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Hi Bold Bakers!
WHY YOU’LL LOVE THIS RECIPE: My Carrot Cake Sheet Cake is easy to make, incredibly moist, and full of flavor. Topped with tangy cream cheese frosting, it’s perfect for any occasion.
- Moist & Flavorful: A rich, moist cake that stays tender thanks to vegetable oil, with a perfect balance of cinnamon and carrot sweetness.
- Crowd-Pleasing: Big enough to serve a crowd, making it perfect for spring parties, family gatherings, or any occasion.
- Easy to Make: Simple ingredients and straightforward steps make this recipe a breeze, even for beginner bakers.
- Irresistible Frosting: Topped with a creamy, tangy cream cheese frosting that complements the cake’s flavors beautifully.
Although carrot cake isn’t new to me, sheet cakes are! I hadn’t heard of them before moving to America. As someone who entertains often, I quickly learned that sheet cakes are the easiest way to feed a crowd. They’re simple, serve many, and make entertaining a breeze, such as: Simple Vanilla Sheet Cake, Funfetti Sheet Cake, or even Gluten-Free Chocolate Cake (Texas Sheet Cake).
Just a quick tip: be sure to use the small side of the grater when preparing your carrots. If the grater is too large, you’ll end up with chunky bits of carrot instead of the smooth texture that blends perfectly with the cake.
P.S. If you’re making this for Easter or a special occasion, bake it the day before, cover, and keep it unfrosted at room temperature. This cake actually improves overnight—it moistens and develops even better flavor with time.
Bold Bakers Loved This!
“A huge success! Easter dinner dessert, 8 people in for dinner loved it, everyone took some home and I have an empty pan! I myself don’t like carrot cake, never have! Both recipes (frosting) are keepers. Thanks Gemma, you topped off Easter dinner!” — CJ
“I made this carrot cake sheet cake for our Easter dinner, and it was a hit! So moist and flavorful, and the cream cheese frosting was the perfect touch. Will definitely be making this again!” — Emma J.
“Wow, this was so easy to make and absolutely delicious! I followed the tip about grating the carrots finely, and it really made a difference. Perfect for feeding a crowd—thanks for the great recipe!” — Mark
IMPORTANT NOTE: This recipe was improved and updated on 4/13/2025, to include explanations and substitutes of key ingredients, make-ahead and storage instructions, serving options, what frosting goes well with a carrot cake, answers to the most frequently asked questions, and Pro Chef Tips.
Table of Contents
- What is a Carrot Cake Sheet Cake?
- Tools You Need
- Key Ingredients and Substitutes
- How to Make a Carrot Cake Sheet Cake
- Gemma’s Pro Chef Tips
- Make-Ahead and Storage Instructions
- Serving Options
- What Frosting Goes Well With a Carrot Cake Recipe?
- FAQs
- More Cake Recipes
What is a Carrot Cake Sheet Cake?
A carrot cake sheet cake is a simplified, single-layer version of classic carrot cake baked in a rectangular pan. It’s easy to make, serve, and transport—perfect for casual gatherings or special occasions like Easter.
- Single Layer, Big Impact: No stacking or layering—just rich, spiced flavor in every bite.
- Moist & Tender: Made with oil for a soft, perfectly moist texture.
- Finely Grated Carrots: Blends smoothly into the batter for sweetness and light texture.
- Customizable: Add toasted walnuts or raisins, or keep it classic.
- Perfect for Entertaining: Serves a crowd with minimal effort.
Tools You Need
Key Ingredients and Substitutes of Carrot Sheet Cake Recipe
All-Purpose Flour
- Provides structure through gluten development.
- Substitute: You can replace up to 50% all-purpose flour with whole wheat flour for more flavor and nutrients. Or use gluten-free flour or Easy Almond Baking Mix for a baking blend.
Cinnamon
- Adds warmth and depth of flavor.
- Substitute: Mixed spice, pumpkin pie spice, or a blend of nutmeg and cloves.
Baking Soda & Baking Powder
- Help the cake rise and stay light.
- Substitute: Best used as-is; changes may affect rise and texture.
Salt
- Enhances and balances overall flavor.
Eggs
- Bind ingredients, add richness, and provide structure.
- Substitute: Flax eggs, applesauce, or yogurt from my Egg Substitute Chart.
Granulated Sugar
- Sweetens the cake and helps retain moisture.
- Substitute: Light brown sugar for richer flavor or coconut sugar for a natural option. Find more sugar substitutes here from my chart.
Vegetable Oil
- Keeps the cake moist and tender.
- Substitute: Light olive oil, avocado oil, or coconut oil.
Finely Grated Carrots
- Add moisture, natural sweetness, and soft texture.
- Carrots don’t just add flavor and moisture—they’re also good for you! Here’s what they bring to your cake:
- Vitamin A – Great for your eyes and skin.
- Fiber – Helps with digestion.
- Vitamin K – Supports healthy bones.
- Potassium – Good for your heart.
- Antioxidants – Help protect your body.
- While not as rich in Vitamin C as some other foods, carrots still contribute a small amount to your overall nutrient intake.
Toasted Walnuts (Optional)
- Add crunch and nutty flavor.
- Substitute: Pecans, almonds, or sunflower seeds for a nut-free version—or omit entirely.
How to Make a Carrot Cake Sheet Cake
- Prep: Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C) and butter and flour a 13 x 18-inch sheet pan. Set aside.
- Mix dry ingredients: In a large bowl, stir together the flour, ground cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
- Whisk wet ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar and oil.
- Combine: Combine the egg mixture and flour mixture together until the batter is just combined.
- Lastly, fold in the carrots and walnuts (if used) and pour into the prepared pan.
- Bake: Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until a wooden skewer or toothpick inserted into the center, comes out clean.
- Cool and frost: Let cool completely on a wire rack, then frost with the Cream Cheese Frosting.
- Serve: Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Let it come to room temperature before eating.
Gemma’s Pro Chef Tips
- Use a different size pan: This cake can also be baked in a 9 x 13-inch (23 x 33-cm) pan. The baking time may be a bit longer, so keep an eye on the cake.
- Grate carrots finely: Be sure to use a fine grater when grating the carrots for the best texture. Remember, you want texture, not a crunchy salad-inspired cake.
- If you like raisins, 1 cup (5 oz/142 g) can be added to the batter.
- When frosting, crumb coat the cake to keep things looking nice! To do this, spread a very thin layer of frosting over the entire surface to seal in any loose crumbs, refrigerate for 30 minutes to firm up the crumb coat, and then add your decorative dollops of frosting!
- Use my Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe.
- You can also use a stand mixer or electric hand mixer.
FULL (PRINTABLE) RECIPE BELOW!
Make-Ahead and Storage Instructions
Make Ahead
- Bake the cake one day in advance.
- Leave it unfrosted, cover tightly with plastic wrap or foil, and store at room temperature.
- This resting time enhances both moisture and flavor.
Storing Frosted Cake
- After frosting, cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
- Let it come to room temperature before serving for the best texture and taste.
Freezing Tips
- Freeze the unfrosted cake for up to 2 months.
- Wrap well in plastic wrap and foil to prevent freezer burn.
- Thaw at room temperature overnight, then frost before serving.
Serving Options
Classic with Cream Cheese Frosting
- Slice and serve as-is to let the tangy frosting and spiced cake shine.
With Fresh Fruit
- Add a few berries or citrus segments on the side for a light, colorful touch.
Topped with Chopped Nuts
- Sprinkle extra toasted walnuts or pecans on top for added crunch.
With a Scoop of Ice Cream
- Pair with vanilla or cinnamon ice cream for a decadent dessert.
Dusting of Powdered Sugar
- For a simpler presentation, skip the frosting and dust the cooled cake with powdered sugar.
What Frosting Goes Well With a Carrot Cake Recipe?
The classic and most beloved pairing for carrot cake is Cream Cheese Frosting. Its tangy, smooth flavor perfectly balances the cake’s warm spices and natural sweetness.
Here are a few other great options:
- Whipped Cream
Lighter and fluffier than traditional cream cheese frosting—great if you prefer less sweetness. - Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
A simple, sweet option if you’re not a fan of tangy frostings. - Coconut Whipped Cream
Great if you’ve added coconut or pineapple to your batter—adds tropical flair.
FAQs
No one likes a dry cake — and if you serve up a dry cake with vegetables as the major ingredient, people may lose trust in you forever! Luckily, there’s a tried and true method to getting moist carrot cake every time, even in sheet pan form.
Carrot cake is an oil-based cake, which makes it extra moist. Scientifically speaking, the oil locks in the gases that are released when the baking powder and baking soda interact, which slows down the gluten formation. As a result, your cake is extra light. Vegetable oil is also a liquid at room temperature, which will give you that moist mouthfeel, as opposed to butter which will solidify and seem dry.
You want your grated carrots to be as fine as possible. This ensures that they don’t sink to the bottom of the batter but rather give you that wonderful texture in every bite. You also don’t want them to be so big you remember you’re eating carrots! The veggie should give you moistness and a bit of texture, but if you think you need a side of ranch dressing, your carrots are definitely too big!
I argue that they absolutely do! But of course, this is up to you! I love the extra texture toasted walnuts add to a carrot cake, but if you’re a purist, leave the nuts out. If you are using nuts, I highly suggest toasting them before adding them to the batter. Roast the nuts in an oven set to 350°F (175°C) for about 8 to 10 minutes until you can smell the nutty aroma.
Carrot cake sounds healthy—it has carrots, after all! And while it does include wholesome ingredients like carrots and sometimes nuts or raisins, it’s still a dessert at heart.
Why it seems healthy: Carrots add natural sweetness and moisture.
Walnuts offer healthy fats.
You can reduce the sugar or use whole wheat flour for a lighter version.
Why it’s still indulgent: It usually contains sugar, white flour, and oil.
Cream cheese frosting adds richness and calories.
Portion size makes a difference—a small slice goes a long way.
Get More Cake Recipes:
- Ultra-Moist Carrot Cake Cupcakes With Best-Ever Cream Cheese Frosting
- Best-Ever Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
- Apple Cider Donut Cake
- Best-Ever Chocolate Cake with Whipped Chocolate Ganache
- Best-Ever Vanilla Cake
- Best-Ever Carrot Cake
- Best-Ever Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
IMPORTANT NOTE: This recipe was improved and updated on 4/13/2025, to include explanations and substitutes of key ingredients, make-ahead and storage instructions, serving options, what frosting goes well with a carrot cake, answers to the most frequently asked questions, and Pro Chef Tips.
Try These Recipes!
Carrot Cake Sheet Cake Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups (10 oz/284 g) all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 4 large eggs (at room temperature)
- 2 cups (16 oz/450 g) granulated sugar
- 1 cup (8 fl oz/240 ml) vegetable oil
- 3 cups (12 oz/340 g) finely grated carrots
- ¾ cups (3 ¾ oz/105 g) toasted walnuts, chopped (optional)
- Extra butter (for greasing the pan)
- 1 recipe Cream Cheese Frosting
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C) and butter and flour a 13 x 18-inch sheet pan. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, stir together the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder and salt
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar and oil.
- Combine the wet and dry ingredients together until the batter is just combined.
- Lastly, fold in the carrots and walnuts (if used) and pour into the prepared pan.
- Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until a wooden skewer inserted into the center, comes out clean.
- Let cool completely, then frost with the Cream Cheese Frosting.
- Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Let it come to room temperature before eating.
Recipe Notes
- Use a different size pan: This cake can also be baked in a 9 x 13-inch (23 x 33-cm) pan. The baking time may be a bit longer, so keep an eye on the cake.
- Grate carrots finely: Be sure to use a fine grater when grating the carrots for the best texture. Remember, you want texture, not a crunchy salad-inspired cake.
- If you like raisins, 1 cup (5 oz/142 g) can be added to the batter.
- When frosting, crumb coat the cake to keep things looking nice! To do this, spread a very thin layer of frosting over the entire surface to seal in any loose crumbs, refrigerate for 30 minutes to firm up the crumb coat, and then add your decorative dollops of frosting!
- Use my Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe.
- You can also use a stand mixer or electric hand mixer.
A huge success! Easter dinner dessert, 8 people in for dinner loved it, everyone took some home and I have an empty pan! I myself don’t like carrot cake, never have! Both recipes (frosting) are keepers. Thanks Gemma, you topped off Easter dinner!
Delicious. I substituted 1 cup brown sugar for one cup white sugar, added 1/4 teaspoon ground clove and 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg. Gave it a bit more spice.
Can this be made in a 9×13 pan?
There are no spices and the bake time is off
Hi, Gemma. Do you have any high altitude tips for this cake? Thank you!
This year I would like to use this recipe for muffins and distribute to more neighbors ……can I do that? How many would it make and how long would they bake? I would put the. In a standard 12 muffin pan. Thank you, Georgianne
Can I double this and bake this in a half sheet pan?
Love it! Its easy to make and tastes amazing… also much easier to cut and serve in a big gathering. I made the carrt cake too from your recipe and is also really good!
Can you tell me the height of the cake. I want to make one that is at least 2”-3’ in height.
I am trying to make a sugar free version of this cake. Have you done this? If so what substitute did you use and how much