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This carrot cake sheet cake is baked in a 9×13 pan, perfectly spiced, ultra moist, and topped with rich brown butter frosting. No layers, no stacking — just an easy carrot cake that feeds a crowd and stays soft for days.
If you’ve ever had carrot cake that was dense and heavy or light but dry, this recipe fixes that. Shredded carrots, oil, sour cream, dark brown sugar, and crushed pineapple work together to create a tender, fluffy crumb that’s incredibly moist.
Perfect for Easter, Mother’s Day, or spring birthdays, this is the carrot cake sheet cake everyone will ask you to make again.
Why This Carrot Cake Sheet Cake Works
- Baked in a 9×13 pan, no layers required
- Stays soft for days
- Ultra moist from carrots, oil, sour cream, and pineapple
- Warmly spiced with cinnamon and nutmeg
- Feeds a crowd without complicated decorating
Since you are here and looking for your new favorite recipes, check out this Crumbl Carrot Cake Cookies Recipe, this Quick Carrot Loaf Cake Recipe, or these Easter Peanut Butter Eggs.
Ingredients for this Carrot Cake Sheet Cake recipe
Here are the ingredients you will need to make this easy carrot cake recipe. Scroll down to the recipe card at the bottom of the page for the detailed ingredient measurements.
- All-Purpose Flour: Provides structure.
- Baking Powder & Baking Soda: Help the cake rise.
- Ground Cinnamon & Nutmeg: Add warm spice flavor.
- Salt: Balances sweetness.
- Vegetable Oil: Keeps the cake moist and tender.
- Dark Brown Sugar: Adds moisture and depth.
- Granulated Sugar: Sweetens and balances texture.
- Eggs: Bind everything together.
- Vanilla Extract: Enhances flavor.
- Fresh Carrots: Add natural sweetness and moisture.
- Sour Cream: Adds richness and tenderness.
- Crushed Pineapple: Boosts moisture (drain well).
- Chopped Pecans or Walnuts: Add crunch.
- Shredded Coconut (optional): Adds texture and subtle sweetness.
How to Make It
- Preheat the oven and lightly grease and flour a 9×13-inch pan, or line it with parchment paper for easier cleanup.
- Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt in a medium bowl. Whisk the flour mixture together and set aside for now.
- In a separate large bowl, whisk the vegetable oil with both sugars until smooth and well blended. Add the eggs and vanilla extract, and whisk until fully incorporated.
- Next, stir in the grated carrots, sour cream, and drained crushed pineapple.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the egg mixture, stirring with a whisk or rubber spatula just until everything comes together. If you’re using nuts and coconut, gently fold them in now. Be careful not to over mix.
- Pour the batter into your prepared pan and smooth it out into an even layer. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out mostly clean with just a few moist crumbs. The top should be golden and set.
- Allow the cake to cool completely to room temperature in the sheet pan before adding your brown butter frosting or smooth cream cheese frosting to the top of the cake. This step ensures your frosting won’t melt and will spread beautifully!
- For the brown butter frosting, cream the solidified brown butter and regular room temperature butter together before adding in the powdered sugar and vanilla extract then add in some heavy cream until you get the right consistency.
- Frost the cake once it’s completely cool and spread the buttercream with an offset spatula.
- I kept about 2-4 tablespoons that I colored with orange and green gel food coloring, and then I piped little carrots all throughout the top for a cute finish.
Expert Tips for the Best Texture in a Carrot Sheet Cake
- Drain the pineapple well by pressing it in a fine-mesh sieve. Excess juice can make the batter too wet.
- Toast the pecans, walnuts, or coconut if you’re using them to bring out more of their flavor. Use a stove-top pan to toast then let them cool completely before adding them in.
- Use a kitchen scale instead of a measuring cup to weigh your ingredients more accurately. This can apply to all ingredients, but especially the flour.
- Have all your cold ingredients warm up to room temperature first so that they mix and blend more easily with the other ingredients.
- Only mix just until the flour disappears. Overmixing can lead to a dense cake. For this recipe, I suggest whisking by hand if you’re able to, instead of using a hand mixer or stand mixer so you can control it better. The frosting would be perfect made in a stand mixer though!
Frequently asked questions – FAQ
This recipe is baked in a standard 9×13-inch pan.
Yes, but pineapple adds moisture. If omitting, increase sour cream slightly.
Yes! You can absolutely make carrot cake cupcakes from this batter. A standard baking temp and time for cupcakes would be 350 degrees for 18-24 minutes. For layered cakes, divide the batter between two 8-inch round cake pans an dbake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean..
Overmixing the batter or not draining the pineapple properly can lead to a heavier texture.
I don’t recommend it. Fresh carrots will give a stronger carrot flavor and moisture that you might lose out on if you use the pre-shredded version. When in a pinch, you can use bagged and pre-shredded if you are short on time or it is more convenient for you.
Yes, you can as long as you use a gluten-free flour blend like the ones from Bob’s Red Mill or King Arthur. It should work but I can’t guarantee it will have the same texture.
Absolutely! In fact, it tastes even better the next day once the flavors have had time to meld. Just cover it tightly and store it in the fridge.
Put your leftover cake slices in an airtight container and place them in the fridge. It should last for at least 3 or 4 days. If you want to freeze it, wrap each slice individually in plastic wrap and store in the freezer. They should last for a month or two.
I used a brown butter frosting for this recipe, but you can use a rich cream cheese frosting if you want.
Carrot Sheet Cake Recipe with Brown Butter Frosting
Equipment
Ingredients
Cake Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 & 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 1 1/4 cups brown sugar packed (dark brown is best)
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 2 cups grated carrots freshly grated
- 1/2 cup sour cream at room temperature
- 1/2 cup crushed pineapple drained well
- 1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts toasted, optional
- 1/2 cup shredded coconut optional
Brown Butter Frosting Recipe
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter browned
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter softened
- 3 cup powdered sugar sifted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 5-6 tablespoons heavy cream
Green and Orange Gel Food Coloring
Instructions
- In a saucepan, melt the unsalted butter over medium heat. Cook until golden and nutty-smelling. Transfer to a bowl and chill until solid but soft (about 1 hour).3/4 cup unsalted butter
Cake Recipe
- Preheat your oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a 9×13-inch baking pan or line with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Set aside.2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 & 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg, 1/2 teaspoon salt
- In a large bowl, whisk together the vegetable oil, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until smooth. Add the eggs and the vanilla extract and mix well to combine.1 cup vegetable oil, 1 1/4 cups brown sugar, 1/2 cup granulated sugar, 4 large eggs, 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- Stir in the grated carrots, sour cream, and crushed pineapple (drained).2 cups grated carrots, 1/2 cup sour cream, 1/2 cup crushed pineapple
- Gradually mix the dry ingredients into the wet mixture, stirring until just combined. Be careful not to over mix. Fold in nuts and coconut if using.1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts, 1/2 cup shredded coconut
- Pour the batter into your prepared pan and spread it evenly. Bake for 28-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean (with a few moist crumbs). The cake should be golden brown.
- Let the cake cool completely before frosting with your brown butter frosting.
Brown Butter Frosting Recipe
- Beat the browned butter with the softened butter with a flat beater in a stand mixer until creamy. Gradually add the sifted powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt.1/4 cup unsalted butter, 3 cup powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1/4 teaspoon salt
- Mix in 5–6 tbsp cold heavy cream, 1 tbsp at a time, until fluffy and spreadable.5-6 tablespoons heavy cream
- Spread the frosting on your cooled down cake and serve or check the next step for adding cute carrot decorations.
Optional Carrot Decorations
- Set aside 2 tbsp frosting and tint orange for the carrot body and 1 tbsp tinted green for leaves. Use a small round tip for the carrots and a mini leaf tip for the greens. (linked above!)
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
