This homemade Carrot Walnut Cake recipe is full of flavor, texture, and moisture. Made with a ton of fresh carrots, heart-healthy walnuts, and spices which give it a luxuriously warming dessert.
You really can make this unbelievably easy recipe quickly without lots of fancy equipment, fancy ingredients and is perfect for breakfast or as a sweet treat with a cup of tea any time of the day.
Why You’ll Love This Carrot Walnut Cake
- Easy to make with everyday ingredients you likely already have in the pantry.
- Beautifully moist, sweet and delicious.
Ingredients Notes
Here are some notes on the ingredients for this recipe; for a full list, check out the recipe card below.
FOR THE CAKE
- Flour: Unbleached or bleached all-purpose flour may be used.
- Eggs: Room temperature eggs work best, so set yours out ahead of time. If you forget, you can just place your eggs in a bowl of warm water for 10-15 minutes before using.
- Sugar: Cane sugar gives the cake a softer, moister texture and rich flavour.
- Carrots: Freshly grated large carrots will bake to the perfect texture. Don’t use pre-shredded carrots because they are hard and won’t provide the moisture.
- Oil: You can use vegetable oil or canola oil.
- Walnuts: Finely chopped walnuts for that extra bit of crunch and classic flavor.
- Baking essentials: Vanilla extract, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon.
- Vanilla Extract
FOR THE FROSTING
- Cream Cheese: Use full fat cream cheese.
- Unsalted Butter: Slightly cold butter is the perfect consistency to decorate the cake with.
- Powdered Sugar: Make sure to sift the powder sugar.
- Vanilla: Pure vanilla extract or almond extract for an extra punch of flavor.
How To Make Carrot Walnut Cake
This carrot cake is pretty easy, but let’s walk through the process together.
Step 1: Wash, grate and peel the carrots.
The best way to clean carrots is to scrape them with a knife rather then peeling them with a vegetable peeler. Once scraped, grate the carrots through the small holes of a box grater. You will need 3 cups of finely grated carrots. Once the carrots are grated, set them aside and prepare the cake batter.
To prepare walnut – chop them very fine so that they distribute through the cake nicely. There is also no need to toast them prior to putting them into the cake.
Step 2: Mix the dry ingredients.
In a medium size bowl, sift together the all- purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda and cinnamon. Stir until blended and set aside.
Step 3: Mix the wet ingredients.
In a separate large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, and vanilla extract.
Step 4: Mix everything together.
Add the dry ingredients to wet ingredients, in three parts and gently stirring until the batter is smooth.
Add the vegetable oil, gently mix and combine all ingredients. Stir in the shredded carrots and chopped walnuts, mix until just combined.
Step 5: Pour the cake batter.
Transfer the batter to the prepared 7 x 11-inch cake pan and smooth the top.
Step 6: Bake the cake.
Bake the cake for 40 minutes. Remove from the oven, transfer the cake to a cooling rack and let cool in the pan for about 20 minutes. Gently remove the cake from the pan and place on the cooling rack to cool completely.
Directions – Cream Cheese Frosting
Step 1: Beat the cream cheese and butter.
Beat those on high speed in a large mixing bowl. This recipe uses a stand mixer or a hand mixer.
Step 2: Add in powdered sugar and vanilla extract.
Beat the frosting until light and fluffy.
Step 3: Decorate the cake with cream cheese frosting.
Spread the frosting on top of the cake. Use a small offset spatula.
Substitutions
- Walnuts: You can substitute the walnuts with pecans.
- Oil: Any neutral oil can be used. I used vegetable oil, but canola or grape-seed oil can also be used.
Tips For The Best Carrot Walnut Cake
- Use room temperature ingredients for the best carrot walnut cake.
- Don’t over-mix the batter after adding in flour and after adding in carrots.
- Bake this carrot walnut cake in the centre of your oven.
- Bake just until cooked through – under-cooked and cake will collapse, over-cooked and cake will be dry.
Storage And Freezing
Store this carrot walnut cake in an airtight container. Store in the fridge up to 4 days.
Freezing
The cake can be frozen without the frosting. Wrap the cake in plastic wrap, plus a layer of aluminum foil to help with freezer burn. Store the cake in an airtight, freezer-safe container to freeze for up to 1-2 months. Thaw for 1 hour before decorating with frosting.
Related Recipes
If you looking for more quick and easy cake recipes, you have to try this Double Chocolate Banana Bread (this one’s for the chocolate lovers, for sure), Chocolate Chip Walnuts Banana Bread or this Lemon Poppy Seed Cake (it’s super easy recipe)!
FAQs
Can I substitute the cane sugar with white sugar?
Yes, however note that the cake will be likely heavier and less fluffy.
What can I substitute for walnuts in carrot cake?
Pecan nuts, almonds, hazelnuts or a mix of these can be added instead of walnuts.
If you try this Carrot Walnut Cake recipe please rate the recipe and leave comment below. Doing so helps other readers decide if this is a great recipe to bake. Make sure to follow me on Facebook, Instagram. For more delicious recipes ideas, follow me on Pinterest. Don’t forget to sign up for my email list too!
Happy Baking! -A
The nutritional and calories information shown is an estimated provided by an online nutrition calculator. It does not assert or suggest that readers should or should not count calories, and should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s or doctor’s counselling.
Carrot Walnut Cake
Equipment
- 7 x 11-inch cake pan
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour sifted
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 4 large eggs room temperature
- 3/4 cup cane sugar
- 3 cups carrots peeled and finely grated
- 3/4 cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup walnuts chopped
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Powder sugar for sprinkling on top sifted
Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 8 oz cream cheese (not low-fat) room temperature
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter room temperature
- 1 cup powdered sugar sifted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 380° F and line the 7 x 11-inch cake pan with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and cinnamon. Set a side.
- In a separate large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs and cane sugar with a mixer for 2-3 minutes. Add vanilla extract and mix to combine. Switch to a large rubber spatula. Add the dry ingredients in three parts, gently stirring until the batter is smooth. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl. Add the vegetable oil, gently mix and combine all ingredients. Stir in the shredded carrots and chopped walnuts, mix until just combined (making sure not to over mix the batter.)
- Pour the cake batter into prepared pan. Bake for 40 minutes in the preheated oven, until a toothpick inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean. Remove from the oven, transfer to a wire rack, and allow to cool in the pan for about 20 minutes. Once the cake have cooled, remove from the pan and return the cake to the wire rack to finish cooling. Once the cake is cooled sprinkle with powder sugar.Optional – Frost top of this Carrot Walnut Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting.
Cream Cheese Frosting:
- In the bowl of stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large mixing bowl using a hand-held mixer, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Add the butter and mix for until well combined and smooth about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Reduce speed to low, gradually add powdered sugar, and beat until fluffy and smooth. Add vanilla, and continue mixing until fully combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.