Best Carrot Cake with Yogurt Frosting

Here is my go-to carrot cake recipe, made extra special with a lighter yogurt frosting instead of the usual cream cheese. The cake is wonderfully moist, filled with fresh carrots, warm spices, and chopped walnuts for the perfect bit of crunch.

This carrot cake has become my kids’ favorite weekend treat, and I love that the yogurt frosting makes it a little less heavy than traditional versions. I often bake it for Sunday family dinners, and there are rarely any leftovers by Monday morning!

What Kind of Carrots Should I Use?

Regular orange carrots from your grocery store work perfectly fine for carrot cake – no need to get fancy here. The key is to use fresh, firm carrots that are bright in color and free from any soft spots. While you might see purple or rainbow carrots at specialty stores, stick with regular orange ones for this recipe since they provide the classic flavor and color you want in a carrot cake. When it comes to grating, you can use either the large or medium holes on your box grater – just avoid the finest holes which can turn your carrots to mush. And here’s a time-saving tip: pre-grated carrots from the store aren’t the best choice since they’re often dry and lack the moisture that helps make your cake tender.

Options for Substitutions

This carrot cake recipe is pretty flexible and allows for several ingredient swaps if needed:

• Sunflower oil: You can easily swap sunflower oil with any neutral-tasting vegetable oil like canola or light olive oil. Melted coconut oil works too, though it might add a slight coconut flavor.
• Brown sugar: White sugar works fine here – just add a tablespoon of molasses if you have it. Coconut sugar is another good option, though it might make the cake slightly less moist.
• Whole wheat flour: All-purpose flour can be used in equal amounts. For a mix, try half whole wheat and half all-purpose flour if you want a lighter texture while keeping some of the nutty flavor.
• Walnuts: Feel free to use pecans, almonds, or any other nuts you prefer. You can also skip them if you have nut allergies.
• Greek yogurt: For the frosting, cream cheese is a classic substitute. If using regular yogurt, strain it in a cheesecloth for a few hours to remove excess liquid.
• Heavy cream: In the frosting, you can use mascarpone cheese instead, or leave it out and add a bit more yogurt – just know the frosting might be slightly less firm.
• Raisins: You can skip these or replace them with dried cranberries, chopped dates, or any other dried fruit you like.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Baking

The biggest challenge when making carrot cake is dealing with excess moisture from the carrots – be sure to gently squeeze out any liquid from your grated carrots using a clean kitchen towel before adding them to the batter, or your cake might end up too dense and wet. Another common mistake is overmixing the batter once you’ve added the flour, which can lead to a tough, chewy texture – instead, fold the ingredients together just until they’re combined. When it comes to the yogurt frosting, avoid adding the heavy cream all at once; gradually incorporate it into the yogurt-sugar mixture to prevent the frosting from becoming too runny, and make sure your cake is completely cool before frosting to prevent melting. For the best texture and flavor development, let your finished cake rest in the fridge for at least 2 hours before serving – this allows the frosting to set properly and the flavors to meld together beautifully.

What to Serve With Carrot Cake?

This moist carrot cake pairs wonderfully with a hot cup of coffee or tea for an afternoon treat. If you’re serving it for dessert after dinner, try adding a scoop of vanilla ice cream on the side – the cool, creamy texture works really well with the spiced cake and tangy yogurt frosting. For a morning coffee gathering, I like to serve it alongside fresh fruit like berries or sliced peaches, which add a nice fresh contrast to the rich cake. A dollop of lightly whipped cream on top is always welcome too!

Storage Instructions

Keep Fresh: This carrot cake stays moist and yummy when kept in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Since the frosting is made with yogurt, refrigeration is a must! Just make sure to cover it well to prevent it from absorbing any fridge odors.

Freeze: Want to save some for later? You can freeze unfrosted carrot cake layers wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and aluminum foil for up to 3 months. I don’t recommend freezing the cake with the yogurt frosting as it might become watery when thawed.

Make Ahead: You can bake the cake layers a day ahead and store them wrapped in plastic wrap at room temperature. The yogurt frosting can be made up to 2 days in advance and kept in the fridge. Just give it a quick whisk before spreading it on your cake to make it smooth again.

Preparation Time	30-45 minutes
Cooking Time	55-65 minutes
Total Time	85-110 minutes
Level of Difficulty	Medium

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 3200-3600
• Protein: 50-60 g
• Fat: 200-220 g
• Carbohydrates: 350-400 g

Ingredients

• 270 ml sunflower oil
• 200 g brown sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla essence
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 50 g raisins
• 50 g chopped walnuts
• 350 g grated carrots
• 260 g whole wheat flour
• Butter
• 250 g thick greek yogurt
• 150 g powdered sugar (sifted)
• 100 ml heavy cream

Step 1: Prepare the Yogurt Frosting

Begin by adding the strained Greek yogurt and icing sugar into a stand mixer.

Mix these ingredients until they are well combined.

Then, add the double cream and continue mixing for 1-2 minutes until the mixture becomes fluffy.

Refrigerate the frosting for at least 30 minutes to allow it to set properly.

Step 2: Make the Cake Batter Base

In a large bowl, combine the sunflower oil, brown sugar, eggs, salt, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, ground cloves, and vanilla extract.

Whisk these together thoroughly until all ingredients are well incorporated, creating a smooth and unified mixture.

Step 3: Add Flavors and Textures

To the batter base, add the raisins and chopped walnuts.

Mix until these are evenly distributed throughout the batter.

Then, using the small-bladed side of a grater, grate the carrots and fold them into the mixture, making sure they are well mixed in without overworking the batter.

Step 4: Complete the Cake Batter

Gently add the whole wheat flour to the bowl.

Use a spatula to mix the flour into the wet ingredients, ensuring not to over-mix.

The goal is to just combine the ingredients so that the cake remains tender and moist.

Step 5: Prepare and Bake the Cake

Butter your cake tin, preferably a loaf tin, to prevent sticking.

Transfer the prepared carrot cake batter into the tin, spreading it evenly.

Place in a preheated oven at 170ºC (340ºF) and bake for 55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Step 6: Cool the Cake

Once baked, allow the cake to cool for about 10 minutes before carefully removing it from the cake tin.

Let it continue cooling completely on a wire rack before frosting or serving.

Enjoy your delicious homemade carrot cake!