Golden Carrot Bundt

Welcome to the ultimate guide for creating the most exquisite **Carrot Bundt Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting** you’ll ever taste. This delightful dessert, featuring a perfectly moist, richly spiced cake crowned with a luscious, tangy cream cheese frosting, is more than just a treat; it’s a showstopper. Whether you’re planning a spring gathering, an Easter celebration, or simply craving a comforting homemade dessert, this bundt cake offers a touch of elegance and an explosion of flavor that will leave everyone asking for the recipe.

Imagine a dessert so irresistibly delicious, so perfectly balanced in flavor and texture, that it becomes an instant classic in your home. This isn’t just any carrot cake; it’s a masterpiece baked in a bundt pan, making it effortlessly beautiful and incredibly easy to slice and serve. While often associated with Easter, this **spiced carrot bundt cake** transcends seasonal boundaries, offering warmth and sweetness any time of year. Its combination of fresh carrots, aromatic spices, and a surprising burst of natural sweetness from golden raisins sets it apart, ensuring every bite is a memorable experience. And let’s not forget the generous topping of the very best homemade cream cheese frosting – a truly indispensable element that brings the entire cake to life.

Carrot Bundt Cake: A Timeless Dessert for Every Occasion

There’s an undeniable charm and comfort found in a slice of homemade carrot cake. This recipe elevates that classic favorite by transforming it into an elegant bundt cake, making it an impressive centerpiece for any table. Beyond its stunning appearance, this **Carrot Bundt Cake** is surprisingly simple to prepare, proving that you don’t need complicated techniques to achieve extraordinary results. The secret to its incredible flavor and unmatched moisture lies in the thoughtful blend of ingredients, particularly the inclusion of golden raisins. These little gems don’t just add natural sweetness; they also contribute to the cake’s tender crumb, ensuring it remains moist and flavorful for days.

If you’re already a fan of the unique appeal of bundt cakes, then this recipe will surely become a staple. The distinctive fluted shape not only makes for an attractive presentation but also helps the cake bake more evenly, contributing to that desirable moist texture. It’s a fantastic alternative to traditional layer cakes, often requiring less decorating effort while still delivering maximum visual impact and incredible taste. A bundt pan sitting in your cupboard is an invitation to culinary creativity, and this **Carrot Bundt Cake recipe** is the perfect way to put it to use.

The Irresistible Pairing: Carrot Bundt Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

While the **Carrot Bundt Cake** is a delight on its own, it truly shines when paired with a generous topping of homemade **Cream Cheese Frosting**. This iconic duo is a match made in heaven, creating a harmonious balance of sweet and tangy flavors that is simply irresistible. The rich, velvety texture of the frosting provides a luxurious contrast to the moist, tender crumb of the cake, making every forkful a moment to savor. This particular recipe for our cream cheese frosting is designed to be thick, smooth, and bursting with that classic tangy sweetness that complements the spiced cake perfectly.

This dynamic dessert is a fantastic addition to any celebration, from spring brunches to holiday feasts, but its comforting flavors make it equally suitable for a cozy evening at home. The magic lies in the details: the warm spices like cinnamon and nutmeg in the cake, the natural sweetness from the freshly grated carrots and those special golden raisins, all brought together by the cool, creamy embrace of the frosting. It’s a dessert that evokes nostalgia while simultaneously feeling fresh and exciting, cementing its status as a year-round favorite. You’ll find yourself reaching for this recipe again and again, long after Easter has passed.

What Makes This The Best Carrot Cake Recipe?

What sets this particular **carrot cake recipe** apart from the rest? It’s a meticulous balance of ingredients and techniques that results in a consistently perfect bake every single time. We achieve a tender, moist crumb that’s never dry or overly dense, thanks to the careful ratio of wet to dry ingredients and the enriching power of vegetable oil. The granulated sugar provides just the right amount of sweetness, allowing the natural flavor of the carrots and the warmth of the spices to shine through without being overpowered. Essential spices like cinnamon and nutmeg infuse the cake with that characteristic aroma and depth of flavor we all adore in a classic carrot cake.

But perhaps the true secret ingredient that elevates this to “the best” is the inclusion of golden raisins. Unlike their darker counterparts, golden raisins are typically plumper and sweeter, providing small bursts of juicy flavor and an extra layer of moisture that helps keep the cake incredibly tender. They integrate beautifully into the batter, distributing sweetness and texture throughout each slice. Combined with the freshness of finely grated carrots, this recipe promises a sensory delight that will impress even the most discerning palates. It’s a harmonious blend of sweetness, spice, and supreme moistness that makes every bite truly exceptional.

Carrot Bundt Cake Ingredients Explained

Crafting the perfect **moist carrot cake** starts with understanding the role of each ingredient. For your convenience, the complete measurements and detailed instructions are provided in the full printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.

• Eggs: Crucial for structure and binding the ingredients. Ensuring they are at room temperature allows for better emulsification with the oil and sugar, leading to a smoother batter and a finer crumb.
• Vegetable Oil: The choice of oil, rather than butter, is key to the cake’s exceptional moisture. Vegetable oil keeps the cake tender and moist for longer, even when refrigerated. Canola oil works as a direct substitute, or you could try a neutral-flavored coconut oil for a subtle twist.
• Granulated Sugar: Provides the primary sweetness and also contributes to the cake’s moistness and tender texture by attracting and retaining moisture.
• All-Purpose Flour: The foundational dry ingredient, giving the cake its structure. Measure it correctly by spooning it into your measuring cup and leveling it off, rather than scooping, to avoid a dense cake.
• Baking Soda and Baking Powder: These are our essential leavening agents. Baking soda reacts with acidic ingredients (if any) and helps the cake rise, while baking powder provides a secondary lift, ensuring a light and airy texture.
• Salt: A pinch of salt is vital for enhancing all the other flavors, balancing the sweetness, and rounding out the overall taste profile of the cake.
• Cinnamon and Nutmeg: The heart of classic **spiced carrot cake** flavor. These warm, aromatic spices infuse the cake with a comforting depth. Feel free to adjust quantities to your preference or add a touch of ginger or allspice for more complexity.
• Golden Raisins: Our “secret ingredient” for making this **carrot bundt cake** truly exceptional. These plump, naturally sweet raisins add delightful chewy texture and bursts of flavor, while also contributing to the cake’s moisture. Avoid omitting them for the best results!
• Freshly Grated Carrots: The star of the show! Using fresh, finely grated carrots is paramount. They not only provide the cake’s signature flavor and color but also contribute significant moisture. Avoid pre-shredded carrots, which are often drier and can lead to a less flavorful, tougher cake.

Ingredients in Homemade Cream Cheese Frosting Explained

No **Carrot Bundt Cake** is complete without the perfect **cream cheese frosting**. This recipe yields a delightfully tangy, rich, and incredibly smooth frosting that perfectly balances the sweetness of the cake. Here’s what you’ll need and why:

• Cream Cheese: The essential foundation of this iconic frosting. Make sure to use full-fat block cream cheese, softened to room temperature. This ensures a smooth, lump-free consistency and the best tangy flavor.
• Unsalted Butter: Softened unsalted butter is crucial for achieving a light, fluffy, and creamy frosting texture. Using unsalted butter allows you to control the overall saltiness of the frosting.
• Powdered Sugar (Confectioners’ Sugar): This fine sugar dissolves easily, creating a smooth, silky frosting without any gritty texture. It provides the necessary sweetness and body to the frosting.
• Pure Vanilla Extract: A splash of high-quality vanilla extract adds depth and warmth to the frosting, enhancing its overall flavor profile and complementing the tanginess of the cream cheese.

Mastering this simple frosting recipe is a game-changer for many desserts. Keep reading to discover invaluable tips and tricks, smart substitutions, and answers to common questions about preparing this perfectly **moist carrot bundt cake** and its delectable frosting.

How to Make Carrot Bundt Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting: Step-by-Step

Creating this stunning **Carrot Bundt Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting** is easier than you might think. Follow these straightforward steps for a delicious result:

1. Prepare Your Pan and Preheat Oven: Start by thoroughly greasing and flouring your bundt pan with nonstick cooking spray. Ensure every crevice is coated to prevent sticking. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). This preparation is crucial for a beautifully released cake.
2. Combine Wet Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, beat together the room temperature eggs, vegetable oil, and granulated sugar using an electric mixer. Beat for about one minute until the mixture is light in color and well combined. This step incorporates air and helps create a tender cake.
3. Whisk Dry Ingredients: In a separate medium bowl, sift together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Sifting helps to eliminate lumps and ensures the leavening agents and spices are evenly distributed.
4. Gradually Add Dry to Wet: Slowly incorporate the dry ingredient mixture into the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed with your electric mixer until just combined. Be careful not to overmix the batter once the flour is added, as this can develop the gluten too much, leading to a tough, dense cake.



5. Fold in Carrots and Raisins: Gently fold in the freshly grated carrots and golden raisins using a spatula. Mix just until they are evenly distributed throughout the batter. This gentle folding ensures the delicate texture of the batter is not compromised.



6. Pour and Bake: Pour the carrot cake batter evenly into your prepared bundt pan. Place it in the preheated oven and bake for approximately one hour, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out with just a few moist crumbs attached. Avoid overbaking, as this can dry out the cake.



7. Cool Completely: Once baked, remove the cake from the oven and let it cool in the bundt pan for about 10-15 minutes before inverting it onto a wire rack to cool completely. It’s crucial that the cake is entirely cool before frosting to prevent the frosting from melting.



8. Prepare the Cream Cheese Frosting: While the cake cools, prepare your frosting. In a medium bowl, beat together the softened cream cheese and softened unsalted butter with an electric mixer until the mixture is smooth and creamy, with no lumps. Add the pure vanilla extract, then gradually add the powdered sugar, beating until the frosting reaches your desired smooth, fluffy consistency. You may adjust the amount of powdered sugar for thickness and sweetness.
9. Frost the Cooled Cake: Once the cake is completely cool, spread your fluffy cream cheese frosting generously over the entire bundt cake. You can use an offset spatula for smooth application or pipe it on for a more decorative finish.

This cake is undeniably perfect as is, but if you’re making it for a special occasion like Easter, adding a festive touch can make it even more memorable. Consider decorating with piped carrot designs using a small star tip and a touch of orange food coloring for the frosting, or sprinkle with chopped nuts for added texture. For those who enjoy extra flair, edible glitter or small sugar carrots can elevate the presentation. You can find many tutorials online, like this great YouTube tutorial, to guide you through piping decorative elements.

Storage and Make-Ahead Tips

To keep your **Carrot Bundt Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting** fresh and delicious, store any leftover cake in an airtight container or under a cake dome in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Interestingly, many find that the flavors meld and deepen overnight, making the cake taste even better the next day! If you’re planning ahead, you can also freeze the unfrosted carrot bundt cake. Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, then place it in a freezer bag or aluminum foil, and it will keep well for up to 3 months. Thaw it overnight in the refrigerator before frosting and serving.

Love it? Pin it!

If you’re as smitten with this **Carrot Bundt Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting recipe** as we are, make sure to save it for later! Pin it to your favorite Pinterest recipe board before you go so you can easily find it whenever a craving strikes or a celebration calls for a truly special dessert.

FAQs About Carrot Bundt Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

• What frosting goes best with carrot cake?

  While classic **cream cheese frosting** is overwhelmingly the traditional and most beloved choice for carrot cake due to its tangy counterpoint to the cake’s sweetness, you have other options. A lighter cream cheese glaze (a thinner consistency made with less butter and more liquid) can offer a similar flavor profile with a less dense topping. Alternatively, a simple vanilla buttercream or even a spiced buttercream infused with cinnamon could work if you prefer a different texture or flavor profile, though they won’t provide the signature tang that balances the carrot cake so perfectly.

• Can you freeze carrot cake with cream cheese frosting?

  Yes, absolutely! You can freeze individual slices or the entire frosted cake. For optimal results, place the frosted cake uncovered in the freezer for about 30-60 minutes until the frosting is firm. This “flash freeze” prevents the frosting from sticking to the wrapping. Once firm, wrap the cake tightly in several layers of plastic wrap, followed by aluminum foil. This double layer protects against freezer burn. It will keep well for up to 2 months. To serve, thaw the cake overnight in the refrigerator, then let it come to room temperature for about 30 minutes before enjoying.

• Does carrot cake with cream cheese frosting have to be refrigerated?

  Yes, due to the dairy-rich nature of the cream cheese in the frosting, this cake must be refrigerated when not being served. Cream cheese frosting contains perishable ingredients that can spoil if left at room temperature for extended periods. For the best flavor and texture, however, allow the cake to sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes before slicing and serving. This allows the frosting to soften slightly and the cake’s flavors to fully awaken.

Tips & Tricks for the Best Carrot Bundt Cake

Achieving a truly outstanding **Carrot Bundt Cake** is all about those little details. Here are some expert tips and tricks to ensure your cake turns out perfectly every time:

• Fresh Carrots are Key: Always use fresh carrots and grate them yourself. A box grater or food processor can make quick work of this. Pre-shredded carrots from the store are often too dry and thick, leading to a less moist cake and an uneven texture.
• Room Temperature Ingredients: For both the cake batter and the frosting, ensure your eggs, cream cheese, and butter are at room temperature. This allows them to combine more smoothly and uniformly, resulting in a perfectly emulsified batter and a lump-free, creamy frosting.
• Don’t Overmix: Once you add the dry ingredients to the wet, mix only until just combined. Overmixing develops the gluten in the flour, which can lead to a tough and dense cake rather than a tender one.
• Test for Doneness Properly: To avoid a dry cake, don’t rely solely on baking time. Insert a toothpick into the deepest part of the cake. It should come out with a few moist crumbs attached, but not wet batter. A clean toothpick often means it’s slightly overbaked.
• Cool Completely Before Frosting: Patience is a virtue here! Ensure the bundt cake is entirely cool before applying the cream cheese frosting. A warm cake will cause the frosting to melt and slide right off, creating a messy rather than magnificent result.
• Fluffy Frosting Starts with Softened Dairy: For the smoothest, fluffiest cream cheese frosting, both your cream cheese and butter must be properly softened to room temperature. This prevents lumps and ensures an airy, easy-to-spread consistency.
• Enhance with Nuts: For an added layer of flavor and crunch, consider folding 1/2 to 1 cup of chopped walnuts or pecans into the batter along with the carrots and raisins.

For more baking wisdom, check out these free printables: How Many Slices in a Cake? and this incredibly useful Baking Pan Conversion Chart.

More Delicious Dessert Recipes to Love

If this delightful **Carrot Bundt Cake** has awakened your passion for baking, you’ll be thrilled to explore more delicious recipes. For another twist on carrot cake, try my Carrot Coffee Cake with Brown Butter Glaze (pictured above), which offers a unique flavor profile and a rich, nutty glaze. If you prefer individual portions or a more casual dessert, my carrot cake bars are always a hit, as are these charming carrot cake cupcakes.

When it comes to unforgettable Easter desserts or spring celebrations, there’s a world of options beyond carrot cake. Impress your guests with this whimsical Kit Kat Easter Basket Cake, or delight them with the bright, fruity flavors of this elegant Lemon Raspberry Bundt Cake. And for those times when you need a fantastic dessert with minimal effort, this No Bake Marshmallow Cheesecake is an absolute winner!

In conclusion, this **Carrot Bundt Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting** is more than just a recipe; it’s an invitation to create joy in your kitchen. Its perfect balance of moist texture, warm spices, and tangy frosting makes it the quintessential **Easter dessert**, sure to earn rave reviews from all who taste it. But don’t relegate this classic **carrot cake recipe** solely to springtime! Its wonderful flavor and comforting appeal make it a welcome treat any time of year. Whether gracing a special brunch or serving as a delightful after-dinner dessert, this **carrot cake bundt cake** is guaranteed to become a cherished family favorite, bringing smiles and delicious memories for years to come. Give it a try – you won’t be disappointed!

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Print Recipe

Carrot Bundt Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Prep Time: 15 mins

Cook Time: 1 hr

Additional Time: 40 mins

Total Time: 1 hr 55 mins

Course: Cake & Cupcakes

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Carrot Bundt Cake, carrot cake, cream cheese frosting, easter dessert

Servings: 12 servings

Calories: 725 kcal

Author: Michaela Kenkel

Ingredients

For the Cake:

• 4 large eggs
• 3/4 cup vegetable oil
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 2 cups flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 cup golden raisins
• 3 cups finely grated carrots

For the Cream Cheese Frosting:

• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened to room temperature
• 1 1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) unsalted butter, softened
• 4 cups powdered sugar
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Instructions

1. To make the cake: Spray a bundt pan generously with non-stick cooking spray, ensuring all crevices are coated, and preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). In a large mixing bowl, beat together the eggs, oil, and sugar for about one minute until light and well combined. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the sugar mixture, incorporating as you go with an electric mixer on low speed, mixing until just combined. When the batter is thoroughly mixed, gently fold in the finely grated carrots and golden raisins using a spatula. Pour the batter into your prepared bundt pan and bake for one hour, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out with just a few moist crumbs. Invert the cake onto a plate or wire rack to cool completely.
2. To make the frosting: In a medium bowl, blend the softened cream cheese and butter with an electric mixer until thoroughly smooth and creamy, ensuring no lumps remain. Stir in the vanilla extract. Gradually add the powdered sugar, beating until your desired smooth, fluffy consistency is achieved. You may need to adjust the amount of powdered sugar to reach your preferred thickness. Once the cake is completely cool, spread the frosting generously over it. Refrigerate any uneaten cake.

Notes

• Chopped nuts (such as walnuts or pecans) can be added to the cake batter if desired, typically 1/2 to 1 cup folded in with the carrots and raisins.
• This cake actually tastes even better the next day as the flavors meld! You can also freeze unfrosted carrot bundt cake wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and placed in a freezer bag for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 | Calories: 725 kcal | Carbohydrates: 103g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 34g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 9g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 111mg | Sodium: 646mg | Potassium: 271mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 82g | Vitamin A: 6044IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 95mg | Iron: 2mg

This recipe was originally posted on March 20, 2018. It has been updated to improve user experience, enhance SEO, and remove unnecessary code, and reshared on April 14, 2025.

Looking for another festive idea? This Peep Centerpiece has been the talk of many Easter tables over the years. Here is how to make one: