Classic Carrot Cake

Once featured on the back of the Swans Down Cake Flour box, our historic carrot cake recipe has been passed down in American families for generations. Make it as a layer cake, a sheet cake or cupcakes (baking times will vary) and garnish any way you like.

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    • Hi Terri, I believe this cake can be made in a 9 x 13 pan. I would suggest that you reduce the bake time to 20 minutes. The cake will be thinner in a larger pan and you will need to take that into consideration when baking. Thank you and happy baking!

    • Hi Kevin, Swans Down Classic Carrot Cake doesn'tt call for raisins. Over the years there may have been a version that did. You can add 1/2 to 1 cup of raisins the Classic recipe if you'd like if raisins are a favorite of yours. Happy baking.

    • Hi Sherri, You can make the Classic Carrot Cake in a Bundt pan! Bake at 350 for about 45 - 50 minutes, or until a wooden skewer inserted comes out clean. Keep in mind that this recipe is formulated for a 9" 3-layer cake and may yield too much batter for a standard Bundt pan. Make sure to not fill the pan more than 2/3 of the way full. If you have remaining batter, you can always make a few cupcakes. Happy baking!

  • We didn’t care for this carrot cake recipe. Too oily and dense. It calls for two cups of oil! I reduced the amount of powdered sugar in the creme cheese frosting to 3 cups which came out delicious.

    • Hi Novice Baker, We're sorry to hear you were disappointed with the consistency of the Classic Carrot Cake. You're comments will be passed on to The Kitchen for review. Happy baking!

  • Hi! I’m thinking of making a 3 tier cake. Since this recipe is 3 layers, would it work well as the bottom tier?
    Thank You

    • Hi Christina, It would depend on what size pans you are going to use for your bottom tier. Give our Customer Relations Department a call. They will be able to help you with pan conversions. Happy baking!
      Consumer Relations Department
      1 – (800) 535-1961

  • I made this cake and followed your recipe to the letter. The cake came out PERFECT!!!!!!! Omg! The best! I’ve always used your flour for all my cakes. Never have I ever had any issues. I absolutely love swans down!