Nut-free Moist Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
A tender, spiced carrot cake topped with tangy cream cheese frosting — completely nut-free and reliably moist for parties or afternoon tea.
This is the carrot cake you make when you want all the warmth and comfort of a classic — without nuts getting in the way. It stays wonderfully moist thanks to oil and yoghurt, and the lemon-laced cream cheese frosting cuts through the sweetness.
Perfect for birthdays, office teas or anyone who wants a reliable showstopper that’s safe for nut-free guests. It slices neatly after a short chill and keeps well in the fridge for several days.
Ingredients
- 300 g plain flour
- 10 ml baking powder
- 5 ml bicarbonate of soda
- 10 ml ground cinnamon
- 5 ml fine sea salt
- 200 g light brown soft sugar
- 3 eggs
- 200 ml vegetable oil
- 120 g natural yoghurt
- 10 ml vanilla extract
- 450 g carrots — peeled and finely grated
- 75 g sultanas — optional
- 50 g unsalted butter — softened
- 300 g cream cheese — full-fat
- 200 g icing sugar — sifted
- 15 ml lemon juice — freshly squeezed
- 5 ml lemon zest — finely grated
Equipment
- two 20cm round cake tins
- grater
- electric whisk or hand whisk
- wire cooling rack
- spatula
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 180°C fan/200°C conventional. Grease two 20cm round cake tins and line the bases with baking paper.
In a large bowl, sift or whisk together the plain flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, ground cinnamon and fine sea salt until evenly combined.
In a separate bowl, whisk the light brown soft sugar and eggs for 1–2 minutes until slightly thickened. Add the vegetable oil, natural yoghurt and vanilla extract, whisking until smooth and homogeneous.
Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and fold gently with a spatula just until combined — a few streaks of flour are better than overworked batter. Fold in the carrots and sultanas (if using) until evenly distributed.
Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared tins, smoothing the tops. Bake in the centre of the oven for 30–35 minutes until a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
Remove the tins from the oven and set them on a cooling rack. Leave the cakes in their tins to cool for 15 minutes.
Run a knife around the edges, turn the cakes out onto the rack and peel off the paper. Cool completely for a further 30 minutes before frosting.
To make the frosting, beat the unsalted butter until smooth, then add the cream cheese and beat gently to combine. Gradually add the icing sugar, then mix in the lemon juice and lemon zest until smooth and spreadable.
Place one cooled cake layer on your serving plate, spread a third of the frosting evenly, top with the second layer and spread the remaining frosting across the top and sides. Chill the assembled cake in the fridge for 45 minutes to set the frosting.
Remove from the fridge 10 minutes before serving to take the chill off, slice and enjoy.
Tips
- Grate the carrots on the fine side so they disperse and keep the crumb tender — coarsely grated carrot can make the cake feel heavy.
- Measure flour by weight (300g) — spoon it into the scales rather than packing to avoid a dry cake.
- If you prefer less sweetness, reduce the icing sugar to 150g and add a touch more lemon juice for balance.
- Make ahead: bake layers a day early, wrap well and refrigerate; frost and chill on the day you serve.
- To prevent soggy layers, ensure the cakes are completely cool before applying frosting; a short chill helps set the crumb.
Substitutions
vegetable oil → light olive oil or mild sunflower oil, same quantity (200 ml)
Stays closenatural yoghurt → 125 g Greek-style yoghurt, same effect though slightly tangier
Stays closesultanas → 75 g raisins or omit entirely; omitting keeps the texture slightly smoother
Stays closecream cheese → mascarpone (same quantity) for a richer, less tangy frosting
Noticeably different
Nutrition
Per serving · estimated
- 535
- Calories
- 7 g
- Protein
- 62 g
- Carbs
- 29 g
- Fat
- 2 g
- Fibre
- 39 g
- Sugar
- 200 mg
- Sodium
FAQ
Can I make this cake without sultanas?
Yes — simply omit them. The cake will be slightly less sweet and a little more uniform in texture.
How should I store leftovers?
Keep covered in the fridge for up to 4 days. Bring slices to room temperature for 20–30 minutes before serving for best flavour.
Can I freeze the cake?
Freeze unfrosted layers wrapped tightly for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge, bring to room temperature and then frost.
My frosting went runny — what happened?
Overbeating or warm ingredients can make it loose. Chill the frosting briefly, then re-whip lightly; if needed add a little more sifted icing sugar to thicken.
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