This Carrot Cake Sheet Cake is my go-to recipe for potlucks, parties, and holidays. The fresh carrots in the spiced batter add subtle texture that pairs so well with the tangy frosting. Each bite of this moist cake is addictive, and I promise that everyone you serve it to will be lining up to get a copy of the recipe.
Recipe Essentials
- 🍽️ Course: Dessert
- ⏱️ Cooking Time: 35 minutes
- 🍴 Servings: 12
- 🧄 Flavor Profile: Moist, warmly spiced carrot cake with hints of cinnamon and a rich, tangy cream cheese frosting.
- 🍚 Best Served With: A hot cup of coffee or chai tea.
- 🧊 Make Ahead?: Yes, bake a day ahead and refrigerate, or freeze unfrosted for longer storage.
Summarize and Save This Content On
I love that this carrot sheet cake with cream cheese frosting was made for gatherings. There's no need to worry about not having enough! It also bakes and cools quickly, making it an ideal last-minute dessert that you can feel good about serving.
This blueberry sheet cake and lemon sheet cake are more delicious sheet cake recipes you should try.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- It feeds a crowd: This sheet-pan carrot cake was designed to make serving party guests a breeze. You can slice it into equal pieces and make it look pretty with the decorations!
- It's easy to customize: It's a classic carrot cake recipe with cream cheese frosting, so it's super easy to make little tweaks to make it feel more like your own.
- The sheet pan promotes even baking: its design ensures your cake bakes evenly every time. It takes out any guesswork.
Ingredients
You'll find the key ingredients for this carrot sheet cake recipe listed below. They're all items you can find year-round, so you aren't limited to only making them in the spring!
- Carrots: I like to shred them myself to ensure they aren't too thick. Pre-shredded carrots can work in a pinch, but I recommend pulsing them in a food processor to make them finer. Freshly grated carrots are also the main ingredient for this layered carrot cake.
- Vegetable oil: I use it instead of butter to keep the carrot cake perfectly moist as it bakes. I use it in this lemon poppyseed cake, too.
- Sugar: The combination of white and brown sugar gives you a tender crumb that holds together well without being overly crumbly.
- Cream cheese: Allow it to soften at room temperature to keep your frosting smooth and creamy. I recommend full-fat cream cheese for richness and the best flavor.
- Pecans: I love chopped pecans in the cake, but if you don't, leave them out! I like to reserve some for sprinkling on top as well.
See the recipe card below for exact ingredient amounts, nutritional information, and detailed instructions.
Variations
- Add pineapple: Drain ½ cup of crushed pineapple and fold it into the cake batter for a tropical twist.
- Top with coconut: Toast ½ cup of shredded coconut, then sprinkle it over the cream cheese frosting.
- Use more spices: Include more warm spices like ¼ teaspoon of ground cardamom or cloves.
How to Make Carrot Cake Sheet Cake
To get started on this carrot sheet cake recipe, preheat your oven to 350F and line a 9x13 sheet pan with parchment paper. Then you can measure and prepare the ingredients for the carrot cake batter.
Step 1: Make the batter. Start by preparing the carrot cake batter. Mix the dry and wet ingredients separately before combining. Then, pour it into the lined baking sheet
Step 2: Bake. Put your cake in the oven and bake for 30-35 minutes, or until fully baked.
Step 3: Prepare the candy carrots. While the cake is cooling, melt the orange candy melts and put them into a piping bag. Carefully zigzag it onto a piece of parchment paper in a triangle shape. Set them in the fridge for 10-15 minutes.
Step 4: Frost and decorate. Now you can combine the frosting ingredients with an electric mixer. Once it's fluffy and creamy, spread it on top of the cooled cake, sprinkle chopped pecans, and then arrange the candy carrots with some of the leafy greens from the fresh carrots. Slice and enjoy with a cinnamon hot chocolate.
Expert Tips
- Use dry, finely shredded carrots: It's important to shred the carrots finely and drain any excess moisture so the carrot cake isn't soggy.
- Don't overmix the cake batter: Only mix the cake batter enough to combine the ingredients. Overmixing can cause the cake to become tough and dense instead of fluffy and moist.
- Cool the cake before frosting: Allow the sheet cake to cool completely before you add the frosting, so it doesn't melt and make a huge mess.
- Storage directions: Cover the carrot cake tightly with plastic wrap or transfer it to an airtight container. It will stay fresh in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Don't keep it on the counter for more than a couple of hours because of the dairy in the frosting.
Another simple carrot cake recipe that's perfect for a crowd is this crockpot carrot cake.
Serving Suggestions
- This cake is not too sweet, so it would work as a brunch treat! Some pairings I recommend are asparagus quiche and sausage gravy breakfast bombs.
- If you want to make this for a dessert spread for a party, rainbow cupcakes and coconut candy work great for spring and Easter, too.
- Enjoy a pumpkin chai latte with a slice of sheet pan carrot cake. The warm spices go well together.
Recipe FAQs
Avoid overbaking this carrot cake sheet cake. It shouldn't take more than 30-35 minutes. Insert a toothpick into the center, and it's ready when it comes out clean, but a few moist crumbs are just fine.
Sure! You can make it into cupcakes (you'll get 18-24 total), a 9x9 square pan, and more! The cupcakes will take around 18-22 minutes to bake, while the 9x9 will take about 40-45 minutes since it's much thicker.
Freeze it frosted or unfrosted. Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, then in aluminum foil, and keep it in the freezer for up to 3 months.
If you enjoy recipes like this, give these carrot cake truffles a try. They're melt in your mouth good.
More Delicious Carrot Recipes
Do you like baking with carrots? Here are some recipes you may also like to try.
If you try this recipe and love it please leave a star rating in the recipe card below or even better, drop a review in the comment section. I always appreciate your feedback. Be sure to follow along with me on Facebook, Pinterest, and YouTube for more easy recipes!
Carrot Cake Sheet Cake
Equipment
Ingredients
Carrot Cake
- 2 cups shredded carrots or about 3-4 medium whole carrots, finely grated
- 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¾ cup vegetable oil
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup brown sugar packed
- 3 large eggs room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup pecans finely chopped
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 8 oz cream cheese softened
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened
- 2 ½ cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Topping
- ¼ cup pecans finely chopped
- ½ cup orange colored candy melts
- 12 small pieces of leafy carrot tops washed and patted dry
Instructions
Prepare the carrots
- If using pre-packaged shredded carrots, add them to a food processor and pulse a few times just to break them up slightly and release a bit of moisture. Do not puree.
- If grating carrots from whole, grate them finely using a box grater or the shredding blade of a food processor. Set carrots aside.
For the cake
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Line a 9x13-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving a slight overhang for easy removal. Lightly grease.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together oil, granulated sugar, brown sugar, eggs, and vanilla until smooth and well combined.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and gently mix with a spatula just until combined. Do not overmix.
- Fold in the prepared carrots and chopped pecans.
- Pour the batter evenly into the prepared pan and smooth the top.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
- Allow the cake to cool completely before frosting.
For the frosting
- In a medium bowl with a hand mixer, beat the cream cheese and butter until smooth.
- Gradually add the powdered sugar. Mix in the vanilla extract. Beat until light and creamy.
For the carrot decorations
- Line a small baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Melt the orange candy melts according to package instructions. Add to a piping bag with the tip cut or a small round tip.
- Pipe into small triangular shapes with a slight zig-zag or spiral texture to resemble tiny carrots. Make 12 total.
- Refrigerate for 10-15 minutes, or until fully set. Set aside until ready to decorate.
Assemble
- Spread the cream cheese frosting evenly over the cooled cake.
- Sprinkle chopped pecans around the edges of the cake.
- For each serving, place a small leafy carrot top on the frosting, then gently set one candy carrot on top so it appears attached to the stem. Slice into 12 pieces and serve.
Notes
- For best results, use freshly and finely shredded carrots for this sheet pan carrot cake recipe. Drain excess moisture as well!
- Avoid overbaking your carrot sheet cake, so it isn't dry and crumbly. When you insert a toothpick into the center, it should come out mostly clean with a few moist crumbs.
- Allow the carrot cake to cool completely before adding the cream cheese frosting so it doesn't melt.
Leave a Reply