Carrot Bundt Cake

Overhead shot of a bundt cake with frosting.

This Carrot Bundt Cake is a delicious, soft, and moist cake made in a bundt pan 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.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword carrot bundt cake, carrot bundt cake with cream cheese frosting

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 45

Total Time 1

Servings

Calories 586kcal

Author Jessica - Together as Family

Equipment

10-inch Bundt Pan

Ingredients

Carrot Bundt Cake

1/2 cup butter melted
1½ cups granulated sugar
4 large eggs
1 cup whole milk
3 cups all-purpose flour
1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
¾ teaspoon baking powder
¾ teaspoon baking soda
2¼ cups finely shredded carrots

Cream Cheese Frosting

8 ounces cream cheese room temperature
4 tablespoons butter
2 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
chopped walnuts or pecans for garnish

Instructions

Heat oven to 350° F. Generously spray a 10-inch bundt pan with cooking spray or Baker's Joy spray (cooking spray + flour). Set aside.

Make Carrot Bundt Cake

In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, or use a mixing bowl + hand mixer, beat together the melted butter and sugar until it resembles a wet sandy mixture.
Add in the eggs and whole milk. Mix until everything is fully incorporated, about 1-2 minutes.
Add flour, cinnamon, baking powder, and baking soda. Start on low speed, increasing speed as needed, and mix just until no flour pockets remain.
* Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl to ensure that everything is mixed in well and to make sure no flour pockets are stuck on the bottom of the bowl.
Add the shredded carrots and gently fold them in by hand, using a wooden spoon or spatula, until evenly distributed through out the batter.
Pour the batter into the prepared bundt pan and smooth out the top.
Cook for 40-45 minutes or until the cake is done and a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.
Let cool for 15 minutes in the bundt pan before inverting onto a plate, cooling rack, or serving platter to cool completely.
Once the cake is completely cooled you can frost it and serve it right away.
Or you can prepare the bundt cake 24 hours ahead of time, let it cool to room temperature, and then wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and let it sit at room temperature overnight, and then frost it the next day before serving.

Cream Cheese Frosting

In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, or a mixing bowl + hand mixer, beat together the cream cheese and butter until creamy and combined well. Add in the powdered sugar and vanilla extract, beat until combined and creamy.
* If you want a thinner frosting, try adding some milk in with the vanilla and powdered sugar. Not much. Start at 1 tablespoon and go from there if more is needed.
Use a piping bag to frost the bundt cake (like the pattern seen in the pictures) or you can use a knife or frosting spatula to spread it around the bundt cake.
Top with chopped walnuts or pecans.

Notes

Butter : I use salted butter in the bundt cake and frosting. I prefer the little extra salt in the cream cheese frosting but unsalted butter can be used as well if that's what you prefer. If using unsalted butter in the bundt cake, I would recommend adding about 1/2 teaspoon table salt in with the dry ingredients.

Tip : To avoid the butter being too hot when you add it in, here is a tip that I do anytime a recipe calls for melted butter. Put the butter into a microwave-safe bowl and microwave it for about 30 seconds. When it's done, there will be melted butter + soft chunks of butter. Take a fork and stir it until everything is melted together and smooth. This way the butter is melted but it's not piping hot because you only cooked it for a short time.

Nutrition Information : The information listed is for 10 servings of this bundt cake. It also includes 1/2 cup of chopped walnuts on top of the frosting. I prefer walnuts but pecans can also be used, or feel free to leave them off entirely.

Carrots : Don't buy pre-shredded carrots for this recipe. They're too big, thick, and long and don't mix in nicely. Instead, buy a 1 pound bag of carrots and grate them on a cheese grater. I prefer the finer, smaller side of the grater but you can grate them on the coarse and larger side if wanted. No need to peel the carrots before shredding them.

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 it's 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.

Make it 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. Making it ahead of time also allows the flavors to develop more and the cake gets softer too.

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