What makes this the best-ever homemade carrot cake? The classic flavor and beautiful addition of candied carrot peels. This is both an easy carrot cake recipe and a showstopper.
This carrot cake is perfectly spiced, moist, and unbelievably good! Using candied carrot peels as decoration (optional), cream cheese frosting, and sweetened shredded coconut, this cake is simply the best — I make it all the time.
My Ultimate Carrot Cake with Candied Carrot Peels recipe is one of my favorites from Zoë Bakes Cakes. I make it a lot. For birthdays, for Tuesdays, for family gatherings, it was the first cake my boys ate, because I could justify giving a baby cake, if it had carrots. I’m not suggesting it replace baby food, but for their first birthday cakes, it was my go-to. I put this cake and many more of my all-time favorites into my book, Zoë Bakes Cakes: Everything You Need to Know to Make Your Favorite Layers, Bundts, Loaves, and More.
Carrot Cake Ingredients
- Carrots: The star of the show, of course! I use organic carrots so I can candy the peels. It’s a way to use the entire veg without any waste, and they are gorgeous.
- Spices: Cinnamon, ginger, clove, and nutmeg give the recipe the classic carrot cake flavor. If you don’t have all of these spices in your pantry, you can substitute them with 1 3/4 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice blend.
- Orange: A little orange zest adds a little extra flavor and makes the cake really pop.
- Shredded Coconut: Adds both texture and a hint of coconut flavor. I use sweetened, but give tips if you want to use the unsweetened version. If you are pressing coconut on the outside, I recommend using the sweetened kind that has more moisture to it.
- Cream Cheese Frosting: The classic frosting. The recipe includes a simple cream cheese frosting that is perfect for this (and other) cakes. Pro Tip: I only use Philadelphia brand cream cheese, and they are not paying me to say that. It has the best texture and flavor. If you have a brand you like more, use it, but it may produce a different consistency. And, do not use low-fat cream cheese for the frosting. This is not a place to skimp on flavor or the creaminess. You’ll find lots of tips and techniques for success in the recipe and in my Carrot Cake video.
How To Use The Whole Carrot, Peels and All
I was inspired to use the whole carrot, including the peels, after making Cenk Sönmezsoy’s Perfect Apple Pie, which uses every single bit of the apple to make the pie. The core, peel, and seeds are all used to extract as much apple flavor as possible. I love that he didn’t waste a bit of the fruit. I usually peel the carrots and toss them away into the composter, which honestly doesn’t cause me too much guilt, but why not use them for the cake? I just washed the organic carrots, peeled them (I love This Peeler ), and candied the peels. They go through several stages while baking. First, they turn to carrot leather, chewy and soft, then they dehydrate fully and turn to a snappy, brittle, sweet, but earthy candy. Delicious.
How to Make Carrot Cake (Video)
Watch my in-depth YouTube video of how to make Carrot Cake, Cream Cheese Frosting, and Candied Carrot Peels from scratch!
Carrot Cake Pro Tips
- This cake works well as a half batch (see me make it in my video!) baked in three 6-inch round cake pans. It’s perfect for two people and will last for a few days. This cake actually gets better after sitting for a day, and you can freeze the layers.
- Use whatever dried fruit you want — this is your cake! I use raisins, apricots, and dried cherries, or you can add craisins or even nuts. Just use the same amounts as suggested in the recipe or it will change the consistency.
- Firmly tap the filled cake pans on the counter to get the batter to spread out and force any air bubbles to the surface. Don’t do this with all cakes, but this carrot cake can handle it.
- Bake the cakes on a baking sheet, which makes it easier to transfer them in and out of the oven. It will also give the bottom of the cakes a little insulation. This will only work with the three 6-inch cake pans or two 8-inch pans.
- Make your frosting ahead of time if it is quite warm in your kitchen. Sometimes, cream cheese frosting is a little bit loose, and it needs time in the refrigerator to set up. You can even make it a day ahead, and it will be easier to use. The trick to thick cream cheese frosting is getting the temperatures of the ingredients right and not overmixing.
Decorating Pro Tips
- I love the candied carrot peels on the outside of my cake, but you could also press coconut or nuts into the frosting for a more classic look or leave it plain and simple.
- For the candied carrot peels: Use organic carrots and wash them well. Use a very sharp vegetable peeler and press quite hard when peeling to get thick strips of peel that will hold up well.
Video
Ingredients
Candied Carrot Peels
- Peels from 2 pounds organic carrots washed – Make sure you get a nice thick peel, if they are too thin, they will fall apart while you candy them. My peeler produces just the right thickness, but you may need to press a bit harder to get a nice peel.
- 1 cup (200g) sugar
- 1 cup (240ml) water
- 1 tablespoon orange blossom water or 1/2 teaspoon orange extract optional
- Pinch kosher salt
Carrot Cake
- 4 cups (450g) loosely packed finely grated carrots
- 2 1/3 cups (280g) all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground ginger
- 1/4 tsp ground cloves
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1 1/4 cups (250g) granulated sugar
- 1 cup (200g) lightly packed brown sugar
- 1 1/4 cups (300ml) mild-flavored oil such as vegetable oil
- 4 eggs at room temperature
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- Finely grated zest of 1/2 large orange
- 1 3/4 cups (150g) sweetened shredded coconut* plus 1 3/4 cups additional for decorating the outside (if desired)
- 1 cup (160g) chopped dried fruit such as apricots, raisins, cherries or chopped nuts
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 1 recipe Cream Cheese Frosting
Instructions
Candied Carrot Peels
- Preheat the oven to 200°F / 95°C. Line two baking sheets with a silicone baking mats.
- In a saucepan over medium-low heat, bring the sugar, water, orange blossom water (optional), and salt to a simmer. Cook until the sugar is completely melted, about 5 minutes. Turn off the heat, add the carrot peels, and let them sit in the hot syrup just until the peels are turning translucent, about 10 to 15 minutes.
- Remove the excess syrup from the peels by gently squeegeeing them between your fingers, then lay them out on the prepared baking sheet. (see the YouTube Video)
- Bake until the carrot peels start to curl up, anywhere from 30-60 minutes, depending on their thickness. Run the blade of a small offset spatula under the peels and gently flip them over. continue to bake until they are completely dry; this can take several hours. Transfer to an airtight container and store in a cool, dry place for up to 48 hours. Pro Tip: The candied carrot peels do not do well in a humid environment. If it is humid, they will soften and wilt. This is also true if you put them in the refrigerator.
Carrot Cake
- Preheat oven to 350°F / 175°C. Generously grease two 8 by 3-inch cake pans, then line them with greased parchment paper. (or for a half batch, three 6-inch pans)
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and nutmeg until well combined.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together both sugars, oil, eggs, vanilla, orange zest, 1 3/4 cups / 150g of the coconut, dried fruit, and carrots. Then add the dry ingredients and mix just until uniformly combined.
- Divide the batter into the two prepared pans and spread evenly using an offset spatula. Gently tap the pans on the counter several times to release excess air bubbles.
- Bake until a tester comes out clean, 50 to 55 minutes. (or for a half batch, just 20-25 minutes). Let cakes cool completely before removing from the pans. Remove the parchment paper and place one cake layer on a serving plate.
To Assemble the Cake
- Put one of the layers** of cake on an 8-inch Cardboard Cake Circle and then top it with 1 cup of the cream cheese icing. Repeat with the next layers.**Pro Tip: The photos above show an 8-inch cake with four layers. I cut the two 8-inch cake layers in half before layering them with the cream cheese frosting.
- Cover the cake with a thin crumb coat (watch video for crumb coat instructions). Then finish with a coating of the cream cheese icing (watch video for smooth icing instructions). You can leave it simple OR press coconut onto the sides OR make the candied carrot peels to decorate the sides. Serve cake immediately or store in the refrigerator (***see note about candied carrot peels), covered, for up to 3 days.
Zoë's Baking Academy
- If you make this recipe in April, I hope you'll join us for Zoë Baking Academy for a chance to win a copy of my book, Zoë Bakes Cakes! Details here. Don't forget to leave a rating and review!
Notes
*if you use unsweetened coconut, you’ll want to add the coconut early to the wet ingredients, so it will absorb some of the moisture. The resulting cake will be slightly less sweet as well, so if you want to add a couple Tbsp sugar or honey, you can.
Once you put the peels on the cake, you want to serve it immediately. Refrigerating the carrot peel candy will cause them to wilt.
Golden syrup is like a light caramel but not as overpowering a flavor; it just adds a nuance that is exquisite. Golden syrup is a staple in most British kitchens, but if you happen to find it in your own grocery in the United States, give it a try.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
Very delicious
This is not a hard cake to make.and its very delicious.
Can you tell me where the ceramic mixing bowl with flowers that Zoe uses in this episode is from? It is simply beautiful. Thanks!
Hi Nicole! That bowl is an antique that was given to Zoe many years ago. Cheers!
I just watched the episode and must find out where I can purchase the fabulous bowl the cake batter was mixed in. I can’t e the only person asking.
Hi Ann! You are right, people love that bowl! Unfortunately it is an antique that was given to Zoe many years ago. Cheers!
Hi Zoe / ZoeBakes Team!
I LOVE Zoe and all of her recipes! I want to bake this Carrot Cake, but I’m gluten intolerant. Do I try substituting the AP Flour for a GF 1 to 1 Flour Blend and xanthan gum? I have several recipes for homemade GF Flour Blends, or I can use a store-bought blend, such as Bob’s Red Mill 1 to 1 Baking Flour, King Arthur’s Measure for Measure, or Cup4Cup. I understand that you can’t say how it will turn out, but I wonder if you think it’s worth trying. (???)
Thanks so much!
Debbie
Hi Debbie, In Zoë’s experience, most gluten free 1:1 flours already have xanthan gum added, so she recommends trying it with one of those but not adding extra gums. In other recipes she’s used Cup4Cup, King Arthur, Bob’s Red Mill, and Better Batter flours with success. If you do give it a try, please come back to rate the recipe and let us know how it went! Happy baking!
Hi Stephani!
Thanks so much for your response! I’ll use a 1:1 flour as you’ve suggested and return with the results. 🙂
Debbie
I made this cake for Easter. Absolutely delicious. This will be the only carrot cake recipe for me!
Made this for Easter 2023, minus the decoration.
The cake is exactly what I was looking for – dense, moist, very close to the hippie version I grew up on.
BUT… I didn’t see a ‘serves’ amount..
We cut it into 16 slices which were definitely enough size wise.
Hello, Thanks for the recipe, have made this a few times and it always turns out so good, get lots of compliments. I am thinking of making a cup cake version of this for Easter. I saw there is another recipe for carrot cupcakes but I’d rather use this one. Any advice on how long to bake them for and at what temperature, in cupcake size? Many thanks.
I have made this cake numerous times and it is always my favorite.
I have a question. My knitting teacher, Bunny, is turning 85 next week and I would like to make this cake in cupcake form. How long would they bake for and do you think I could finely dice a carrot and candy it in the same way as the peels as a sprinkle?
Thank you for making baking an adventure for me.
There was this baker near me that made a carrot cake that was incredible. I chased that recipe for years…..I finally found it in this one! It was so good! The only change I made was that I sweetened my own coconut. The oil I used was avocado. I didn’t have Lyle’s golden syrup for the frosting, but other than that, I followed it using a scale for measuring. Wow, Wow! it really is the best carrot cake recipe. Every cake I have made out of your book has been delicious! Can’t wait to bake more from it.
Hi! I am plan to bake this cake from the book recipe, which looks to be the same. However, I don’t have 8 by 3 inch round pans so I was going to back them in 3 8 by 2 inch pans as is suggested in the header paragraph in the book. I would assume the bake time would be less than 50 to 55 minutes if spread in 3 pans but the book doesn’t provide baking time for 3 pans. I was hoping you could provide that info. Thanks!
Hi Jennifer! Zoë suggests you check the cakes starting around 30 minutes to be safe. Happy baking!
Hi – I’m baking this for Easter & have a quandary…. I need to bake it on Thursday because we’re traveling. Should I bake, frost & freeze or just bake & freeze and frost on Easter? I’m getting back into baking & having so much fun! Thanks so much for your inspiration & help : )
Hi Sandra! Zoë suggests you bake and freeze, then frost on Easter or the day before. Cheers!
Thank you Zoe for sharing this recipe! It is perfectly named because this is absolutely the best carrot cake. I followed your recipe for the cake exactly, baked it in two 8×3 inch pans and split the layers to end up with 4 layers. The cake was so moist, perfectly flavored, and was not too dense or heavy. I actually made this for my own birthday celebration and received your Zoe Bakes Cakes cookbook as a gift!
Excellent recipe. I followed recipe except baked in 3 8″ pans (instead of 2). The only change I will make for next time is to omit the orange zest–personal taste only. I served this at a family dinner and everyone raved about it. The frosting recipe is more than enough for 3 layers (I did not do the carrot peel decoration). I baked and frosted 2 days in advance (kept in fridge) and cake was perfect–moist (but not soggy) and so delicious.
Thank you!
The cake’s flavour and taste was bang on !!
But the texture was a little dense and too moist(almost fudgy),is that how it is supposed to be?
Hi Brindha, so glad you enjoyed the flavor of this cake! It is one of Zoë’s favorites. Because of the type of cake it is, it should definitely be moist, but if it seems fudgy it may have been underbaked.
Can the recipe be tripled? I need to make a two tier 12” cake.
Thank you.
Hi Maria, yes, it will be best for you to do it by weights. Be sure to refrigerate the layers to make them more stable, before handling something so large. Happy baking!
Hi Stephanie, it came out perfect. Thank you. But one more question…the two 12” layers are huge and heavy. Do you think the bottom layer will be strong enough to withstand the weight of the top layer if I stack them, or should I use something to help the top layer stay in place?
Thank you.
So glad it worked! Make sure to chill the layers before stacking and make sure the filling is something that can withstand the weight. Don’t use whipped cream. If you’re going to use cream cheese icing, chill it first as Zoë suggests in the recipe, so it has more body.
Thank you!
This recipe is delicious. Ignore the three star rating. I had rated as a five, don’t know what happened.
I may have commented once before, a couple years ago. Write this recipe down and don’t ever look for another one. Absolutely perfect every time. We have some competitive bakers in my family and after making this cake I got a 10/10 from someone very hard to please. High praise indeed.
The photo is of a 4-layer cake. Your directions do not indicate to split the layers which I think would be very difficult to do with such a moist cake.
Double recipe??
Hi Ginger! You have a good eye. If you chill the cakes you can cut them into 4 layers, but it is challenging because of the moisture content. Just about every time Zoë makes a cake, she decorates it differently depending on the look she’s going for. In the book she decided to divide it into 2 pans for ease and that’s the recipe you see here. I hope this helps!
On the show, she makes 3 layers…. perfect
yay! my first cake from zoebakes. The cake is absolutely delicious, the spices+orange peel truly make a difference. I used an 8inch springform pan and was surprised to see my cake was done after 35 mins (I do have a thermometer) I did not follow the recipe for the frosting – seemed to be too much!
Since I’m allergic to coconut, what else can I use?
Thank you much!
Hi Jo! We’re not sure of a substitute for it, but you could certainly omit it. Zoë knows some readers have done this with success, she just hasn’t made it this way herself. The texture will be slightly different, but it should work just fine to leave it out. Enjoy!
Hi! I can’t wait to bake this cake! If I bake it a day in advanced do I frost and leave in the refrigerator and then put the garnish on the day of?
Hi Page, yes! Happy baking!
I don’t see in recipe instructions where you add the zest. Also, my cakes started to get overbaked at 32 minutes, are you sure about 50?! 🙂
Thank you, I have updated the recipe! And yes I confirmed it should be 50-55 minutes at 350. If yours started to get overbaked at 32, it may be that your oven runs hot. Zoe suggests using an oven thermometer to check your oven temp.
Some of the copies of this recipe call for 3 pans, and some for two pans. On the show, it was 3 pans at 30 min.
Hi Yonnie, yes! Zoe has been making this recipe for years, so there are different versions of it based on how many layers she wants. With more batter in fewer pans, it will take longer to be done. Cheers!
If I were to make this with shorter carrot peels, would it then keep in the fridge? (If they were flush with the frosting).
Gorgeous and so creative. Def going to make this one!!
Thank you! I needed a fun decorating idea for my daughter’s bday cake. It was a hit!
That decoration is simply genius! So pretty! This cake looks delicious ♥