The Best Simple Carrot Cake

It's almost Easter and I want carrot cake. I do NOT want to make it.

What ever do I mean?

Let’s talk about it. Carrot cake.

You know the one - the tall, towering, two-layer kind you save for special occasions, the one that requires multiple bowls, a cooling rack, a cake turntable (ha), and a level of frosting commitment that honestly makes most of us want to run—not walk—to the nearest bakery.

Sure, it’s gorgeous, but who has time for this?

But here’s the thing: even the best bakeries, including the ones I swear by for croissants, pies and sourdough bread, just can’t quite nail carrot cake the way homemade does. There’s something about the texture, the balance of spices, the you know exactly what went into it quality that makes a homemade carrot cake wildly, unexpectedly unbeatable.

Still, I don’t often want to spend an entire afternoon layering, trimming, and delicately frosting something that is going to disappear in less time than it took to wash the mixing bowl - even for Easter. I want a carrot cake I can make on a Tuesday. One that doesn’t demand a piping bag or a pastry school diploma. One that’s unfussy, low-maintenance, but still so good it leaves nothing for want in the carrot cake department. One that I will actually make.

So, I created this. A carrot cake in the style of a snack cake —my favorite kind of cake—baked, cooled, and frosted all in the same pan. No flipping, no stacking, no crying. It’s plush and moist (thanks to a generous amount of carrots and oil instead of butter), it travels beautifully, and the spices don’t whisper—they sing. A little brown sugar cozies up to the white sugar for a caramel-y undertone, and the result is a carrot cake that tastes like you spent way more time on it than you did.

And so, all of this means…..we will be having carrot cake on Easter. Phew.

Happy Easter to those who observe and for those who don’t, wishing you a relaxing spring weekend, sunshine and peace.

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Some Notes On The Recipe:

• Yes, you can add raisins or chopped nuts to the batter. I don’t, because I like my carrot cake to taste like spiced carrot cake, not trail mix - sorry sorry I have always been a purist this way, I mean no harm. But if you're team raisin or nut, by all means—toss a generous handful (or two) with a tablespoon of the dry mix (this keeps them from sinking) and fold them in with the carrots in Step 4.

• This cake also plays very nicely with gluten-free flour. Just swap in your favorite 1:1 blend (make sure it includes xanthan gum—Bob’s Red Mill and Cup4Cup are both great), and be aware that it may need a little extra baking time. Start checking with a tester at the usual mark, but don’t be surprised if it takes a bit longer.

• Want to go full layer cake? You can. Divide the batter between two 8-inch round cake pans and bake (timing will vary, but start checking around 35 minutes). You’ll also want to double the frosting, because nobody has ever said, “You know what this cake needs? Less frosting.”

• It also makes 24 very happy cupcakes. Bake at 350°F, rotate the pan halfway through, and start testing for doneness at the 20-minute mark. Again, double the frosting if you’re frosting fans, or just if you like to eat some with a spoon while pretending it’s for the cupcakes.

• And if you’re thinking, this is too much cake for me, 1.) I’m not sure I understand, but 2.) this recipe halves like a dream. Use an 8x8-inch pan and keep everything else the same. Except the frosting. (Always make the full amount of frosting. Trust me on this.)