You will absolutely love this super moist and flavorful carrot cake topped with a luscious frosting. It’s an easy homemade carrot cake that’s extra soft thanks to applesauce and it’s topped with a delectable brown sugar cream cheese frosting. A must-try dessert!
I’ve had a lot of carrot cakes and one thing that separates the good from the bad is the moisture. Good carrot cake, really good carrot cake is all about that perfect, soft texture. A dry cake can be a real letdown. Moistness is key, it helps keep the cake tender, even after a few days in the fridge. Let's face it, no one likes dry cake.
In This Post
- Reasons You Will Love This Carrot Cake
- Ingredients You Need
- Some Flavor Variations
- How To Make This Super Moist Carrot Cake
- Celeste's Top Recipe Tips
- Get Free Recipe Updates!
- Substitutions and Variations
- How To Store Your Leftover Super Moist Carrot Cake
- FAQ
- More Recipes To Try
- Super Moist Carrot Cake with Brown Sugar Frosting
- https://thewholeserving.com/comments/
Reasons You Will Love This Carrot Cake
Moist: Applesauce keeps the cake incredibly moist without making it too dense. The brown sugar in both the cake and frosting adds a rich, caramel-like flavor.
Healthier Twist: Applesauce reduces the need for extra oil, making this cake a little lighter while keeping it just as delicious.
Velvety Brown Sugar Cream Cheese Frosting: Brown sugar gives the frosting a slightly caramelized, deeper flavor compared to traditional cream cheese frosting.
Easy to Make: No complicated techniques, just mix, bake, and frost.
Ingredients You Need
Cake Batter
- All-Purpose Flour – Provides structure and stability.
- Baking Powder & Baking Soda – Leavening agents that help the cake rise and stay fluffy.
- Spices – Add warmth and depth.
- Salt – Balances sweetness and enhances overall taste.
- Applesauce – Keeps the cake moist.
- Brown & Granulated Sugar – Brown sugar adds caramel notes, granulated sugar provides balanced sweetness.
- Neutral Oil – Ensures a soft and tender crumb.
- Eggs – Bind ingredients together and contribute to the cake's texture.
- Vanilla Extract – Enhances the overall flavor.
- Carrots – Freshly grated carrots adds natural sweetness, texture, and moisture.
Frosting
- Cream Cheese – Use room temperature cream cheese to assure the frosting is smooth and creamy.
- Salted Butter – I used salted butter, no added salt is needed.
- Brown Sugar – Unlike powdered sugar alone, brown sugar gives a hint of molasses-like depth.
- Powdered Sugar – Sift or whisk (affiliate link) the sugar to create a smooth rich consistency.
- Vanilla Extract – Enhances flavor.
See recipe card for quantities.
Some Flavor Variations
Nutty Twist: If there are no nut allergies in your home try adding toasted pecans or walnuts to the batter and sprinkle on top for crunch.
Coconut Carrot Cake: Mix in ½ cup shredded coconut for extra texture.
Raisin Addition – Fold in ½ cup raisins for a chewy, fruity bite.
How To Make This Super Moist Carrot Cake
Prepare oven and pans: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour two 8-inch round cake pans or line with parchment paper.
Prepare carrots and mix dry ingredients: Grate 3 medium carrots using a food processor grating blade or grate by hand using a hand held grater, set aside for later. Next in a medium bowl, whisk (affiliate link) together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.
Mix wet ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk (affiliate link) the granulated sugar, brown sugar, applesauce, oil, eggs, and vanilla until well combined.
Mix in dry ingredients and fold in carrots: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, stirring until just incorporated. Fold in the grated carrots.
Pour batter into pans: Divide the batter evenly between the prepared cake pans and bake for 30–35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cakes cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Prepare frosting: While the cake is baking, beat the cream cheese and butter together until smooth in the bowl of your stand mixer or a large bowl using a hand mixer. Add the brown sugar and vanilla, beating until fully incorporated. Gradually mix in the powdered sugar until the frosting is smooth and fluffy.
Frost cake: Place one cake layer on a serving plate and spread a generous amount of frosting on top.
Place the second cake layer on top and frost the top and sides evenly.
Decorate: Garnish with toppings of your choice.
Celeste's Top Recipe Tips
Tips For Cake
Use Freshly Grated Carrots: Avoid pre-shredded carrots, they’re too dry. Freshly grated carrots add moisture and better texture to the cake.
Use Room Temperature Ingredients: Eggs and applesauce should be at room temperature for better mixing and a smoother texture.
Measure Flour Correctly: Spoon flour into the measuring cup and level it off with a knife. Packing flour too tightly can result in a dense cake.
Don’t Overmix the Batter: Stir just until the ingredients are combined. Overmixing can lead to a tough, dense cake instead of a soft and tender one.
Tips For Frosting
Smooth & Spreadable Frosting: Make sure the cream cheese is room temperature and after adding the brown sugar beat well to prevent a grainy texture.
Get Free Recipe Updates!
Substitutions and Variations
Applesauce: Use pumpkin purée, Greek yogurt, or mashed banana for a similar moist texture.
Neutral Oil: Swap with coconut oil for a richer flavor.
All-Purpose Flour: Use gluten-free 1:1 flour for a gluten-free version.
Brown Sugar: Replace with coconut sugar for a less refined option.
Gluten-Free Version: Use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend. Because gluten-free batters can be more delicate, let the cake cool completely before slicing to avoid crumbling.
Vegan Version: Replace with flax eggs (1 tablespoon ground flaxseed + 2.5 tablespoon water per egg, let sit for 5 minutes). Replace the cream cheese and butter with dairy-free cream cheese (such as Violife or Kite Hill) and vegan butter (like Earth Balance).For sweetener use a vegan sugar like Zulka pure cane sugar or any bone char-free sugar.
How To Store Your Leftover Super Moist Carrot Cake
Because of the cream cheese frosting any leftover cake should be stored in an airtight cake storage container in the fridge, and is best eaten within a week.
Unfrosted cake layers should be wrapped in plastic wrap, then aluminum foil, and placed in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before frosting. I do not recommend freezing frosted carrot cake, the cream cheese frosting does not freeze and thaw well.
FAQ
Too much flour: Make sure to measure flour correctly using the spoon-and-level method.
Overmixing: Stir just until combined—overmixing can make the cake dense.
Overbaking: Check for doneness a few minutes early to avoid dryness.
Yes! Bake in lined muffin tins at 350°F (175°C) for 18-22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Brown sugar can sometimes remain grainy if not fully incorporated. To fix this beat the butter and brown sugar until smooth before adding cream cheese.
Super Moist Carrot Cake with Brown Sugar Frosting
You will absolutely love this super moist and flavorful carrot cake topped with a luscious frosting. It’s an easy homemade carrot cake that’s extra soft thanks to applesauce and it’s topped with a delectable brown sugar cream cheese frosting. A must-try dessert!
- Prep Time: 20
- Cook Time: 35
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 16
- Category: Sweets
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Cake
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
½ teaspoon ground clove
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup granulated sugar
1 cup light brown sugar, packed
1 cup unsweetened applesauce
¾ cup vegetable oil
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups finely grated carrots (about 3 medium carrot sticks)
Brown Sugar Cream Cheese Frosting
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
½ cup salted butter, softened
½ cup light brown sugar, packed
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 ½ cups powdered sugar
Instructions
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour two 8-inch round cake pans or line with parchment paper.
2. Grate 3 medium carrots using a food processor grating blade or grate by hand using a hand held grater, set aside for later.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk (affiliate link) together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.
4. In a large bowl, whisk (affiliate link) the granulated sugar, brown sugar, applesauce, oil, eggs, and vanilla until well combined.
5. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, stirring until just incorporated.
6. Fold in the grated carrots.
7. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared cake pans and bake for 30–35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
8. Let cakes cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Frosting1. While the cake is baking, beat the cream cheese and butter together until smooth in the bowl of your stand mixer or a large bowl using a hand mixer.
2. Add the brown sugar and vanilla, beating until fully incorporated.
3. Gradually mix in the powdered sugar until the frosting is smooth and fluffy.
Assemble the Cake1.Place one cake layer on a serving plate and spread a generous amount of frosting on top.
2.Place the second cake layer on top and frost the top and sides evenly.
3.Garnish with toppings of your choice.
Notes
Baking Variations:
Cupcakes – Divide batter into lined muffin tins and bake at 350°F (175°C) for 18-22 minutes.
Sheet Cake – Bake in a 9x13-inch pan for 35-40 minutes and frost directly in the pan.
Loaf Cake – Bake in a 9x5-inch loaf pan for 50-55 minutes for a more bread-like version.
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