Carrot Cake Sheet Cake
I love my moist carrot cake recipe, and this carrot cake sheet cake is just as delicious!
Just like my carrot cake layer cake recipe, this carrot sheet cake recipe does not include shredded coconut, chopped walnuts or pecans, raisins, or crushed pineapple.
While a lot of classic or Southern carrot cake recipes include these items, I prefer my carrot cake without them.
I also never have those ingredients on hand, and I think this recipe is a lot easier to make without them.
What Ingredients Really Give Carrot Cake Its Flavor?
Those add-ins aren’t what really make carrot cake so great anyway! Most of the delicious flavor we associate with carrot cake comes from the spices that are added to the batter.
Ground nutmeg, ground cloves, and cinnamon are the dominant flavors in this carrot cake recipe.
My recipe also uses some brown sugar, which pairs so well with these warm spices.
Getting the Texture Right in this Carrot Cake Sheet Cake
Now onto the texture of this carrot cake sheet cake! I really prefer my carrot cake to have the taste and texture similar to a spice cake, so I don’t like adding nuts or raisins.
The texture of this sheet cake is also based on the grated carrots!
I really hate seeing big chunks of shredded carrots in my carrot cake. To avoid that, I actually use a microplane grater to grate my carrots. It’s a bit more work, but I think it’s totally worth it.
It gives the cake an incredibly tender texture because it allows the carrots to seamlessly bake into the layers.
You could also shred the carrots with a food processor or a KitchenAid attachment if you’re short on time.
How to Properly Line a Sheet Cake Pan
To ensure your sheet cake easily pops out of your pan, I highly recommend lining it with parchment paper.
I like to clip the overhanging parchment paper to the sides of my cake pan with metal binder clips. This helps it stay in place while I pour the batter and while the cake bakes.
Another trick I love to use when I make sheet cakes is to use flower nails as heating cores.
These are usually used to make it easier to pipe buttercream flowers, but they work great as a heating core too!
Just flip them upside down, and they’ll help conduct heat from the bottom of the pan into the center of the cake.
This helps the sheet cake bake up more evenly and quickly.
I order mine on Amazon, and a pair of them is $6. They last forever! I’ve had mine for over five years now.
Carrot Cake Sheet Cake – Swaps & Substitutions
While I love making this sheet cake exactly like the recipe calls for below, I know that some of you might want to make substitutions or not have all these ingredients on hand.
Buttermilk
You can use full-fat yogurt or sour cream in place of the buttermilk in this recipe.
Or if you want to make your own buttermilk, you can use whole milk plus a bit of vinegar or lemon juice! Add 1 1/2 tsp vinegar or lemon juice into a 1/2 cup measure, then fill the rest up with whole milk.
Vegetable Oil
If you don’t have vegetable oil on hand, you can use any flavorless oil in its place! Canola or grapeseed oil would work great. You could even use olive oil if that’s all you have on hand.
Melted butter can also be used in place of the oil, but the texture of the cake will be less fluffy! It will still taste great, though.
Brown Sugar
This recipe calls for brown sugar, and you can use light or dark!
If you don’t have any on hand, you can use an additional cup of granulated sugar in place of the brown sugar.
Unsalted Butter
Salted butter can be used in place of the unsalted butter to make the cream cheese frosting in this recipe. The frosting will taste a tiny bit saltier, but it will still taste great. Just be sure to omit the salt that the frosting recipe calls for.
Adding in Nuts or Raisins
If you’re a huge fan of walnuts or raisins in your carrot cake, I won’t judge you for adding them in!
You can fold 1/2 cup of raisins and/or 1 cup of chopped walnuts into the batter with the shredded carrots.
Tips for Making the Best Carrot Cake:
- Line your sheet pan with parchment paper to easily remove your cake once it’s baked.
- Use flower nails to help your sheet cake bake more evenly and quickly.
- Use a microplane grater to shred your carrots into super fine pieces. It’s a bit more work, but it gives the cake an amazing texture.
- Mix the cake batter just until the ingredients are incorporated. This ensures the cake layers are tender and fluffy.
- Properly measure your flour (spoon into the cup measure, then level) or use a kitchen scale to measure your dry ingredients.
- Color the leftover frosting green and orange, and decorate your cake with some frosting carrots.
Making This Carrot Cake Sheet Cake in Advance and Storage Tips:
- Make this sheet cake in advance and freeze it. This breaks the process up and makes it more approachable. An unfrosted sheet cake can be wrapped and stored in the freezer for up to a month.
- You can also make the frosting ahead of time or save any leftover frosting! It can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a month, or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Be sure to give it a good stir once it thaws to get the consistency nice and smooth again.
- This cake can sit out at room temperature for a few hours or be stored in the fridge for up to 5 days in an airtight container.
Making this Carrot Sheet Cake in Different Sizes
You can also use this recipe to bake a 12×17-inch sheet cake, but the layer will bake up a lot shorter. Bake time will also be shorter! Bake for about 20 minutes at 325°F/162°C.
If you want to make carrot cake cupcakes, I recommend using my carrot cake cupcake recipe.
If you want to make a carrot cake layer cake, I recommend using my layered carrot cake recipe.
Let Me Know What You Think!
If you try my carrot cake sheet cake recipe, I’d love to hear what you think of it! Please leave a rating, and let me know your thoughts by sharing a comment 🙂
Please tag me @chelsweets and use the #chelsweets on social media so that I can see your amazing creations!
Carrot Cake Sheet Cake
Ingredients
Carrot Cake Sheet Cake
- 1 cup packed light brown sugar 200g
- 1 cup granulated sugar 200g
- 1 cup vegetable or canola oil 225g
- 5 large eggs, room temperature 280g
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 312g
- 2 tsp baking soda 12g
- 1 tsp baking powder 4g
- 1 tsp fine salt 6g
- 1 Tbsp ground cinnamon 7g
- 1/2 tsp nutmeg 1g
- 1/4 tsp ground cloves < 1g
- 1/2 cup buttermilk, room temperature 120g
- 2 1/2 cups finely grated carrots 400g or roughly 1 lb.
Cream Cheese Buttercream Frosting
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature 113g
- 1/2 cup full-fat cream cheese, room temperature 113g
- 1 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste 4g
- 1/2 tsp fine salt 3g
- 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar 440g or a 1 lb. box
- 1 Tbsp heavy whipping cream, room temperature 15g
- green and orange gel food coloring optional
Decorations and Tools:
- 9 x 13 inch baking pan
- Flower nails as heating cores
- Small offset spatula
Instructions
Carrot Cake Sheet Cake:
- Preheat the oven to 325°F / 162°C. Line a 9- x 13-inch (quarter sheet) pan with parchment paper. Place two or three flower nails in the center of the pan with the flat side resting flat against the cake pan. Make sure they are a few inches apart. Spray the flower nails with nonstick baking spray.
- In a large bowl, mix together 1 cup packed brown sugar, 1 cup granulated sugar, and 1 cup oil until combined.
- Whisk in 5 large eggs. Mix until the batter is smooth.
- Sift 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour, 2 tsp baking soda, 1 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp salt, 1 Tbsp cinnamon, 1/2 tsp nutmeg, and 1/4 tsp ground cloves into a large bowl.
- Add half the dry ingredients into the egg/sugar mixture. Mix until combined.
- Add in 1/2 cup buttermilk and mix until combined.
- Mix in the remaining dry ingredients and stir until just combined.
- Then fold in 2 1/2 cups of finely grated carrots.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and re-center to flower nails. Make sure they're pressed all the way down against the pan. If you don't have flower nails, the bake time will be slightly longer.
- Bake for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs.
- Leave the cake in its pan and place on a wire rack to cool. You can also pop the entire pan into the freezer for 45 minutes to accelerate the cooling process.
Cream Cheese Buttercream Frosting:
- While the carrot sheet cake bakes and cools, make the cream cheese frosting.
- Beat 1/2 cup butter and 1/2 cup cream cheese on a medium speed for 30 seconds with a paddle attachment until smooth.
- Add in 1 tsp vanilla extract and 1/2 tsp salt. Beat on low until the ingredients are fully incorporated.
- Gradually mix in 3 1/2 cups of powdered sugar and 1 Tbsp heavy cream on a low speed.
- If the frosting seems too thick, add in additional cream (1 teaspoon at a time). If the frosting is too thin, add in more powdered sugar (quarter of a cup at a time).
- Cover the cream cheese frosting with a piece of plastic wrap to prevent a crust from forming until you're ready to use it.
Decorating This Carrot Cake Sheet Cake:
- Let the cake cool completely, then carefully flip it and remove the flower nails from the cake.
- Spread an even layer of cream cheese buttercream on top of the cake and make swirls with an offset spatula.
- Decorate as desired, then use a sharp knife to cut the cake into 30 squares.
Video
Notes
Making This Carrot Cake Sheet Cake in Advance and Storage Tips:
- Make this sheet cake in advance and freeze it. This breaks the process up and makes it more approachable. An unfrosted sheet cake can be wrapped and stored in the freezer for up to a month.
- Make the frosting ahead of time too or save any leftover frosting! It can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a month, or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Be sure to give it a good stir once it thaws to get the consistency nice and smooth again.
- This cake can sit out at room temp for a few hours or be stored in the fridge for up to 5 days in an airtight container.
Different Sized Sheet Pan
You can also use this recipe to bake a 12×17 in sheet cake, but the layer will bake up a lot shorter. Bake time will also be shorter! Bake for about 20 minutes at 325 F / 162 C.Cupcakes
If you want to make carrot cake cupcakes, I recommend using my carrot cake cupcake recipe.Layered Carrot Cake
If you want to make a layered carrot cake, I recommend using my layered carrot cake recipe.Nutrition
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This looks fabulous … Now I understand the “viirtue” of using a microplane instead of a shredder-disk to make the cake: so the carrots become an integral part of the cake itself. Can’t waiit to try this recipe (once “social distancing” is over because this makes a LOT of cake to share!).
Haha it’s definitely a pain to microplane them but I think it’s so worth it 🙂
And I totally get that!! I’m actually sharing a mini cake recipe this Thursday for that very reason 😛 I feel you!
I have a glass 9×13 would the cooking times be affected in glassware?
Hi Nancy,
Great question, it definitely does have an impact on bake time and temp!
You should reduce the baking temperature by 25 degrees and check in on the cake towards the end! It may be ready up to ten minutes earlier if you are substituting a glass dish for a metal baking pan. This is because glass doesn’t heat up as quickly as metal but will become very hot once heated up.
This may be the best carrot cake recipe EVER. I am usually one for add ins but I followed this recipe exactly and it turned out amazing!
So happy to hear that Elise!!! 🙂 Thanks!!
I baked this with my 5 year old today – the 15 minute prep time turned into an hour and a half, but it was a fantastic way to teach him to measure and mix, and he even did a decent job at sifting the dry ingredients.
We used the buttercream alternative (whole milk & vinegar) so we were able to make the whole thing lactose free. Thank you for that bit of information.
It turned out delicious! (even without frosting).
Haha that’s so sweet Sanaa!! I’m so happy to hear you had such a wonderful little helper in the kitchen, and that this recipe turned out great for your guys!! 🙂
Just made this cake and frosting for my family to enjoy! Hands down the BEST carrot cake I have ever made/bought/tried. We all loved and devoured it 🙂
I am so happy to hear that Trisha!! 🙂 Thank you so much for sharing!!!
Can I use a cake pan for this
Hi Osorio,
You can make a 9 or 10 inch round cake layer with this recipe! The bake time should be similar, but I’d keep an eye on it to make sure it doesn’t overbake!
I baked this cake last week and it is absolutely fabulous! Made it for my husband whois a carrot cake fan and he said it was perfection. I don’t typically like carrot cake and this made me realize what I don’t like is all the chunky add ins. I thought this one was amazing! You are right that using the microplane is worth the effort.
That’s wonderful Shari! Thank you for sharing 🙂 And right?!?! It’s worth the extra work for that soft and fluffy texture!
I want to make 6 inch cake rounds, but only have a 6 inch cake cutter, not a 6 inch cake pan. Would you recommend using this recipe or your carrot cake recipe to make a layered carrot cake (in which I would use a sheet pan and cut out 6 inch round with my cake cutter)?
Hi Emily,
It depends on how many 6 inch cake layers you want to cut out! I’d say making my carrot cake layer cake recipe in 2 9X13″ sheet pans and cutting out 4 6 inch circles would probably be your best bet. My sheet cake recipe makes a really thick layer that would be a bit much for a stacked layer cake. Hope that makes sense and helps, happy baking!
Hellooo,
Please can we add also pecan and rasains? And can we put in in a bundt cake instead please? Thank you, you are the best
Hi there!
LOVE this recipe! I am needing to do a 12×18 sheet cake. Would I need to make 1 1/2 batch’s for this pan size or would 1 batch be ok? What would you recommend? Thank you!!
Have you ever made this carrot cake recipe gluten free?
Just made this for Easter and it was delicious! Carrot cake isn’t my favorite, but all the spices, the finely shredded carrots, and the frosting were so yummy. I was baking at a high elevation and was wondering if I needed to make modifications but decided not to. I reduced the temp a little and cooked for a few less minutes and it turned out perfectly!
Just made this gluten free by swapping the AP flour for KA gluten free measure for measure flour. I followed your instructions for your other gluten free cakes and it turned out amazing!
I just want to double confirm that there shouldn’t be vanilla extract in the cake batter?
Hi… This looks so yummy!
Can I double this recipe to bake in my 12”x18”x3” rectangular pan? I need to feed 50-60 people. If yes, how long should I bake and at what temperature? TIA ?
I absolutely love his recipe! I’ve been making it every few weeks for the Soup Kitchen my husband volunteers at, and they love it too. I use this exact recipe to fill a pretty big pan – 15″ x 11″ and it’s perfectly sized to take away in a napkin. I get 32 slices per pan. Yes, as others have said, the fine grating is a pain, but so, so worth it, and as I detest nuts in cake, this is perfect. A definite keeper!
Oh that is nice!! I’m so happy you’re putting this recipe to such good use!! And I totally agree, the fine grating is the worst but absolutely worth it! Thank you so much for sharing 🙂
I would like to try this cake in a 12×18 pan. Should I double the recipe and how long should I bake it for? Sounds devine
Hi Marie,
I would recommend doubling the recipe! If you’re able to use heating cores (like these: https://amzn.to/3CeVIwT) then the bake time should be about the same!! If not, add on 5-10 minutes!
I love this recipe. I am making it for the second time this coming weekend. We are travelling so I have to make it in advance. Leaving Friday morning, eating the cake Saturday night so I need to make it Thursday night. Would you suggest freezing it Thursday night or just wrapping it tightly and refrigerating? Thanks!
Hi Jessica,
So happy to hear that! Apologies for the delayed response – either way would work, but since you’re traveling I’d probably recommend freezing it on Thursday night, then storing it in the fridge once you get to your destination so it can gradually thaw! And then of course setting it out an hour or two before you plan to eat it so it can come to room temp 🙂 Hope that helps for the future, and baking!
Can I add crushed pineapple or purée to this recipe and if so how much? I’ve been using your site for recipes & decorating ideas for a few years now. Thank you for all your work and inspiration!
Hi Donnelle,
You are too sweet! And great question! I haven’t tested it, but you should be able! I’d suggest adding 1 cup of crushed and drained pineapple to this recipe and then omitting the buttermilk. Hope that helps, happy baking!
This recipe is genius! The most tender cake ever! I’ve made it twice, once adding toasted walnuts for crunch, which were good, but it’s also amazing without.
Hi Hayley,
So happy to hear you loved this recipe!! I bet it is amazing with Walnuts too 🙂 Thank you for sharing, I always love hearing your feedback!!!!