This carrot cake is even better than anything you’d find at a bakery—tender, light, and just the right amount of sweet! It’s super simple, made entirely in one bowl with freshly grated carrots. Brown sugar gives it a gentle sweetness, while a mix of sour cream (or Greek yogurt), butter, and eggs keeps it soft and fluffy. The batter is swirled with warm cinnamon and topped with a bright lemony glaze, finished off with a sprinkle of lemon sugar. Every slice has a hint of cinnamon and a tangy lemon drizzle. Seriously, this carrot cake is so good!
I’ve always been a little puzzled by carrot cake. Carrots… in cake? Who came up with that idea? It seemed strange to me, and since I didn’t grow up eating it, I never really tried making it until recently. But once I started experimenting with a recipe, I totally got the hype.
I still want to try a layered carrot cake someday—haven’t gotten around to that yet. But a loaf cake? So much easier! And oh my, this one I’m sharing today is amazing.
It’s rich but not overly sweet, with the perfect texture. Honestly, I think it beats any bakery-style carrot cake out there!
I was talking to my sister-in-law, Lyndsie, while she was visiting, and she mentioned how much she’d love a classic carrot cake loaf—it’s one of her favorite desserts! My cousin’s wife, Caroline, who was also in town, agreed.
I love creating recipes for the people I care about—it’s one of my favorite things to do! It took a few tries to get this one just right, but I’m so excited to share it.
Let’s Get Into the Details
Ingredients
- Salted butter, melted
- Sour cream or plain Greek yogurt
- Dark brown sugar
- Large eggs
- Vanilla extract
- Grated carrots
- All-purpose flour
- Baking soda
- Ground cinnamon
- Salt
Cinnamon Swirl
- Dark brown sugar
- Cinnamon
- Flour
- Salted butter
Lemon Icing
- Cream cheese
- Lemon zest + lemon juice
- Granulated sugar
Special Tools
You’ll just need a mixing bowl and a loaf or bread pan.
Steps
Step 1: Mix the Batter
Everything comes together in one bowl—just mix the wet ingredients with the dry, and you’re set! For the wet ingredients, combine melted butter with brown sugar, sour cream (or Greek yogurt), and eggs. Add plenty of vanilla for extra flavor.
Then, the carrots! I use a generous amount of freshly grated carrots—they add natural sweetness, keep the loaf moist, and give it a lovely color.
Once everything’s mixed, stir in the flour, baking soda, and salt. Beat it well to make sure the batter is fully combined.
Step 2: Make the Cinnamon Swirl
Mix brown sugar with flour, cinnamon, and melted butter.
Step 3: Layer & Bake
Spoon half the batter into your loaf pan, then sprinkle the cinnamon swirl over it. Top with the remaining batter.
The cake bakes for about an hour. As it bakes, the cinnamon swirl melts into the center, turning all gooey and delicious—such a yummy surprise!
Step 4: The Icing
While the cake bakes, whip up the tangy lemon cream cheese icing.
Mix a little melted cream cheese with lemon juice and powdered sugar. Once the cake has cooled, drizzle the icing over the top—it looks so pretty!
For the finishing touch, blend lemon zest with granulated sugar (I like using a food processor to make the sugar finer) and sprinkle it over the cake.
And that’s it! A simple, fun-to-make cake that’s insanely delicious. Enjoy every sweet, spiced, lemony bite!