This delicious Julia Child carrot cake is a simple, moist dessert that’s perfect for any occasion. With a creamy, rich frosting and crunchy pecans, it’s a treat everyone will love. Using everyday ingredients, this easy-to-make cake brings warmth and sweetness to your table!
Ingredients Needed
For the Cake:
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 ¼ cups vegetable oil
- 4 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 3 cups grated carrots (about 4 medium-sized)
- 1 cup chopped pecans
For the Frosting:
- ½ cup butter, softened
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup chopped pecans
How To Make Carrot Cake
- Preheat the Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease and flour a 9×13-inch baking pan.
- Make the Cake Batter: In a large bowl, beat granulated sugar, vegetable oil, eggs, and vanilla extract with an electric mixer until smooth. In another bowl, combine all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Add this dry mixture to the wet ingredients, stirring until well combined. Then fold in the grated carrots and chopped pecans.
- Bake the Cake: Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake in the preheated oven for about 40 minutes. Check doneness by inserting a toothpick into the center; it should come out clean. Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
- Make the Frosting: Beat butter, cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract together until smooth and creamy. Stir in the chopped pecans.
- Frost the Cake: Once the cake is fully cooled, spread the frosting evenly over the top of the cake. Slice and enjoy your delicious homemade carrot cake!

Recipe Tips
- Grate the Carrots Finely: Grate the carrots finely to ensure they blend well into the cake, making it moist without clumps of large carrot pieces.
- Use Room Temperature Ingredients: Make sure the eggs, oil, and cream cheese are at room temperature before mixing. This helps create a smooth batter and frosting.
- Don’t Overmix the Batter: Mix the batter until the dry ingredients are just incorporated to avoid a dense cake. Overmixing can make the cake tough.
- Cool the Cake Completely Before Frosting: Allow the cake to cool completely before adding the frosting. This prevents the frosting from melting.
- Chop Pecans Coarsely: Chop the pecans into small pieces to ensure they are evenly spread in the cake and frosting, giving it a nice crunch.
How To Store Leftovers
- Refrigerate: Store leftover carrot cake in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- Freeze: You can freeze leftover carrot cake for up to 3 months. To freeze, wrap the cake tightly in plastic wrap and foil. When ready to enjoy, thaw it in the refrigerator overnight before serving.
Nutrition Fact
Serving Size: 1 slice (approximately 92g)
- Calories: 440
- Total Fat: 26g
- Saturated Fat: 7g
- Cholesterol: 45mg
- Sodium: 450mg
- Potassium: 205mg
- Total Carbohydrate: 49g
- Dietary Fiber: 1g
- Sugars: 35g
- Protein: 3g
Try More Recipes:

Julia Child Carrot Cake
Description
This delicious Julia Child carrot cake is a simple, moist dessert that’s perfect for any occasion. With a creamy, rich frosting and crunchy pecans, it’s a treat everyone will love. Using everyday ingredients, this easy-to-make cake brings warmth and sweetness to your table!
Ingredients
For the Cake:
For the Frosting:
Instructions
- Preheat the Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease and flour a 9×13-inch baking pan.
- Make the Cake Batter: In a large bowl, beat granulated sugar, vegetable oil, eggs, and vanilla extract with an electric mixer until smooth. In another bowl, combine all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Add this dry mixture to the wet ingredients, stirring until well combined. Then fold in the grated carrots and chopped pecans.
- Bake the Cake: Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake in the preheated oven for about 40 minutes. Check doneness by inserting a toothpick into the center; it should come out clean. Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
- Make the Frosting: Beat butter, cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract together until smooth and creamy. Stir in the chopped pecans.
- Frost the Cake: Once the cake is fully cooled, spread the frosting evenly over the top of the cake. Slice and enjoy your delicious homemade carrot cake!
Notes
- Grate the Carrots Finely: Grate the carrots finely to ensure they blend well into the cake, making it moist without clumps of large carrot pieces.
- Use Room Temperature Ingredients: Make sure the eggs, oil, and cream cheese are at room temperature before mixing. This helps create a smooth batter and frosting.
- Don’t Overmix the Batter: Mix the batter until the dry ingredients are just incorporated to avoid a dense cake. Overmixing can make the cake tough.
- Cool the Cake Completely Before Frosting: Allow the cake to cool completely before adding the frosting. This prevents the frosting from melting.
- Chop Pecans Coarsely: Chop the pecans into small pieces to ensure they are evenly spread in the cake and frosting, giving it a nice crunch.