Carrot Bundt Cake
This is the best carrot cake, the cream cheese glaze is just perfect, I’m sure this will become your go-to recipe! Say hello to my Carrot Cake Bundt Cake! With options to bake it in other pans as well.
For as long as I can remember carrot cake has been one of my favorites.
I couldn’t wait to make it into a Carrot Bundt Cake! I just love bundt cakes and I’m sure you’ll love this Carrot Bundt Cake Recipe I’ve made. You can also print out instructions for an 8″ round cake or a 8×4 loaf cake, so many options, same great taste.
When I first got married, my husband baked me his grandmothers’ carrot cake for my birthday. We remember it now, 20 years later. He even wrote happy birthday on the cake. It was not a perfect looking cake, but it tasted delicious.
Over time I’ve made carrot cakes, but none really had me dreaming about it after one slice, except THIS ONE!
It’s now the go-to cake, and not just for Easter. (Is it the carrots and bunny theme that make it so popular in the spring?)
This cake is moist without being too moist, to gummy, which I don’t prefer… I like a cake to have a great texture and everyone comments that this is that cake.
My Carrot Bundt Cake Recipe has a moist texture and is topped with a tangy cream cheese glaze that compliments it perfectly.
I love a great Carrot Cake Recipe, and this is definitely the best one I’ve tried. I was dreaming about it after just one slice! This Carrot Cake in Bundt Pan is now my go-to, and not just for Easter.
Any celebration is better with a slice of this delicious cake! The silky cream cheese glaze that I top this carrot cake with is tangy and not too sweet. Everyone that tries this cake comments on it and asks for the recipe!
it turns out PERFECT bundt cakes. Nothing sticks, as long as I prepare it with a nice baking spray. Baking sprays have oil and flour, that is the key to an easy release. An oil spray is just not the best. I’m sure there are many on the market, I buy Bak-lene brand if you can’t find a baking spray, grease, and flour the pan well.
How Can I Prevent My Bundt Cake From Sticking to the Pan?
A bundt cake sticking to the pan is always a fear of anyone new to baking Bundt cakes. Thankfully, it is so easy to avoid! First start with a high-quality bundt pan, if it’s a really thin pan it will heat fast and create more cake to stick. THIS is my favorite BUNDT PAN. For this Carrot Bundt Cake, I use a good quality nonstick Bundt pan and spray it with baking spray. The baking spray is not the same as a nonstick spray, as it has flour in it as well. If you can’t find a baking spray, butter and flour the pan thoroughly, making sure not to miss any spots.
Do you see that great “crust” on the cake, oh it adds such a great texture without being too firm.
See, so nice, no missing pieces… no crumbs….. just perfect!
Mix up the glaze and place it in a piping bag and cut a hole in the end. The size you cut will determine the look of the icing, I used a larger hole I wanted it to look ribbon-like. It looks a little bit like a flower to me!
Simple and pretty, just what I think a bundt should be.
And DELICIOUS…. of course, it should be delicious.
I added nuts, we are a little nutty here… and love nuts. You can add them or leave them out, up to you. Everyone LOVES that there are nuts in the cake, just wanted to let you know. In case you were wondering.
What Can I Add to Carrot Cake for More Flavor?
This cake is perfect and full of flavor as it is but feel free to add
- 1 cup shredded coconut
- 1 cup crushed (well drained) pineapple
- 1 cup macadamia nuts or pecans instead of walnuts. You can leave the nuts in or omit them.
- 1 cup raisins
- 2/3 cup apple sauce instead of the oil for a low-fat option
What is the Best Way to Glaze a Bundt Cake?
I have found that the easiest and prettiest way to glaze my Carrot Cake Bundt is to use a piping bag with the tip cut off. How large the hole will determine the look of the icing. I like to cut a big hole so that it pipes out in large ribbons. This makes the carrot cake look like a Spring flower! If you don’t have a piping bag, don’t make a special trip to the store. A resealable sandwich bag will work just fine – just cut off one of the corners and use a piping bag.
What to use if I don’t have cream cheese for the frosting?
This has happened to me many times, and a great alternative recipe is
- 1/2 cup butter (or butter alternative if you’d prefer it vegan)
- 1 tablespoon milk (or milk alternative if you’d prefer it vegan)
- 1 teaspoon vinegar (white, apple cider, rice vinegar)
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups powdered sugar
Whip it with an immersion blender or in a food processor, the vinegar and lemon will slightly curdle the milk and butter, if it seems grainy and not smooth, add a tablespoon of powdered sugar at a time to get it to mix smoothly.
This is a small batch of frosting, you can double it or multiply it for a larger portion.
This recipe tastes just like cream cheese frosting, it’s soft and smooth.
What other frosting recipes can I use for this cake?
- Chocolate frosting, so yummy with carrot cake
- Buttercream Frosting, a classic American Buttercream Recipe
- Italian Buttercream Frosting, a buttery frosting that isn’t overly sweet
- Whipped cream Frosting, a light alternative to traditional frosting… and here is a recipe for chocolate whipped cream frosting too.
- Glaze Icing for a thin sugary topping without any butter.
What other cake sizes can I make with this recipe?
- 2- 8×4 loaf pans
- 2- 8″ round cake pans, serve as a layer cake, or enjoy one and wrap and freeze the other to eat at a later time, or give one to a friend.
- or bake this recipe in 1- 8×4 loaf pan and 1-8″ round pan.
- 1- 13×9 pan for an easy sheet cake.
Whenever you adjust the pan size, you’ll need to adjust the cooking time. Start timing at 30 minutes, the cake is done when a toothpick comes out clean.
Can I cut this recipe in half and only make 1 8×4 loaf pan or 1-8″ round cake?
Yes, just reduce each ingredient amount in half to make this recipe a smaller portion.
How can I flavor the frosting differently for carrot cake?
Frosting flavor options that go well with carrot cake, coconut, maple, cinnamon, pineapple, lemon, or orange you can add some additional flavor to any frosting. With pureed items, or extracts, or dry cinnamon.
This is my favorite bundt pan, the cake releases so nicely with prepared with a baking spray, the cakes cook evenly Cuisinart 9.5″ fluted Bundt Pan
Carrot Bundt Cake
Ingredients
- 2 eggs
- 2/3 cup oil
- 2 tablespoons vanilla bean paste
- 2 cups sugar
- 2 cups flour
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ginger
- 1 cup whole milk
- 2 cups grated carrots about 3 medium carrots
- 1 cup chopped walnuts
Instructions
- Prepare a bundt pan with a good baking spray (not just an oil spray) or grease and flour pan well
- In a large mixer bowl, beat eggs, oil, vanilla, and sugar on medium speed until well mixed.
- Add in flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger.
- Slowly pour in milk and mix.
- Stir in carrots and walnuts until well mixed..
- Pour batter into bundt pan.
- Bake at 350° degrees for 50-55 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Allow bundt to cool for 15-20 minutes, then turn the bundt out onto a cooling rack.
- Cool completely before icing.
- Cream Cheese Glaze:
- 2 oz cream cheese
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- approximately 2 tablespoons hot water (do not add water if you want the frosting thick, it’s thinned so it’ll gently slide down the edges of this bundt cake)
- In the mixer bowl, beat cream cheese, butter with powdered sugar, vanilla.
- Add in a little bit of hot water at a time until the icing is as think as you’d like to put on the bundt cake.
- Be sure the cake is completely cooled before putting the icing on the cake.
Alternative Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup butter or butter alternative if you'd prefer it vegan
- 1 tablespoon milk or milk alternative if you'd prefer it vegan
- 1 teaspoon vinegar white, apple cider, rice vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups powdered sugar
Instructions
- Whip it with an immersion blender or in a food processor, the vinegar and lemon will slightly curdle the milk and butter, if it seems grainy and not smooth, add a tablespoon of powdered sugar at a time to get it to mix smoothly.
- This is a small batch of frosting, you can double it or multiply it for a larger portion.
Carrot Cake SMALL RECIPE
Ingredients
- 1 egg
- 1/3 cup oil
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/8 teaspoon ginger
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1 cup grated carrots
- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl add eggs, oil, vanilla, and sugar, and mix until combined (you can do this with an electric mixer or by hand with a whisk)
- Add in flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg.
- Slowly pour in the milk and mix slowly to combine.
- Stir in carrots and walnuts until well mixed.
- Prepare the baking pan with a good baking spray (not just an oil spray) or grease and flour pan well.
- Pour batter into one 8" round pan, or 1 8x4 loaf pan.
- Bake at 350° degrees for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Allow cake to cool for 10 minutes, then turn the cake out onto a cooling rack.
- Cool completely before icing.
I love a good carrot cake recipe, too. I have a recipe for one that calls for a whole orange – peel included. You cut the orange in half lengthwise, remove the white center core and cut into wedges; removing any seeds. Cut into chunks and put in blender and puree. You reserve 1 tablespoon of the puree for the frosting. Also the ingredients are slightly different. I’ll post below and you can try if you’d like, I know I’m going to try yours. We’ve always called it “orange carrot cake”.
1 large orange, washed
2 C flour
2 C sugar
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp salt
4 eggs
1 1/4 C oil
2 C grated carrots
1/2 C chopped walnuts, roasted
orange carrot cake frosting
Preheat oven to 350. Prepare 2, 8″ pans or one 9×13 pan by lightly greasing and lining with parchment paper on bottom; grease parchment paper (use cake release or baking spray with flour already in).
Trim thin slice from both ends of orange; cut in half lengthwise. With shallow v-shaped cut, remove white center core. Cut halves into wedges, removing any seeds. Cut into chunks and put in blender; puree. Reserve 1 T for frosting.
Sift together dry ingredients. Add oil and puree; mix well. Add eggs and combine thoroughly. Stir in carrots and nuts. Evenly distribute batter if using 2 pans and bake for one hour or until done. Cool in pan for 10-15 minutes before removing from pan to cool completely.
Orange Carrot Cake Frosting
1 8 oz package cream cheese, softened
1/4 C butter, softened
1 box (1 lb) powdered sugar
1 T orange puree
Beat cream cheese and butter in mixer until creamy and smooth. Add puree and powdered sugar, combining well. Frost cake.
NOTES: If making a layer cake and you want the entire cake frosted, as well as using as a filling, you may need to make a double frosting recipe.
I got this recipe from a co-worker many, many years ago and can’t remember her name, but my family has always loved this cake; we’re also always welcome to try new ones, so that is why I’m going to try yours and see how they like it as well. If you try it, I’d like to know how you like it.
Carrot cake is everyone’s favorite around here, I couldn’t wait to make this recipe, it was so delicious. I will be making it again soon.
Hi I would like to check what is the size of the bundt pan used? Is it 10 cups bundt pan?
Appreciate your reply. Thanks!
Joanna
My apology. I meant 10inch bundt pan.
Thanks!
Joanna
Hi Joanna, I use a 9.5 inch bundt pan Here is the one I use https://amzn.to/2Bvd5tJ
This is the second time. I have made this carrot cake recipe and it has come out so moist and amazingly delicious. My kids ate the whole cake and I love how they didn’t even notice the carrots which they don’t like eating. This will be my go to recipe for making this recipe. Thanks Diane 🙂
I’m so happy to hear everyone like this recipe as much as we do, it really does get devoured here too!
Such a beautiful cake! What lovely flavors 😀
Is there a way to make this a little less sweet, my grandpa is diabetic so I would like to use a little less sugar without effecting the taste
I’ve baked with erythritol (Swerve Sweetener- does not spike blood sugar) with great results, this recipe calls for 2 cups of sugar, I’d add one cup of swerve sweetener and give it a taste and add some more if you need to. Yes, you could also just reduce the sugar in the recipe to your liking as well.
Monk fruit sweetener is another great sugar substitute option.
what a great looking carrot cake!
If you wanted to make this into cupcakes, would you adjust the cooking time?
Yes, start with 25 minutes, it’s more likely about 30.
This one is just fantastic. The recipe and serving style took my attention the most.I believe that this cake must be delicious.
Does the cake need to stay refrigerated with the cream cheese icing or is room temp ok? Thanks!
The cake can stay at room temperature for 2 days, then refrigerate.
Mine came out with liquid bubbling up around the edges, and I’m baking it longer, but I think I’ll have to throw the whole thing out. I stick a knife in the middle and it comes out wet, like fruit juice. i hate to waste ingredients like this. It seemed wet when I stirred the carrots and walnuts in. I should have never added the milk. Will have to go back to recipes I’ve used in the past. So disappointed. I dont have time to start over because it’s night and I work tomorrow. Grandson had asked for carrot cake
I’m not sure why it would be so wet. Please look over the ingredient list and measurements and try to recall if you used the amounts given. 2 cups of flour and 1 cup of milk is not “liquidy” plus all the other ingredients, 2 eggs and the baking powder along with eggs will help it rise, and the baking soda forms a great crust on the outer edge. I’ve made this many times and the batter is not runny. Be sure to also check your oven temperature (with a separate thermometer to be sure it is staying at the correct temperature during baking). Bundt cakes can take a while to bake and if your oven doesn’t hold a steady temperature it’ll need longer to bake, hard to determine how long, but the best advice is to check it every 5 minutes until it firms up then you can check it every few minutes until it’s done.
Won’t be using this recipe because I don’t use ingredients that need to be GOOGLED to find out what they are. Vanilla Bean Paste?? I am CIA trained chef and food service rep for 18 years – never heard of it.
You can use vanilla extract in place of the vanilla bean paste, the paste is thicker and has flacks of the vanilla bean itself. I’ve written about it so many times in lots of recipes I’ve posted, sometimes I forget to link to them if I don’t make it clear you can use vanilla extract. I do try to be specific in what I am using so you’re able to replicate the recipes I’ve made with the same flavor and items. If you haven’t used vanilla bean paste, I highly recommend it.
If using vanilla extract instead of vanilla bean paste, how much extract would I use?
Hi I am making the carrot 8″ round cake. I used cake flour (on hand) instead of all purpose. I am currently on 40 mins at 350 and it is still basically a wet cake. Any quick assistance?
cake flour is lighter, and if you didn’t adjust for that by adding more flour it may not bake up the same. If you are baking it in a bundt pan, it will take time to bake up usually 50-55 minutes, so I’d say keep baking it, even if that means an extra 10 minutes on top of the 55. As long as you don’t overbake it, it won’t be dry.
If it does not turn out as you planned I have some suggestions on how to salvage a cake mess here>>> https://www.createdby-diane.com/2020/04/hot-fudge-cake.html
just bake the cake until it’s done, then salvage the center of the cake if it is dry on the outside edges, and use the frosting of choice to top with instead of fudge if you wanted a more traditional cream cheese frosting 🙂
hope that helps.
Hi Diane- thank you for the prompt reply. I kept adding baking time in 7 – 10 min increments. Funny when I googled that it said it was fine to substitute one for the other. Lesson Learned!! I am hopeful it wont be too different from a pudding cake :p
I really want to try more small cakes as it is just my husband and I.
Thank you!
I hope it came out ok. Here are other small batch cake recipes I have https://www.createdby-diane.com/2021/09/8-round-small-batch-cake-recipes.html
This is for 6 cupcakes
chocolate https://www.createdby-diane.com/2017/07/small-batch-6-chocolate-cupcakes.html
vanilla https://www.createdby-diane.com/2017/10/small-batch-vanilla-cupcakes.html
8 large chocolate chip cookies https://www.createdby-diane.com/2019/03/brown-butter-bakery-chocolate-chip-cookies.html
small batch (4) scones https://www.createdby-diane.com/2020/09/buttermilk-scones.html
happy baking!
It came out delicious. Moist & so tasty. The cream cheese glaze/icing worked out perfect too. THank you for the additional links!
Happy to hear it all worked out!
Hi, for the “no cream cheese, cream cheese frosting” what “milk alternative” would you suggest?
It’s such a minimal amount use whatever you have on hand. Oat milk, almond milk or even a non dairy creamer.