Carrot Bundt Cake

This Carrot Bundt Cake is a delicious, soft, and moist cake made in a bundt pan and it’s made from scratch. Carrot cake with cream cheese frosting is usually made around Easter but why wait for it? Carrot cake is great anytime and it makes for a nice presentation with chopped walnuts on top. 

Try these other delicious carrot cake recipes like The Best Carrot Cake (layered cake) and my Sheet Pan Carrot Cake Bars. 

Carrot Bundt Cake Recipe with Cream Cheese Frosting

Carrot cake gets a bad rap for some reason. My family happens to love carrot cake which makes me happy because it’s one of my favorite desserts. This soft, moist, carrot bundt cake is filled with freshly shredded carrots, warm spices, and topped off with cream cheese frosting and chopped walnuts or pecans. 

Simple to make with basic baking ingredients and it’s one of those show-stopper desserts that look really pretty!

Ingredients Needed

Read below for the ingredients you’ll need to make this bundt cake recipe. I also share some tips and helpful hints for each one. 

• Butter – I use salted butter for all baking recipes but unsalted butter can be used as well. You may want to add just a touch of salt in with the dry ingredients if using unsalted butter. I would add about 1/2 teaspoon table salt. 
• Granulated Sugar
• Large Eggs
• Whole Milk – It’s best to use whole milk when baking for the higher fat content. You could use 2% if wanted, but I highly recommend using the whole milk in this recipe. 
• All-Purpose Flour
• Ground Cinnamon
• Baking Powder
• Baking Soda
• Shredded Carrots – Do not buy a bag of pre-shredded carrots for this recipe. You will need a 1 pound bag of carrots and a cheese grater to shred them yourself. I prefer to shred carrots on the fine side of the cheese grater, but you can also shred them on the larger side that produces bigger and thicker shreds. 

How to Make Carrot Bundt Cake

It’s fairly simple to make this bundt cake. You will either need a stand mixer or a mixing bowl + an electric hand mixer for this recipe. I prefer to use my stand mixer for cake recipes because I feel like it mixes better and it’s more hands off for me. 

Step One : Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Generously spray a 10-inch bundt pan with cooking spray or Baker’s Joy spray (cooking spray + flour).

Step Two : Cream together the melted butter and sugar until it resembles a sandy mixture. Add the eggs and milk, and beat for 1-2 minutes until the batter is combined and fluffy looking. Add the dry ingredients and mix on low speed just until no flour pockets remain. Gently stir in the shredded carrots, by hand with a spatula or wooden spoon, until combined. 

Step Three : Pour the carrot cake batter into the prepared bundt cake and cook for 40-45 minutes or until the cake is puffy looking and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out dry. 

Step Four : Allow the cake to cool in the bundt pan for 15 minutes before inverting it onto a plate or serving platter. 

Step Five : Once the cake has cooled completely, mix up the cream cheese frosting, and frost the bundt cake. Top with chopped walnuts or pecans. 

Tips For Success

Here are a few of my helpful tips for this carrot bundt cake recipe that will hopefully make this recipe a success in your own kitchen. 

• Spray Bundt Pan Well : To avoid any of the cake sticking to the pan when you flip it over, be sure you spray the bundt pan well with cooking spray. You can also use Baker’s Joy spray which is cooking spray + flour. If you spray the bundt pan well, then you should have no problem with the cake sticking. 
• Shredded Carrots : Please do not use the coarse and large shredded carrots that you can buy in a bag at the store. They are in too big of shreds and I just think they don’t mix in well with the batter. Shred your own carrots on a cheese grater. You can choose the fine shredder side or the larger/coarse shredder side of the cheese grater. I prefer shredding the carrots very small so I use the smaller side of the grater. 
• Use Whole Milk : It’s best to use whole milk in baking recipes like this one. It’s thicker and has a higher fat content which is good for baked goods like cake and bundt cake recipes. 

Carrot Bundt Cake FAQs

• Why Does Carrot Cake Taste Better the Day After It’s Made?
  • If you have ever had leftover carrot cake (or banana bread/cake) then you may have noticed that it tastes better on day 2 or day 3 after it’s made. This is because the cake has time for the flavors to blend together, which produces a better flavor. Also, the longer the cake sits, the more sweetness the shredded carrots will release into the cake, giving it a sweeter and more decadent flavor. 
• Can I Make Carrot Bundt Cake Ahead of Time?
  • Yes you can! I actually prefer to make this bundt cake the day before I need it. I wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and leave it out at room temperature for 24 hours. I prepare the frosting the following day (day of serving) and then put it in the fridge for a couple of hours so it can be a little cold. 
  • If you want the flavors to develop more then make it 24 hours before you need to serve the cake. Bake the cake as directed and let it cool to room temperature. Tightly wrap the bundt cake in plastic wrap and let it sit at room temperature. Frost the cake before serving. 
• Can I Freeze Carrot Cake?
  • Yes you can freeze this carrot bundt cake. Prepare and bake according to recipe instructions. Once the cake has cooled to room temperature, wrap it in plastic wrap and then wrap it again in tin foil. Freeze for up to 2 months. 
  • When ready to serve, let the cake sit at room temperature, or in the fridge overnight, until it’s thawed through out. Prepare the frosting and frost the bundt cake before serving. 
• What Is The Best Way to Store Carrot Cake Leftovers?
  • If the carrot bundt cake is frosted then you will need to store it in the fridge, wrapped well or in an air-tight container, for up to 5 days. 
  • If the carrot bundt cake is unfrosted then you can store at room temperature for 2 days. Any longer than 2 days and you will need to store it in the fridge for up to one week. 

More Bundt Cake & Cake Recipes You’ll Love

• Caramel Pumpkin Bundt Cake
• Chocolate Peanut Butter Bundt Cake
• Better Than Anything Bundt Cake
• Tropical Layered Carrot Cake with Pineapple Pudding Frosting
• Easy Pineapple Pistachio Cake