Sweet, spiced, and positively loaded with carrots: this single layer carrot cake with cream cheese frosting delivers on a spring classic in smaller proportions. (Jump to Recipe)
I can’t lie: carrot cake is actually my favorite cake on earth. I’m not going to turn my nose up at chocolate cake or banana cake or even a really good vanilla cake with raspberry filling and chocolate frosting (that does sound good right now), but if you asked me to pick favorites, carrot cake would win every. single. time.
Which is why it’s high time that we had a recipe for a true carrot cake on this little blog.
Oddly, I’ve created recipes that mimicked carrot cake on here: carrot cake cinnamon rolls, carrot cake scones. But up until now, we didn’t have the real deal, assertively-spiced, chock-full-of-carrots, honest-to-goodness carrot cake, and I’m fixing that today. As a single layer carrot cake, of course.
I think I’m going to start a series on single layer cakes (I guess I have already, since this is the third one I’ve posted in the past couple months). The thing is, I like cake, but when there’s only two of us around, making a double or triple layer cake just isn’t a good idea. Not only does it use an outrageous amount of butter and sugar, but layer cakes are a finicky hassle to deal with – all that stacking and spreading and crumb coats and turntables and frosting ratios….ugh. Then, after all that, we have a giant cake sitting around the house and only two of us to eat it, which isn’t necessary or advisable for anyone involved.
Thus, my penchant for single layer cakes.
I’m slightly surprised to find that when googling this for research, there aren’t all that many recipes specifically for single layer cakes out there. There are some, like coffee cakes or yogurt cakes or classic Italian cakes, that are designed to be a single layer and made in a springform pan, but there really aren’t all that many classic frosted cakes that have been turned into single layer versions (at least not that I found). I’m more than happy to step up to the plate.
It’s really not all that hard to turn your favorite layer cakes into single layer cakes, but you have to be good at proportions. I really don’t mind doing all the math for you when I get results like these.
I actually made this cake for Brian’s 30th birthday last weekend, and we ate it for breakfast in bed (with bacon on the side, YOLO) with no regrets. Carrot cake was also our wedding cake, so, you know, we like it a little.
Let’s talk about what makes this single layer carrot cake great:
- It is chock full of carrots. This isn’t some namby-pamby spice cake masquerading as a carrot cake, as most box mixes and commercially made carrot cakes will be. No. We’re getting maximum bang for our carrot buck – 2 full cups of grated carrots in this baby.
- Yes, you have to grate the carrots. Sorry. Use a box grater, it really doesn’t take that long (only 2-3 carrots needed) and it’s worth it. Using a food processor to grate them is possible, but make sure you get it down to really really small pieces so they can soften enough while baking.
- There’s coconut in there too. You don’t have to add it if you don’t like it. If you do like it, you’re going to love this.
- No mixer required for the cake. This is a bowl and whisk operation, just the way I like it. Ideally, you whisk the dry and wet ingredients separately and then add one to the other, but you can do the whole thing in one bowl and I won’t tell (I’ve done it).
- Cream. Cheese. Frosting. Need I say more?
Should you add grated carrots and chopped walnuts or pecans on top as decoration? I say life is too short not to.
Single Layer Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
For the Carrot Cake:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour (measured via spoon and level method)
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 10 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 stick + 2 tablespoons)
- 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
- 2 large eggs (room temperature preferable)
- 2 cups grated carrots (from 2-3 large carrots)*
- 1/2 cup shredded coconut (optional)
For the Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 4 ounces cream cheese, cold
- 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
- Extra grated carrots and/or chopped walnuts or pecans, for decoration (optional)
Instructions
For the Carrot Cake:
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9-inch round cake pan. I also like to line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper, to give extra insurance that the cake will come out cleanly. Just trace the bottom of the pan on a sheet of parchment paper and cut it out, then place inside the pan.
- In a medium bowl, whisk the dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Set aside.
- In a large microwave-safe bowl (I use a large glass bowl), or on the stove, melt the butter. Let it sit for a couple minutes to cool, then whisk in the brown sugar, followed by the eggs one at a time, until combined and smooth.
- Dump the dry ingredients into the bowl with the wet ingredients and stir together until well-combined and no lumps remain.
- Fold in the carrots and shredded coconut until evenly distributed.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan, smooth out the surface, and bake for 35 minutes, or until cake springs back when touched and a tester inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Let cake cool in pan on a rack for 10 minutes, then invert the pan onto the rack to release the cake, remove the parchment from the bottom, and flip back right side up onto a cake plate. Let cake cool while you prepare the frosting.
For the Cream Cheese Frosting:
- In a large bowl using a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, or a hand mixer, beat cream cheese and butter at high speed until pale and very fluffy - this should take 2-3 minutes. You want to incorporate as much air as possible into the mixture to make it light and fluffy. Add the powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt, and beat at medium to high speed until fully combined and light.
- Spread cooled cake with cream cheese frosting. It should make a thick layer, and can be swirled in pretty patterns with an offset spatula (I like this one).
- Decorate the outer edges of cake with additional grated carrots and chopped walnuts or pecans if desired. Serve!
Notes
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Amazing!!! My mother in law loved it. Making it again and again and again!
Fantastic! So glad you both enjoyed 🙂
WOW! This recipe is a keeper. A wonderful carrot cake with a light cream cheese frosting…..who knew you could make such scrumptious cake that wasn’t hard to put together!
YAY! Thank you Claire! I am so glad you enjoyed it!
Should I double the recipe if I only have a 6 inch cake pan?
I would cut the recipe in half if you only have a 6 inch pan. It will fit perfectly! Or you can make a full recipe and make two 6 inch layers!
Is this cake really moist? Looking for a great carrot cake recipe for just the 2 of us that is really moist?
Yes it is! Hope you enjoy it!
I am about to make this cake, but noticed what I think is a mistake in the ingredients. I believe 10 T of butter is 1/2 stick of butter plus 2T, but the recipe says 1 stick + 2T. I noticed someone else used oil, rather than butter and mentioned using 1/2 c + 2T and it came out good, so I trust the whole stick of butter is just a typo. Can’t believe I’m the first one to notice it, but you should maybe fix it before someone uses WAY too much butter?
Made the chocolate cake last week (using cream cheese frosting instead of the ganache) and it came out just great! Hurry up and create some more of these one-layer recipes. I think you’re on to something.
Thanks for the comment, Sandra! It’s actually not a typo – one standard stick of butter is 8 Tablespoons, or 1/2 cup. 10 Tablespoons is 1 stick (8 Tablespoons or 1/2 cup) plus 2 Tablespoons. Let me know if you have any other questions! Hope you love the cake!
This is a great recipe. I like this single layer cake for my household. I would lighten the nutmeg to 1/8 tsp instead of 1/4 tsp next time. I substituted chopped pecans for coconut, but you can substitute raisins or pineapple or mix and match your favorites, as long as you watch your ratios.
So glad you enjoyed it! Thank you!
Interestingly, this came out quite dense (almost like Christmas pudding) for me, could it be because I reduced the sugar by about a 1/3? I actually like it that way, but it wasn’t ‘airy’ or light. I’m enjoying it at room temp or heated up with a dollop of coconut yoghurt/creme fraiche mixed – YUM! I added a DS of chopped walnuts, sultanas & a little grated apple. I will make it again. Thanks!
So glad you enjoyed it!
hey katie, So glad to find a 1-layer recipe, BUT can i substitute white sugar for the brown? Hate to go out during lockdown for just that one ingredient…but i will if i need to. Thanks!!
Hi Joan – yes, that will work just fine! No need to go out again 😉
I like the way this recipe sounds, however I don’t have powdered sugar & don’t have a food processor…never really bake a lot nor do I feel the need for it. Can I somehow use regular sugar for the frosting? Like heating the ingredients with the sugar which will help it melt?
Trying not to leave the house due to quarantine 😞
Hi Amy, if you have a blender you can just blend regular sugar on high speed until it becomes the consistency of powdered sugar. Then measure and use as directed!
Just made it, thank you for providing a 1 layer easy recipe. I added a slice. of grated pineapple and some golden raisins and cut part of the coconut.
Thank you – great recipe!
Thank you Rachel! So glad you enjoyed this!
Can i use sunflower oil instead of butter?
Yes!
This is a quick and delicious recipe. I have Celiac Disease so I used White Gold All Purpose Gluten-free flour and kept everything else the same. This recipe is my favorite carrot cake recipe I have found. It truly tastes like a carrot cake from a bakery. The cake is perfectly seasoned and textured, and the frosting is smooth and delicious. I will be making this recipe again sometime next week. I love this cake!
Thank you so much, Renee! So glad you were able to enjoy this cake with the GF flour 🙂
I’m about to try this. Can I add cocoa powder to it to make it a chocolate carrot cake
I can’t say how that would turn out as i have not tried it!
Never commented on a blog recipe before but this was a dream. Every carrot cake recipe online was a triple decker monstrosity that would’ve been impossible for me and the fiance could eat alone during social distancing. This recipe was perfect and the cream cheese frosting was the absolute perfect consistency, by far the best recipe I’ve seen for it! I did substitute 1/2 cup+2tbsp vegetable oil for butter as we’re trying to conserve butter and reduce trips to the store, but did just fine moisture wise. My words are dating this comment so hopefully someday we’ll look back and this period will all be a distant nightmare, but yes, this carrot cake made a lonely week during Coronavirus a million times better. Thank you!
Thank you so much, Julia! I am so glad this recipe worked with what you had on hand. Single layer cake recipes are a go to for me. Stay safe 🙂
Fantastic recipe, thank you. I just made it last night for my girlfriend’s birthday and she loved it. Topped it with chopped walnuts and next time I’ll add some raisins. Love that I was able to bake the cake in between coming home from work and going out to dinner. Thankful for this great single layer recipe… I’ll have to check out the others. Perfect for two and so much less involved.
Thank you so much, Hank! So glad you enjoyed it.
A purely fantastic cake. I made this for a birthday and he loved it. Great cake
Thank you so much! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Many thanks for this fab carrot cake recipe. It was simple enough for a baking novice like me to prepare… and turned out delicious!
Thank you very much! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
This recipe is god sent! I was looking for a carrot and coconut recipe but could not find a single one that was 1 layered. I resigned myself to just a carrot recipe and yours looked the best! I then discovered it has coconut in it too 🙂 Make my day, I am off to make this now. You should definitely add ‘coconut’ as a meta tag as it did not show up in my search for ‘coconut carrot 1 layer cake’. I will definitely be returning to your site often in my hunt for 1 layered cake recipes. Thank for doing the math!
Yay! Thanks Em! I am so glad it fit what you were looking for!!
Hi Katie, thank you for the recipe! It was delicious. I omitted the shredded coconut and added chopped walnuts instead. I also halved the recipe to fit my 6-inch pan – there are only two of us too, and I always make cakes not only single-layer, but also tiny (only 4 servings!) 🙂 This recipe was so good, however, that I’ll make it in my 9-inch pan later as well.
I feel like carrot cake is so underappreciated for some reason, but it’s definitely one of my favourite cakes!
Thank you Maria!! I agree, not enough people know how amazing carrot cake is. So glad you enjoyed this and so great to know that it works to halve it!
Hi Katie,
I made this wonderful single layer carrot cake for Easter, and it was excellent. I also shared leftovers and made a few more friends happy. I really liked this recipe because the cake turns out really light, it’s not as dense as my other carrot cake recipe. I made a couple of additions, 4oz crushed pineapple, 2 tbs burbon whiskey, and I toasted the coconut. The only complaints I recieved, where ‘no walnuts’… so next time i’ll Add 1/2 cup chopped walnuts and probably add some grated orange zest to the cream cheese frosting. Thanks so much for this recipe!
Hi Thomas, I love your additions to the recipe! Thanks so much for the comment.