This might go down as the best carrot cake ever. It is made with a super secret ingredient that is definitely untraditional but makes for the best carrot cake you've ever tasted. It is moist, fluffy and most importantly downright delicious.
If you are looking for a recipe for a moist carrot cake, then you have found it and I guarantee you that this will be your new favourite go-to carrot cake.
This is an easy recipe using only staple ingredients that you will already have in your kitchen!
This beautiful carrot cake is perfect for springtime and is a super popular recipe for an Easter dessert.
If you love delicious cakes (who doesn't?) that are perfect for spring or summer then you have to make my dalgona coffee cake and my raspberry lemon loaf, too!
Table of Contents
Carrot Cake Ingredients
- all-purpose flour
- brown sugar
- mayonnaise
- water
- apple sauce
- maple syrup
- vanilla
- baking soda
- shredded carrot
- salt
- cinnamon
- ginger
- nutmeg
See the recipe card for quantities.
How to Make a Carrot Cake Moist (using my secret ingredient)
Now you might be wondering how to make a carrot cake moist. Well, I have a secret ingredient that will make this the most moist carrot cake recipe you have ever tasted, guaranteed!
And I already know what you're thinking... the secret ingredient is NOT pineapple. This is a pineapple-free carrot cake.
Ready? Drumroll please... the secret ingredient is mayonnaise!
Ok, stay with me here. I know I might have shocked or maybe even scared you telling you to use mayonnaise in a cake, but hear me out!
Mayonnaise already has all the fundamental cake ingredients. It has eggs, oil, spices and lemon juice already all mixed in at the perfect ratios.
Don't believe me? try it! I guarantee you that this will be the most rich and moist-tasting carrot cake you have ever had.
How to Make Carrot Cake
The recipe makes a 2 layer carrot cake that is covered in the most scrumptious cream cheese buttercream frosting.
This is an easy carrot cake recipe that can be achieved by any level of baker.
Step 1- In a large mixing bowl combine the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg. Stir to just combine and set aside.
Step 2- In another large mixing bowl combine the mayonnaise, water, apple sauce, maple syrup, and vanilla.
Step 3- Whisk vigorously to combine.
Step 4- Add the shredded carrot into the wet mixture, stirring to incorporate.
Step 5- Add the dry ingredients.
Step 6- Stir with a wooden spoon to combine the dry ingredients creating a thick batter.
Step 7- Divide the batter evenly between two greased and lined 9" cake pans.
These cake pan liners are perfect and highly recommended. If you do not line the bottom of the cake pans you will run the risk of your cake sticking to the bottom and breaking apart.
Step 8- Bake the cakes in a preheated 350°F oven until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 20 minutes.
Carefully turn the cakes out onto cooling racks and let them cool completely before assembling.
Step 9- Once the cake is completely cool, transfer one layer to a cake board, or flat plate.
Add a generous dollop of cream cheese buttercream frosting on top and spread it out in an even layer using an off-set spatula (or a regular spatula will work too).
Step 10- Add the remaining cake layer on top of the frosting layer.
Step 11- Cover the carrot cake in cream cheese frosting.
You can do this however you like, either by frosting it simply like I have done above or doing a crumb coat and then using a piping bag with piping tips attached.
Here are a few options for decorating a cake.
Cream Cheese Buttercream Frosting for Carrot Cake
To go along with the best carrot cake ever, you are going to need the best carrot cake frosting, too!
And the best frosting for carrot cake is without a doubt cream cheese buttercream frosting! It is thick and stable enough to decorate with and use as a filling in between layers.
Special Diet Substitutions
- Vegan - you read that right, this recipe can easily be adapted to make a vegan carrot cake! For the cake, all you have to do is substitute the regular mayonnaise for a vegan-friendly mayonnaise. For the frosting, you will need to use vegan butter (my favourite is Earth Balance vegan buttery sticks), vegan cream cheese, and plant-based milk. My recipe for cream cheese buttercream frosting can be easily adapted using these substitutions.
- Egg Free - to make this carrot cake with no egg, replace the regular mayonnaise in the recipe with vegan mayonnaise.
- Gluten Free - for a gluten free carrot cake use a gluten-free baking mix, such as Bob Red Mill's 1:1 gluten-free baking flour. Do not use almond flour as a substitute, it will not be stable enough.
Storing the Leftovers
Leftover carrot cake can be stored in the fridge and enjoyed for up to 4 days.
Wrap the cake lightly and carefully with plastic wrap, focusing to wrap the open crumb or spot where it was cut. The icing will help form a sort of "shell" to help keep the mositure in the cake so it is not super imporntant that it is wrapped well.
FAQ
Absolutey!
Be sure to pour the batter into cupcake liners and adjust the baking time as necessary. The cupcakes are done when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Use my cream cheese buttercream for the perfect pipeable frosting!
More Spring Inspired Dessert Recipes
Looking for other recipes like this carrot cake that are perfect for spring? Try these:
📖 Recipe
Best Carrot Cake Ever
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Print Recipe Pin RecipeIngredients
Carrot Cake
- 2 ¼ cups All-Purpose Flour
- 1 teaspoon Baking Soda
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- 1 ½ teaspoons Cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon Ground Ginger
- ¼ teaspoon Nutmeg
- 1 cup Brown Sugar
- 1 cup Mayonnaise
- ½ cup Apple Sauce
- ½ cup Water
- ¼ cup Maple Syrup
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 2 cups Carrot finely shredded
Cream Cheese Buttercream Frosting
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F then grease and line two 9” cake pans.
- In a large mixing bowl combine the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ground ginger and nutmeg. Stirring to combine, set aside.
- In a separate large mixing bowl add the brown sugar, mayonnaise, apple sauce, water, maple syrup and vanilla extract, and whisk until fully combined.
- Add the shredded carrots and stir to combine.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir using a wooden spoon until fully incorporated and a batter-like consistency is reached.
- Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared cake pans. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Carefully turn each cake onto a cooling rack and let cool fully (about 1 hour) before frosting and decorating.
- While the cakes are cooling, prepare the cream cheese buttercream frosting.
- Once the cakes are fully cooled, they then can be assembled and decorated using the prepared frosting.
Decorating the Cake
- Once the cake is completely cool, transfer one layer to a cake board, or flat plate.
- Add the second cake layer on top of the frosting layer, pressing gently to adhere. Cover the rest of the cake in frosting. See above for frosting and decorating tips.
- Let the cake set in the refrigerator for a minimum of 4 hours before serving.
Notes
The nutritional information provided is an estimate based on an online nutrition calculator and it will vary based on the ingredients that you use.
Kellie
Mayonnaise? That’s brilliant! I agree with the already perfect ratio in the mayo to make it creamy. We’ll dome!