Name: Carrot Cake Recipe with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients: 1 cup light brown sugar; ½ cup unsweetened applesauce; ½ cup oil (I use avocado oil); 3 eggs; 2 cups all-purpose flour; 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon; 1 teaspoon baking soda; 1 teaspoon vanilla; ¼ teaspoon salt; 2½ cups grated carrots; 8 ounce block of cream cheese (softened); 1/2 cup butter (softened); 1 pound powdered sugar; 1 teaspoon vanilla; 1 teaspoon cinnamon; 2 - 4 tablespoons chopped pecans (optional)

This carrot cake recipe includes applesauce, which creates a moist cake with less sugar and oil. Applesauce adds the perfect amount of moisture and sweetness, resulting in a moist cake that isn’t greasy and has less sugar.

Jump to Recipe

This lighter twist on classic carrot cake delivers all the cozy, spiced comfort you love while making a few smart swaps for a moister, less oily cake with a more balanced sweetness.

By replacing half the oil with unsweetened applesauce, the cake stays incredibly tender and moist without the heaviness of full oil. Switching to brown sugar (instead of white) brings rich molasses notes that pair perfectly with the warm spices and fresh carrots, and I’ve reduced the overall sugar to let the natural sweetness of the carrots and applesauce shine through—meaning you get that satisfying flavor without it being overwhelmingly sweet.

The two-layer beauty is crowned with a silky cinnamon cream cheese frosting that adds tangy richness and a gentle cinnamon warmth, then finished with a generous sprinkle of chopped pecans.

Whether it’s for a celebration, Easter dinner, or just because, this version feels indulgent yet a touch more wholesome.

Carrot Cake Substitutions:

Brown Sugar: You can substitute coconut sugar or granulated sugar for the light brown sugar.

Applesauce: You can replace the unsweetened applesauce with oil.

Oil: You can replace the oil with unsweetened applesauce.

Cinnamon: You can replace the cinnamon, with pumpkin pie spice, apple pie spice, or chai spice. Seriously, they all taste great!

Carrot Cake Variations:

Chai Spiced Carrot Cake – To make a Chai Spiced Carrot Cake, replace the cinnamon with Chai Spice.

Add Nuts – You can add up to 1 cup of chopped pecans or chopped walnuts.

Add Dried Fruit – You can add up to a a cup of dried cranberries or dried raisins.

Prep-Ahead Tip

You can make the cake layers in advance. Let the cake layers cool completely, then wrap them individually in plastic wrap and store them in the refrigerator for a day or two before frosting.

If you want to prep the cake way in advance, you can freeze it. Wrap the cake layers individually in plastic wrap, then wrap them in foil and freeze for 1- 2 months. Thaw the cake layers at room temp or in the refrigerator, then frost.

Carrot Cake Recipe with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients:

1 cup light brown sugar
½ cup unsweetened applesauce
½ cup oil (I use avocado oil)
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
2½ cups grated carrots

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease two 8-inch or 9-inch cake pans and dust with flour.
In a large bowl, blend brown sugar, applesauce, oil, eggs, and vanilla using a whisk or mixer on low.
Add the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt. Mix on low until the dry ingredients are incorporated, then mix on high for 2 minutes.
Add in the grated carrots.
Stir the grated carrot into the batter by hand until fully incorporated.
Divide the batter between the prepared cake pans.
Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes for the 8-inch pans and 30-35 minutes for the 9-inch pans or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
Set the cake pans on a wire rack to cool for 5 minutes. Remove the cake from the cake pans and let it cool completely before frosting.

Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting

Frosting Ingredients:

1 – 8 oz. block of cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 pound powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Cake topping

2 tablespoons chopped pecans (optional)

Frosting Directions:

1. Combine the cream cheese and butter in a mixing bowl; beating until smooth.

2. Add the powdered sugar, vanilla, and cinnamon. Beat on low until ingredients are incorporated.

3. Beat on high for 2 minutes until the frosting is light and fluffy.

4. Frost the cake once it is cooled. Top with chopped pecans if desired

How to Assemble the Carrot Cake

Choose which layer will be bottom, then cut off enough of the top to make it level. Put it cut side down.
Frost the top of the bottom layer.
Place the top layer on top of the frosted layer. I don’t usually level the top layer, but if you wish to, do so before placing it on the bottom layer and place it cut side down.
Frost the top and sides of the cake.
If you wish you can use a piping bag and xx tip, to pipe frosting around the outside of the top of the cake and around the bottom of the cake.
Sprinkle chopped pecans on top of the frosted cake if you wish.

How to Store Leftover Carrot Cake

Cream cheese frosting makes the carrot cake perishable due to the dairy content, so refrigeration is required. Store the leftover cake an airtight container or wrapped with plastic wrap for up to 5 days. You can cut the cake into slices and store it individually in an airtight container or wrapped in plastic wrap.

To freeze carrot cake, cut it into slices, place them on a tray and put them in the freezer for an hour. Remove them from the freezer and wrap them tightly with plastic wrap and then either wrap the with foil or place the slices in an airtight container or in a freezer bag.

2 layer carrot cake with cinnamon cream cheese frosting

Printable Recipe for Carrot Cake with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting

More Cake Recipes

Hummingbird Cake Recipe

Earthquake Cake Recipe

Vanilla Whacky Cake Recipe

Would you like to save this article?

We'll email this post to you, so you can come back to it later!