Carrot Cake Recipe with Grand Marnier Cream Cheese Frosting

This homemade layered carrot cake is warmly spiced and built from shredded carrots, drained crushed pineapple and chopped pecans. It bakes up moist with a tender crumb and is filled and finished with a silky, tangy orange Grand Marnier–infused cream cheese frosting.

Carrot cake is a wonderful dessert for spring and Easter alongside other seasonal treats like Bird’s Nest Funfetti Cookies and Creamy Lemon Pie.

✔️ My Favorite Carrot Cake Recipe

My absolute favorite carrot cake began with a recipe from my friend and chef, Chris. We trained in culinary school together and later recipe-tested dishes for a small restaurant in Southern California. While her original version is a closely guarded secret, this adaptation is the closest I’ve ever come — and I think it stands on its own. Since we now live far apart, this version is the one I make most often.

✔️ Carrot Cake Ingredients

For exact amounts and a printable recipe, see the recipe card at the bottom of this post. Key ingredients include:

• All-purpose flour: provides structure.
• Baking powder and baking soda: combined leaveners give lift.
• Brown sugar: light brown sugar adds depth and molasses notes.
• Eggs: large, room temperature for structure and richness.
• Warm spices: ground cinnamon and ginger add comforting flavor.
• Vegetable oil: keeps the crumb tender and moist.
• Carrots: freshly shredded for the best texture and moisture.
• Crushed pineapple: drained; brightens flavor and adds moisture without making the cake soggy.
• Vanilla extract: classic flavor enhancer.
• Pecans: chopped for a pleasant crunch (walnuts may be substituted).
• Grand Marnier: a touch in both batter and frosting for delicate orange notes; the alcohol bakes off in the cake.

✔️ Cream Cheese Frosting Ingredients

• Cream cheese: block-style, full-fat, at room temperature.
• Powdered sugar: for a smooth, spreadable texture.
• Orange zest: for fresh bright flavor and pretty specks in the frosting.
• Unsalted butter: at room temperature; salted butter may be used if that’s what you have.
• Grand Marnier: adds delicate orange flavor; omit or replace with orange juice if you prefer an alcohol-free frosting.

🔎 How To Make Carrot Cake from Scratch

The directions below outline the essential steps; consult the recipe card for ingredient amounts and timings.

1. Prep: Preheat the oven to 350°F and prepare three 9-inch round pans by lining the bottoms with parchment and greasing them.
2. Dry ingredients: Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and ginger in a medium bowl; set aside.
3. Wet ingredients: In a mixer, combine brown sugar and oil until blended. Add eggs one at a time, then stir in vanilla and Grand Marnier.
4. Combine: Add the dry mixture to the wet ingredients and stir until just combined.
5. Add-ins: Fold in the shredded carrots, drained crushed pineapple and chopped pecans until evenly distributed.
6. Divide and bake: Distribute batter evenly among the three prepared pans and bake 40–50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool the cakes in the pans about 1 hour before turning out onto a rack.

✔️ Orange Grand Marnier Cream Cheese Frosting

This frosting is silky, rich and slightly tangy — a near cheesecake-like spread that glides onto the cake.

1. In a mixer bowl, beat cream cheese and butter until smooth. Add powdered sugar, Grand Marnier and orange zest and mix about 3 minutes until light and fluffy. Chill briefly if it becomes too soft to spread.

🔎 Can I Use Pre-Shredded Carrots?

• Pre-shredded carrots sold in bags are drier, thicker and sometimes crunchy; they can alter the cake’s texture. For the best result, shred fresh carrots yourself with a grater or food processor.

🔎 What Pans Should I Use?

• Use three 9-inch round cake pans for even layers and the classic three-layer look.

🔎 How To Store Carrot Cake

Because the cake is frosted with cream cheese frosting, store it covered in the refrigerator to protect it from drying out. Many bakers will leave an unfrosted cake at room temperature overnight if the kitchen is cool; however, once frosted, refrigeration is safest.

Refrigerated, the cake will keep 4–5 days if covered. Unfrosted cake keeps about 2 days at room temperature. Both frosted and unfrosted cake freeze well for up to 2 months when wrapped tightly.

Do you love baking? Take a look at other homemade dessert recipes perfect for spring:

• Lemon Ricotta Cookies with Lemon Glaze
• Lemon Blueberry Cake
• Shortbread Easter Bunnies
• Lemon Poke Cake
• Lemon Blueberry Crumb Bars

This post was first published in 2019 and updated with new photographs and additional content; the recipe remains the same.