Carrot Sheet Cake
Make Carrot Sheet Cake for Easter and spring potlucks to feed a large crowd. A cinnamon-spiced cake with a creamy decorative carrot topping.
Looking for a festive Easter dessert? This Carrot Sheet Cake is perfect for all of your Easter celebrations. Bursting with fresh grated carrots and a hint of warm cinnamon, it’s moist, tender, and topped with creamy cream cheese frosting that can be decorated with festive carrot designs or spring-themed florals. Its large serving size makes it ideal for sharing with family, friends, and neighbors during Easter brunches, potlucks, and spring parties.
CARROT SHEET CAKE
This recipe uses simple, wholesome ingredients like grated carrots, unsweetened applesauce, and a touch of cinnamon, all combined into a quick, easy batter that bakes in just 20-22 minutes. The homemade cream cheese frosting adds the perfect sweet finish, and once you make it, you’ll want to save this recipe to bring out year after year for Easter gatherings. Its simplicity, flavor, and festive presentation make it a dessert everyone will look forward to at every spring celebration. Even if you usually skip carrot cake, this version might just change your mind. It’s moist, flavorful, and utterly delicious!
Find my expert tips on how to make homemade carrot sheet cake from scratch below! Don’t forget to tag me in all of your creations @lifeinthelofthouse on Instagram and Facebook. Let’s stay connected. ❤️
Why You’ll Love This Easy Carrot Sheet Cake Recipe:
- Moist & Fluffy Cake: Applesauce keeps the sheet cake tender and moist without needing extra oil or butter.
- Creamy Homemade Frosting: Smooth cream cheese frosting with a hint of almond adds the perfect finishing touch.
- For All Baking Levels: Simple ingredients, easy mixing, and a quick 20-22 minute bake time make it approachable for bakers of any skill level.
- The Best Spring & Easter Treat: Baked in a 12×17-inch sheet pan, this spring sheet cake is perfect for potlucks, parties, or family gatherings. Top it with playful carrot designs or leave it simple, the frosting is the star!
Ingredients
Carrot Sheet Cake
- 1 ¼ cups unsweetened applesauce
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 cups grated carrots (about 4 medium carrots)
Cream Cheese Frosting
- ½ cup butter, softened
- 1 block (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- 3 ½ cups powdered sugar
Instructions
For The Carrot Sheet Cake
Preheat oven to 350° F. Spray a 12×17-inch sheet pan with non-stick spray. Set aside.
Beat applesauce, sugar, and eggs in a large bowl until combined. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. Gradually beat this mixture into the wet mixture. Fold in carrots. Spread batter evenly into the prepared pan.
Bake 20 to 22 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely before frosting.
For The Cream Cheese Frosting
Beat the butter and cream cheese together with an electric mixer until combined and fluffy. Add in almond extract and powdered sugar. Beat until smooth. Spread evenly on top of the cake. Slice into squares and serve!
Note
The carrots on top are made of colored candy coating. I melted orange and green separately, then piped out the carrot design onto parchment paper. Let harden, then place on the cake.
Servings
A full 12×17-inch sheet pan yields approximately 50–52 servings if cut into 2×2-inch squares. Cutting only 8 slices along the length will give 30–52 servings, depending on slice size. This is an ideal recipe for Easter potlucks, spring parties, or when you’re serving a large crowd. You can send the leftovers home with family and friends!
Storage
To store your Carrot Sheet Cake, keep it in an airtight container at room temperature for 3 days, or refrigerate for up to a week once completely cooled to prevent the frosting from melting. To freeze, wrap the cooled cake tightly in plastic wrap and foil and freeze for up to 3 months. If the cake is frosted before freezing, flash-freeze it for 1-2 hours first, then wrap it tightly to protect the frosting.
Holly’s Tips for The Best Carrot Sheet Cake Recipe:
- Use Fresh, Grated Carrots: Fresh carrots add natural sweetness and moisture. Finely grating ensures they blend evenly without making the batter heavy.
- Don’t Overmix The Cake Batter: Combine wet and dry ingredients gently to keep the cake light and fluffy. Overmixing can make it dense.
- Check For Doneness: Sheet cakes bake quickly. Start checking at 20 minutes; a toothpick inserted in the center should come out clean.
- Allow Cake To Cool Completely Before Frosting: Warm cake can melt cream cheese frosting, making it runny. Patience ensures a smooth, creamy topping.
- Customize Your Toppings: Add crushed nuts, shredded coconut, or decorative carrot designs for extra flavor and visual appeal.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Yes! Bake the cake and cool completely, then store it in an airtight container. Frost it up to 1 day before serving. It keeps fresh for 2–3 days at room temperature or up to a week in the fridge.
Use fresh, finely grated carrots and applesauce. Avoid overmixing the batter, and be careful not to overbake the cake. Cooling completely before frosting also helps maintain moisture.
You can easily make this Carrot Sheet Cake vegan by replacing the eggs with flax or chia eggs, swapping the cream cheese and butter in the frosting with vegan cream cheese and plant-based butter, and ensuring your sugar is vegan-friendly. Use unsweetened applesauce as in the original recipe to keep the cake moist, and all-purpose flour and grated carrots remain the same.
You can make this Carrot Sheet Cake gluten-free by swapping the all-purpose flour for a 1:1 gluten-free baking flour blend that contains xanthan gum (or adding 1 teaspoon xanthan gum per cup of gluten-free flour if your blend doesn’t include it). Make sure the baking powder and other ingredients are certified gluten-free. The rest of the recipe stays the same. Bake as directed, but check for doneness early, as gluten-free cakes can bake faster.
Similar Recipes
Craving something similar? Make The Best Carrot Cake.
Wanting something different? Bake my Easter Sugar Cookies.
Looking for more spring desserts? My Carrot Cake Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting are all the flavors you love of a carrot cake, but in cookie form. My Loaded Rice Krispie Treats are another fun and easy Easter treat!
Looking for more delicious Easter recipes? Don’t forget to check out my 20+ Delicious Easter Recipes.
Have you made this Carrot Sheet Cake recipe? 🥕🐰
Leave a review, and don’t forget to tag me in your creations on Instagram and Facebook! @lifeinthelofthouse! #CarrotSheetCake #LifeInTheLofthouse
Ingredients
Carrot Sheet Cake
- 1 ¼ cups unsweetened applesauce
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 cups grated carrots (about 4 medium carrots)
Cream Cheese Frosting
- ½ cup butter softened
- 1 block (8 ounces) cream cheese softened
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- 3 ½ cups powdered sugar
Instructions
For The Carrot Sheet Cake
- Preheat oven to 350° F. Spray a 12×17-inch sheet pan with non-stick spray. Set aside.
- Beat applesauce, sugar and eggs in a large bowl until combined. In a seperate bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Gradually beat this mixture into the wet mixture. Fold in carrots. Spread batter evenly into the prepared pan.
- Bake 20 to 22 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely before frosting.
For The Cream Cheese Frosting
- Beat the butter and cream cheese together with an electric mixer, until combined and fluffy. Add in almond extract and powdered sugar. Beat until smooth. Spread evenly on top of cake. Slice into squares and serve!
Notes
*The carrots on top are made of colored candy coating. I melted orange and green separately then piped out the carrot design onto parchment paper. Let harden then place on cake.
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So excited to try your version. I am allergic to citrus fruits and so many carrot cakes have pineapple that can’t be omitted and still taste right. I love carrot cake! Thank you!
ShaNae, I am so glad this one can work for you. It is really amazing! Enjoy 🙂
I love Carrot Cake but not a fan of the raisins, nuts and pineapple, so I will definitely be making this version. As for the event your family goes to each year before Easter, can you provide the name of it? I’m from Vegas and I know several people that would love to see the art and then attend the car show. My husband has two “oldies” and I know would go in a heartbeat!
Hi Tami! You will love this one if you’re not a fan of carrot cake loaded with all the other stuff (like me) 🙂 As for the Arts Festival in St.George that’s just what it’s called. It’s held on Main Street always on Easter weekend. The car show in Hurricane is the ‘Easter Car Show’ and it’s held on the same Saturday as the arts festival.
I am making this carrot cake for tonight but l really like the taste of pineapple so l will put just a bit hope it will taste good
This sounds wonderful! I don’t have a sheet pan, any idea if this can be made as cupcakes or any other type of pan?
Is there a trick for slicing the cake in the baking sheet without scratching the non stick metal surface?? Thanks
I purchased a dessert knife made of silicone from Amazon. It was only $7 or $8 and it doesn’t scratch non-stick surfaces. Perfect for cakes 🙂
Can you reduce size of cake, I have a smaller crowd and only need serving for 12. Maybe I could make in cupcake form ?
I’m going to try to cut the recipe in half and use a quarter sheet cake
Oh! Quante belle ricette! Complimenti!! Anche io ho un blog, proverò a fare qualche tua ricetta! Ti seguirò, anche se non parlo inglese…quindi mi toccherà usare il traduttore! Ciaooo
This recipe is outstanding. I’ll always use this one for family and friends. So delicious.