Best Ever Carrot Cake Sheet Cake is easy to make, moist, and delicious. It’s one of my favorite desserts, especially paired with a cream cheese frosting that’s simply to die for. Homemade carrot sheet cake recipe you can feed a crowd.
Is there anything better than a carrot sheet cake lathered with a sweet and tangy cream cheese frosting? Nope. There’s nothing better than my best ever carrot cake sheet cake. Mmmm, it really is that good.
My original thought was to make this recipe into a traditional layer cake because it’s carrot cake, right? But when I got to thinking about it, I decided I wanted to give you a truly easy carrot cake recipe that’s super simple to make.
Plus a sheet cake feeds a crowd. It’s something you can cut into squares and feed a large group of people, perfect for Easter and summer get togethers.
And don’t be intimidated by the thought of making carrot cake from scratch. It’s not difficult at all, especially if you have a salad shooter for shredding up your carrots.
While I decided to put pecans in our carrot cake, you can totally decide whether or not you want them in yours. I know a lot of people don’t like nuts, and that’s ok. With or without, it’ll still be delicious either way you go.
If you love cake, you may also enjoy my yellow cake with chocolate buttercream frosting.
Tips for how to make this carrot cake recipe:
You’ll need a few ingredients… Unsalted butter, pure cane sugar, eggs, vanilla extract, caramel extract, unbleached all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, carrots, and chopped pecans.
- Pre-heat your oven to 375°.
- Melt the butter, and cream (mix) together with the sugar.
- Add the eggs, vanilla extract, and caramel extract into your butter mixture, and mix well.
- Sift together your dry ingredients, including the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, and mix well for 2 to 3 minutes.
- Add the shredded carrots and pecans (again, nuts are optional) to your mixture, and continue to mix well until everything is blended together.
- Pour and spread the cake batter into a large sheet cake pan.
- Bake at 375° for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick/cake tester comes out clean.
- Remove the cake from the oven, and allow it to cool right in the pan.
- Meanwhile, mix up your frosting. I highly recommend using a cream cheese frosting.
- Once the cake has cooled, spread the frosting all over the top of the cake.
- Optional step: Sprinkle chopped pecans or walnuts all over the top of the frosting.
- Cut into slices and serve.
I recommend storing the frosted cake in the refrigerator, since it’s covered in a cream cheese frosting.
Variations for your carrot sheet cake:
Use shredded zucchini instead of, or in addition to, carrots. Just cut the amount of carrots down for however much zucchini you decide to use.
You can even add in 1/2 teaspoon or so of allspice, nutmeg, or your favorite spice to give the cake a more spice-filled taste.
Instead of pecans, you can use walnuts or any other type of nut you think may be good.
More cake recipes you may enjoy:
Kitchen tools you may need to make carrot cake from scratch:
Mixer – I love using my Bosch mixer for mixing up cake batter.
Sifter – I never make a cake without sifting, the result of training by my mom and grandmas.
Salad Shooter – This kitchen tool makes it so much easier to shred the carrots.
Sheet Cake Pan – You’ll need a large pan that makes a thinner cake.
Cake Tester – This will help you see if your cake is done after baking.
Spatula/Server – Slice and serve your cake with a square spatula.
Best Ever Carrot Cake Sheet Cake
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- 2 cups pure cane sugar
- 4 eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon caramel extract
- 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 2 1/2 cups shredded carrots
- 1 1/2 cups chopped pecans
- 2 cups cream cheese frosting
Instructions
- Pre-heat your oven to 375°.
- Melt the butter, and cream (mix) together with the sugar.
- Add the eggs, vanilla extract, and caramel extract into your butter mixture, and mix well.
- Sift together your dry ingredients, including the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, and mix well for 2 to 3 minutes.
- Add the shredded carrots and pecans (nuts are optional) to your mixture, and continue to mix well until everything is blended together.
- Pour and spread the cake batter into a large sheet cake pan.
- Bake at 375° for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick/cake tester comes out clean.
- Remove the cake from the oven, and allow it to cool right in the pan.
- Meanwhile, mix up your frosting. I highly recommend using a cream cheese frosting.
- Once the cake has cooled, spread the frosting all over the top of the cake.
- Optional step: Sprinkle chopped pecans all over the top of the frosting.
- Cut into slices and serve.
So Mel, you dont use cream cheese but for the frosting right?
Do you ever put crushed pineapple in your cake for moisture? Thanks making for my senior park luncheon. First time making carrot cake. Looks great!!! Thought it looked quick & easy. I’ll let you know!