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    Home » Recipes » Desserts

    Naked Carrot Cake

    Published: Jan 25, 2022 · Modified: Jul 15, 2022 by Karin and Ken · This post may contain affiliate links. 2 Comments

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    Introducing the Naked Carrot Cake! This delicious dessert is made with real carrots and topped with a creamy cream cheese frosting. It's the perfect way to celebrate any special occasion, or just enjoy a tasty treat. So why not try a slice today? You won't be disappointed!

    white plate with naked carrot cake on top that has been frosted and topped with almonds.

    Craving some delicious carrot cake? Look no further than Naked Carrot Cake! Our moist and fluffy cake is layered with sweet and tangy cream cheese frosting, making it the perfect treat for any occasion.

    Whether you're celebrating a birthday or just need a quick snack, our Naked Carrot Cake is sure to hit the spot. So what are you waiting for? Get to baking!

    Best Carrot Cake

    This was inspired by my Layered Carrot Cake From Scratch on this site and is another take on a layered cake. It pairs well with this perfect Salmon Al Horno recipe as your main course and this Broccoli Cornbread with Cheese as a side.

    Carrot Cake Ingredients

    • Sugar
    • Eggs
    • Milk
    • Grated carrots
    • Chopped walnuts
    • Water
    • Baking soda
    • Vanilla
    • Flour

    Carrot Cake Frosting Ingredients

    • Softened cream cheese
    • Powdered sugar
    • Vanilla

    See the recipe card below for specific quantities.

    Instructions

    If you are new to baking, there is no need to feel overwhelmed! This recipe is very easy to follow and is perfect for beginners!

    Step 1: Prepare for Baking

    Preheat your oven to 350ºF. Then, prepare three 8.5” round baking pans by greasing them with butter or cooking spray and set them aside.

    Step 2: Prep Your Ingredients

    In a large mixing bowl, beat the eggs, sugar, and milk together. Add the carrots and nuts. Mix together.

    Bring water to a boil and stir in the baking soda. Pour the baking soda mixture into the batter and beat it together. Add flour and vanilla and beat again.

    Step 3: Bake Your Cakes

    Split the batter between the three prepared baking pans. Bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

    Once done baking, allow the cakes to cool for 10 minutes before gently flipping them out of the pan onto parchment paper.

    Allow the cakes to cool completely before assembling.

    Step 4: Make Your Frosting

    Place cream cheese and powdered sugar in a medium mixing bowl. Beat until smooth. Add vanilla and beat again.

    Step 5: Frost & Assemble Your Cakes

    Place one layer of cake on a large plate. Frost with ⅓ of the frosting. Place another cake layer on top followed by another ⅓ of the frosting.

    Place the final layer of cake on top with the remaining frosting. Gently run your frosting knife around the cake to smooth out any excess frosting.

    OPTIONAL: Top your cake with chopped walnuts.

    Hint: using a silicone spatula to frost your cake will help. the frosting to go on smooth and not clump up.

    You also may want to use a rotating cake stand for easier frosting.

    close up view of a slice of naked carrot cake with a fork sticking into it.
    • Extra flavor - instead of walnuts in this recipe you could try adding pecans or even candied pecans for a different flavor profile. You could also try sprinkling on some Sprinkle on some crystallized ginger!
    • Deluxe - pair this carrot cake with some maple walnut ice cream for an extra sweet treat!
    • Garnish - in addition to the walnuts you could also garnish your cake with with fresh carrots, raisins, or even chocolate chips if you want it more decadent.

    Substitutions

    Don't have the correct ingredients on hand? Or want to change something up? Here are some helpful tips for you to change this naked cake.

    • Milk - if you do not have any fresh milk on hand, you can use evaporated milk. Just add an equal amount of water. For instance, this recipe requires 1½ cups milk, so you'd add ¾ cup of water and ¾ cup evaporated milk.
    • Eggs - if you are out of eggs, you can use applesauce or mashed bananas instead.

    Variations

    Want to personalize this naked carrot cake recipe? Here are some of my tried and true tips for changing up this recipe.

    If you love recipes like this, you may also enjoy these Easy Carrot Cake Bars.

    Equipment

    If you are an avid baker, you may already have everything you need for this easy recipe. If not though, you only need a few simple things!

    • 8.5” Round baking pans
    • Mixing bowls
    • Hand mixer
    • Whisk
    • Measuring cups & spoons
    • Silicone spatula or cake decorating knife
    • Rotating cake stand (optional)

    Storage

    You can store the cake uncut in the refrigerator, uncovered, for about a week. Store any leftover sliced cake in an airtight container for up to 4 days.

    Tips

    This is a painless recipe that should be simple for beginners to make and enjoy. But there are a few tips I’ve learned over time making this that I recommend to make sure you reach exceptional results.

    • Be sure to not use too much fat to grease your cake pans and this could make your cakes soggy in the middle. Just grease them enough so that they don't stick.
    • To easily grate your carrots, place a box grater on a cutting board and grate with a downward motion along the holes of the box grater. Be careful not to cut your fingers!
    Close up view of white plate with naked carrot cake on top that has been frosted and topped with almonds.

    More Cake Recipes

    Do you like cake? Here are some recipes you may also like to try

    • Easy Ice Cream Sandwich Cake
    • Neapolitan Cheesecake
    • Chocolate Pumpkin Mousse Cake

    FAQ

    Do you have questions about naked carrot cake? Here are some of the most commonly asked questions about carrot cake.

    Can I use baking powder instead of baking soda in carrot cake?

    Yes, you can use baking powder as a substitute for baking soda. However, baking powder does not have very strong leavening power compared to baking soda. For instance, you will need to use 3 teaspoons of baking powder to replace 1 teaspoon of baking soda.

    Can I use cake flour instead of all-purpose flour for carrot cake?

    Yes, you can! Cake flour will give your cake a much lighter consistency. So if you are looking for a more dense, richer cake, you may want to just stick to all-purpose flour.

    What makes a cake moist?

    The sugar in cake is what makes it moist as it attracts water and holds onto it. This is why you need to make sure to use the proper amount of sugar when baking a cake so that it does not turn out dry.

    Naked Carrot Cake Video

    Naked Carrot Cake

    Ready to get cooking? Remember that you can print this recipe if you would like.

    Naked Carrot Cake

    This delicious dessert is made with real carrots and topped with a creamy cream cheese frosting. It's perfect for celebrating a special day!
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 10 mins
    Cook Time 20 mins
    cooling Time 30 mins
    Course Dessert
    Cuisine American
    Servings 8
    Calories 716 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    Cake Ingredients

    • 2 cups sugar
    • 4 large eggs
    • 1½ cups milk
    • 3 cups carrots grated
    • 1 cup walnuts chopped
    • ¼ cup water
    • 2 teaspoon baking soda
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla
    • 2 cups flour

    Frosting Ingredients

    • 1 brick (8 oz) cream cheese softened
    • 3 ½ cups powdered sugar
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla

    Decoration

    • ¼ cup walnuts chopped, for top of cake, if desired

    Instructions
     

    • Get out and measure your ingredients.
      Overhead photo of all the ingredients needed to make naked carrot cake.

    Cake Directions

    • Preheat your oven to 350ºF.
    • Prepare three 8.5” round baking pans by greasing them with butter or cooking spray. Set them aside.
    • In a large mixing bowl, beat the eggs and sugar together.
      eggs and sugar to be mixed in a large mixing bowl.
    • Add the milk.
      milk poured into the large mixing bowl.
    • Add the carrots and nuts. Mix together.
      carrots and nuts added to the large mixing bowl.
    • Bring water to a boil and stir in the baking soda.
    • Pour the baking soda mixture into batter and beat together.
      baking soda mixture pourd into the large mixing bowl.
    • Add the flour and beat again.
      flour added to the large mixing bowl.
    • Add in the vanilla.
      Vanilla poured into the large mixing bowl.
    • Beat until fully incorporated.
      all ingredients mixed well in a large mixing bowl.
    • Split the batter between the three prepared baking pans.
      carrot cake batter split into three identical prepared baking pans.
    • Bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
      carrot cake layer baked in the oven for 20 minutes.
    • Allow the cakes to cool for 10 minutes before gently flipping them out of the pans onto parchment paper. Allow the cakes to cool completely before assembling.

    Frosting Directions

    • Place the cream cheese and powdered sugar in a medium mixing bowl. Beat until smooth.
      cream cheese and powdered sugar mixed in a medium mixing bowl.
    • Add the vanilla. Beat until blended.
      Vanilla added to the mixing bowl.

    Assembly Directions

    • Place one layer of the cake on a large plate.
      First layer of cake placed on a large plate.
    • Frost with ⅓ of frosting.
      One third of the frosting applied to the first layer of carrot cake.
    • Place another cake layer on top followed by another ⅓ of frosting.
    • Place final layer of cake on top with the remaining frosting.

    Top of Cake

    • Either spread frosting all over top of cake in smooth layer OR in the middle of the cake in small pile or round design perhaps with walnuts piled on top too.

    Side of Cake

    • Gently run your frosting knife around the cake to smooth out any excess frosting, if desired.
      All layers of the naked carrot cake assembled.
    • OR leave outside of carrot cake plain, just as is. Naked.
      Frosting added to the outside of the carrot cake.
    • Slice and serve. Enjoy every bite!
      A slice of carrot cake with a fork.

    Notes

    • Be sure to not use too much fat to grease your cake pans and this could make your cakes soggy in the middle. Just grease them enough so that they don't stick.
    • To easily grate your carrots, place a box grater on a cutting board and grate with a downward motion along the holes of the box grater. Be careful not to cut your fingers!

    Nutrition

    Calories: 716kcalCarbohydrates: 136gProtein: 11gFat: 16gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 9gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0.01gCholesterol: 99mgSodium: 363mgPotassium: 374mgFiber: 3gSugar: 107gVitamin A: 8233IUVitamin C: 3mgCalcium: 110mgIron: 3mg
    Keyword naked carrot cake
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!




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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Valerie Brown

      January 30, 2022 at 4:14 pm

      Quantities of ingredients?

      Reply
      • Karin and Ken

        February 02, 2022 at 9:13 am

        All ingredient quantities can be found at the bottom of each recipe or there is a big blue button at the top of the recipe that says jump to recipe that will take you directly to where the recipe is. I apologize for the confusion. This recipe is worth it! I hope you enjoy it as much as we all do! Take care. Karin

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    Welcome!

    Ken and Karin

    We are the kitchen divas: Karin and my partner in life Ken.

    We have been attached at the heart and hip since the first day we met, and we love to create new dishes to keep things interesting. Variety is definitely the spice of life!

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