This scrumptious carrot cake—JoJo’s Carrot Cake as we like to call it—is my mother’s recipe! It’s moist, flavorful, and effortless to whip up. It can also be made nut and dairy-free.
My Mom’s Carrot Cake Recipe
When people ask me what my favorite dessert is, the answer is always JoJo’s Carrot Cake. Just thinking about it while I write this makes my mouth water.
It’s my mom’s famous carrot cake, comprised of a fluffy cream cheese frosting paired with delicious flavors of carrot, nut, and sugar. It’s a staple in our household and we enjoy it for just about every celebration.
Heck, even if we’re not celebrating anything, it’s the first dessert we gravitate to! Often times, I’ll double the batch and freeze one cake for when we need it next.
Make sure you check out the listed notes for substitutions. This recipe can easily be made dairy free and nut free without taking away from the rich taste in every bite! And if you’re looking for a lighter take on carrot cake, try these Healthier Carrot Cake Bars or this Pumpkin Carrot Cake too!
FEATURED COMMENT
Recipe Ingredients
- Shredded carrots: These are crucial as they are our cake’s main flavor. I highly recommend you shred your own as they’ll contribute to a moister cake.
- Lemon flavoring: Seems odd to add lemon to a carrot cake, but it adds depth of flavor and keeps this cake bright.
- Chopped nuts: My favorites are walnuts or pecans. Hazelnuts or -istachios would be tasty, too. Omit if you are making this a nut free cake.
- Cream Cheese: Used in our frosting to bring this cake to life! Be sure it’s softened before using.
- Powdered sugar: Adds sweetness to the frosting and a fluffy texture as compared to using regular white sugar.
See the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
How to Make This Recipe
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and heavily grease two or three (depending on desired thickness and stack) cake pans with coconut oil spray or butter. I recommend using 9 x 12 x 2″ circular pans or 9 x 9″ square pans.
2. Add vegetable oil, sugar, and vanilla extract until sugar is dissolved. Note: the mixture will be really oily.
3. Add one egg at a time into the mixing bowl, beating well after each addition. Batter will start to form. Fold in shredded carrots.
4. Add the dry ingredients into the mixer: all-purpose flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. After fold in chopped nuts and lemon flavoring.
5. Pour the mixture into two or three greased pans (depending on preference). Bake for 40-45 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Allow the cakes to cool before removing from the pans.
6. For the frosting, combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl: butter, cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt if desired. Blend frosting ingredients on medium speed until smooth. All of the clumps of powdered sugar should be dissolved. Layer the cakes with frosting in between each layer.
7. Tip: Refrigerate the cake for 30 minutes before frosting the top and outside layer. This will help with structure! Top with crushed nuts or other flavors and enjoy. Best chilled but can be served room temperature.
Do I need to make this in a stand mixer?
My mom makes this full recipe in her food processor! It’s a great alternative to a stand mixer. It’s crucial to beat the batter after each egg on high speed so the liquid can adequately absorb into the dry baking ingredients.
Recipe FAQs
Store leftovers of this cake in the fridge. If I am making it a day in advance, I will keep the cake and frosting chilled separately.
This cake DOES freeze well! Store it in an airtight container. I don’t recommend storing it for more than 2 months. I love the taste of an extra cold, dense cake!
To garnish this Carrot Cake, you can also use candied oranges, cinnamon sticks, or coconut shavings. All elegant, beautiful, and delicious!
You can easily make JoJo’s Carrot Cake dairy or nut free or both! For the cake, exclude nuts from the batter. For the frosting, use a plant based butter and cream cheese. I’ve not tried making a gluten free version, but I’d be willing to bet gluten free 1:1 baking flour would work (using ~2-3 less tablespoons of flour since GF flour is slightly drier).
PRO TIPS
Short on time? You can bake this cake in a greased 9×13 pan for 45-55 minutes (or until a toothpick comes out clean in the center). Make it cute by piping orange carrots and green stems on the top for festive fun!
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Love this recipe? Please leave a 5-star 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 rating and comment in the recipe card below. Thanks for visiting!
JoJo’s Carrot Cake
Equipment
- Standing or hand mixer
- Cake pans (2) or 9×13 pan
- Rubber spatula or wooden spoon
- Food Processor
- Measuring Cups
Ingredients
Cake
- 1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
- 2 cups sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp lemon extract
- 4 eggs
- 3-4 cups fresh carrots, shredded
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- 1 cup chopped nuts, walnuts and pecans are best
Frosting
- 1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 2 – 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 – 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 dash salt, if desired
Instructions
Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and heavily grease the pans you're using (if 9×13, add a piece of parchment paper in for convenience).
- Add vegetable oil, sugar, vanilla and lemon extract into stand mixing bowl. Beat together. Note: the mixture will be really oily but mix until the sugar looks dissolved.
- Add one egg at a time into the mixing bowl, beating well after each addition. Batter will start to form. Fold in shredded carrots.
- Add the dry ingredients into the mixer: all-purpose flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. After fold in chopped nuts.
- Pour mixture into baking pan(s).
- Bake for 40-45 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Allow the cakes to cool before removing from the pans.
- For the frosting, combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl: butter, cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract. Blend frosting ingredients on medium speed until smooth. All of the clumps of powdered sugar should be dissolved.
- Layer the cakes with frosting in between each layer.
- Tip: Refrigerate the cake for 30 minutes before frosting the top and outside layer. This will help with structure! Top with crushed nuts or other flavors and enjoy. Best chilled but can be served room temperature. Enjoy!
Nutrition
Video
Notes
Looking for this in MyFitnessPal?
If you’re using MyFitnessPal, search ‘A Paige Of Positivity’ and find JOJO’S CARROT CAKE calories and nutrition facts. Disclaimer: for most accurate macronutrients and caloric breakdown, it is recommended that you input each ingredient into your MyFitnessPal food diary.
I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below. It’s my passion to create dishes that can be shared with others. Tell me something you loved or just say hi!
wow! this recipe was FABULOUS! whole family loved it and kept asking for seconds:) my family became POSSESIVE over the remaining cake slices. I’d love to meet this famous Jojo and shake her hand on a recipe well done.
because carrot cake is a fam favorite, i just HAD to make some for easter this year. thankfully this was the recipe that i found because WOW! this cake is incredibly flavorful with warm spices and a nutty bite. and oh my, the cream cheese frosting is so smooth and complimentary to the cake
I had the pleasure of trying this cake from a friend and OH MY I feel in love! I had to make it at my next family event, and WOW it was a crowd pleaser. The cream cheese frosting was licked off every plate and no crumbs were left!
It is the BEST!!! So happy you agree. XO
AMAZING!! This is not just an Easter dessert! We have made this cake for birthdays, family gatherings and everything in between. A perfect amount of sweetness!
This recipe BLEW my family away! It completely changed our perception on carrot cake (not huge fans previously). Now, this is the only cake recipe we talk about… it is truly mind-opening! The cake is super moist, nutty, and it is deliciously combined with the cream cheese frosting. Huge shoutout to the famous JoJo!
This carrot cake is legit the BEST thing I’ver ever had. I’m not a greater baker, but this recipe is so easy to make and comes out perfect every time!! I am dairy free and I substituted dairy free butter and cream cheese into the recipe for the frosting and it tasted sooooo good!!! 10/10 highly recommend making this!!!
Loved this recipe – I forgot how much I love carrot cake! I didn’t have oil on hand and subbed applesauce instead and it was still SO moist! I’d eat this even without the frosting. The cinnamon flavor really comes through. 🙂 Planning on sharing this with my family for Easter!
10/10!! I just made this cake for my boyfriend’s birthday and everyone loved it!! best carrot cake we’ve ever had!!
Ahhh!!! SO happy to hear that – go green 😉
This cake is so, so, so, delish!! Perfectly dense and moist to make the perfect bite!
This recipe is SO good and simple – even better! 10/10 would recommend. Perfect springtime treat 😊
When I tell you I RAN to the review section after finishing my first (and definitely not last) slice. This is the perfect carrot cake! I made it for my family for Easter and everybody loved it!
Made this for Easter this past weekend, and came home with a sliver of it left – everyone devoured it! So easy to make and such a crowd-pleaser, thank you Courtney and JoJo!
Okay somewhat funny story to share: This year was my first Easter away from home due to a mix of college and COVID. To make myself feel better about it, I opted to try a recipe I’ve been putting off forever- this carrot cake. My boyfriend ended up being able to join me for a nice dinner at my apartment, but I will say he is typically very skeptical of any veggie inclusion in desserts. Well folks, even he approved. This carrot cake is SO GOOD. The first go around I was impatient and broke part of a cake taking it out of the pan because I’m silly, but it still held together and frosted beautifully. I garnished with coconut flakes and golden raisins to mask my mishap and found that they only elevated the deliciousness of this recipe. This recipe is a keeper and I am already drooling at the thought of making it again. Thanks for sharing with us, Courtney. xo 🙂
Made this cake for Easter. My parents were visiting me from out of state (MI to GA) and I wanted to make something special for Easter and I knew that my dad loved carrot cake and it seemed appropriate. He loved it so much he even took some back home. I know I will be making this for every special holiday.
The cake was super moist and the frosting was so creamy. Definitely a 5 star in my book.
Made this for Easter. My parents were visiting from out of state (MI to GA). I wanted to make something special. I knew my dad loved carrot cake and it seemed appropriate for Easter. This cake is so moist and the froting is so creamy. I know I’ll be making this cake again for special holidays. 5 star in my book.
This is the second year making this cake for Easter and once again it was a hit! Everybody absolutely loved it! the cake was so moist and the cream cheese frosting was absolutely delicious and complimented the cake so well! Will definitely continue making this for holidays and other special occasions!
The icing is everything!! Perfect amount of sweetness!
This was probably some of the best carrot cake I’ve had. As a baker and carrot cake lover, I was so happy with how moist and flavorful this was!
Can I make this in one 13×9 pan? Would the baking time change?
Absolutely! Baking time will be about the same since you’re using more batter in one larger pan instead of two smaller pans. It’s always best to keep an eye on it and don’t forget to check it with a toothpick! I’d love to hear how it turns out for you:)
I made this for Easter! It was amazing!! I substituted applesauce for the oil and it turned out fantastic!!! The frosting is perfectly sweet! Thank you!
This was a huge hit with my family! Everyone loved it – was perfect for Easter ♥️
This carrot cake is AMAZING. I’ve made it for multiple holidays already and my family and friends raved about it every time – they all say it’s the best they’ve ever had and I agree! It comes together pretty quickly (I grate the carrots in a food processor to save time) and any leftovers hold up really well in the fridge. I don’t even bother eating any other carrot cake anymore because I know it won’t compare 🤣 highly highly recommend!