You want a cake that makes people stop mid-sentence? This is it. Warm cinnamon, sweet carrots, and a buttery crumb that stays moist for days—no fancy degree required.
It looks like it took all afternoon, but you’ll have it cooling on the counter before your coffee gets cold. Bring it to a potluck and watch it “accidentally” follow you home with zero leftovers. Ready to be the person everyone begs for the recipe from?
What Makes This Recipe Awesome
- Next-level moist: Carrots, oil, and brown sugar keep the crumb tender without getting gummy.
- Bold spice profile: Cinnamon leads, with nutmeg and ginger tagging in for depth.
No bland bites here.
- Showstopper shape: The Bundt pan does the styling for you—add a glaze and boom, instant centerpiece.
- Forgiving batter: No mixer needed, no fussy technique. Stir, pour, bake, brag.
- Meal-prep friendly: Keeps beautifully and tastes even better the next day. Some might call that magic.
Shopping List – Ingredients
- All-purpose flour – 2 1/2 cups
- Granulated sugar – 3/4 cup
- Light brown sugar – 3/4 cup, packed
- Baking powder – 2 teaspoons
- Baking soda – 1 teaspoon
- Kosher salt – 1/2 teaspoon
- Ground cinnamon – 2 teaspoons
- Ground ginger – 1/2 teaspoon
- Ground nutmeg – 1/4 teaspoon
- Vegetable oil – 1 cup
- Large eggs – 4, room temperature
- Vanilla extract – 2 teaspoons
- Finely grated carrots – 3 cups (about 4–5 medium carrots)
- Crushed pineapple (well-drained) – 1/2 cup, optional for extra moisture
- Chopped walnuts or pecans – 3/4 cup, optional
- Raisins – 1/2 cup, optional
- For the glaze: powdered sugar – 1 1/2 cups; milk or cream – 2–3 tablespoons; vanilla – 1/2 teaspoon; pinch of cinnamon
- For the pan: butter and flour or baking spray with flour
How to Make It – Instructions
- Prep the pan: Grease and flour a 10–12 cup Bundt pan thoroughly, getting into every crevice.
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Whisk dry ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk flour, sugars, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg.
- Combine wet: In a second bowl, whisk oil, eggs, and vanilla until smooth and glossy.
- Bring it together: Pour wet into dry and stir with a spatula until just combined. No overmixing—streaks are okay.
- Fold in the good stuff: Add carrots, drained pineapple (if using), nuts, and raisins. Fold gently until evenly distributed.
- Fill and smooth: Transfer batter to the prepared Bundt pan.
Tap the pan on the counter to release air bubbles and level the top.
- Bake: 45–55 minutes, until a tester comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. The top should spring back lightly.
- Cool correctly: Let it cool in the pan for 10–15 minutes, then invert onto a rack. Don’t rush or it might stick—patience pays.
- Glaze: Whisk powdered sugar, milk/cream, vanilla, and a pinch of cinnamon until pourable.
Drizzle over the cooled cake.
- Slice and flex: Let the glaze set 10 minutes, then slice. Cue the applause.
How to Store
- Room temperature: Covered cake keeps 3–4 days. Use a cake dome or wrap slices tightly.
- Refrigerator: Up to 1 week, well wrapped.
Bring to room temp before serving for best texture.
- Freeze: Wrap slices (or the whole unglazed cake) in plastic + foil for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge, then glaze.
Health Benefits
- Carrots: Beta-carotene for eye health and antioxidants. Dessert that works overtime—nice.
- Nuts: Healthy fats and a bit of protein, if you add them.
Crunch with benefits.
- Spices: Cinnamon and ginger bring potential anti-inflammatory perks. Flavor doing functional work, IMO.
- Oil-based crumb: Stays moist without frosting overload, which can help portion satisfaction.
Don’t Make These Errors
- Skipping pan prep: Bundt pans are divas. Grease and flour thoroughly or risk a cake extraction horror story.
- Overmixing: Tough crumb alert.
Stir just until combined after adding the wet ingredients.
- Wet add-ins, undrained: Pineapple must be well-drained or the center can sink.
- Shredding carrots too thick: Use the fine grate. Thick shreds don’t soften enough and can create gaps.
- Unmolding too soon: Let it rest 10–15 minutes. Flip too early and gravity wins.
Variations You Can Try
- Cream cheese ribbon: Swirl a simple cream cheese mixture (cream cheese, sugar, egg, vanilla) into the batter before baking.
- Orange twist: Add 1 tablespoon orange zest to the batter and 1 tablespoon juice to the glaze.
- Maple glaze: Replace milk with maple syrup and a splash of cream for a cozy finish.
- Gluten-free: Use a 1:1 GF flour blend with xanthan gum; bake time may vary slightly.
- No-nut, all-fruit: Skip nuts and double the raisins or swap for chopped dates.
FAQ
Can I use applesauce instead of some oil?
Yes—swap up to half the oil with unsweetened applesauce.
Texture stays moist, flavor leans slightly fruitier, and you’ll shave off some fat without punishing the crumb.
Do I need a stand mixer?
Not at all. A whisk and a sturdy spatula are perfect. Overmixing is a bigger risk with a mixer, so hand mixing is actually an advantage here.
Can I make this in a 9×13 pan?
Yes.
Bake at the same temperature for about 35–45 minutes. Start checking at 35; edges should be set and the center should pass the toothpick test.
What if I don’t have pineapple?
Skip it or replace with 1/4 cup buttermilk for a touch of tang and extra moisture. Keep an eye on bake time; it may shorten slightly.
How fine should I grate the carrots?
Use the fine holes on a box grater or the small shredding disc on a food processor.
Fine shreds integrate better and keep the crumb tender.
Can I frost with cream cheese instead of glaze?
Absolutely. A classic cream cheese frosting slathered on top (or piped) turns this into full-on celebration mode. FYI: chill briefly to set clean slices.
My Take
This cake hits the sweet spot between rustic and refined: big cinnamon aroma, tender crumb, and that photogenic Bundt silhouette.
It’s low-effort, high-impress, which is my favorite combo in the kitchen. Keep the glaze light for everyday snacking, or go cream cheese frosting when you want “wow.” Either way, expect requests for seconds—and the recipe.