until the mixture is smooth.
Combine batter: Using a spatula, stir in the dry ingredients in three parts until fully combined.
Add carrots and mix-ins: Fold in the grated carrots, pecans, and raisins.
Bake the cake: Divide the batter evenly between the cake pans and bake for 35-45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Cool the cakes: Let them rest in the pans for 15 minutes, then turn them out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Make the frosting: In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Mix in the powdered sugar and cornstarch until fully combined.
Whip the cream: Pour in the heavy cream and beat for 2-3 minutes until light and fluffy. Chill until ready to use.
Frost the cake: Spread frosting over one cake layer, place the second layer on top, and spread frosting over the top. Sprinkle with chopped pecans.

Notes

Use Fresh Baking Soda: Old baking soda won’t help your cake rise properly. Make sure your baking soda is fresh—replace it every 6 months for the best results.
Grate Carrots Finely: Hand-grated carrots work best because they blend into the batter and keep the cake moist. Avoid pre-shredded store-bought carrots as they are too dry.
Mix Gently After Adding Flour: Overmixing the batter after adding the dry ingredients can make the cake dense and tough. Stir just until the flour disappears for a soft and fluffy texture.
Cool the Cakes Completely Before Frosting: If the cake is even slightly warm, the frosting will melt and become runny. Let the layers cool fully on a wire rack before adding frosting.
Use Cold Cream for the Frosting: For the best-whipped frosting, use very cold heavy cream. This helps it whip up thick and creamy without turning runny.