I Asked 5 Bakers the Secret to the Best Carrot Cake—They All Said the Same Thing

Despite its cozy, wintery blend of warming spices and sweet root vegetables, my family has always made carrot cake for Easter. It’s tradition: a cake topped with piped-on carrots, a nod to the Easter Bunny’s favorite snack. As a kid, I saw it as more of a punishment than a treat: Vegetables in cake? A tangy, slightly sour frosting made from cream cheese? No, thank you. But as I’ve gotten older, nothing signals spring quite like a slice of my grandmother’s carrot cake—with carrot icing for good luck!

As the snow melts, and the days stretch longer, I find myself eyeing the produce section, eager to move past winter’s endless rotation of root vegetables and into spring’s goodness. With its festive decorations and just-sweet-enough crumb, carrot cake is the perfect way to banish the cold months for good. 

While there are many ways to make an amazing carrot cake (and I’m sure there will be heated debates on the subject), when I reached out to bakers, they all told me that one step reigns supreme. 

The Bakers I Spoke To

• Dr. Altreisha Foster: Baker, founder of Sugarspoon Desserts, and president of Cake Therapy 
• Elise Smith: Baker, recipe developer, and owner of WinniE’s Bakery
• Tess Middlebrook: Chef, private caterer, and creator at ForkandLaugh
• Cregg Green: Commercial food and beverage stylist, photographer, and owner of Green Haus Kitchen 
• Eric Preuss: Cozymeal instructor

How To Make the Best Carrot Cake, According to Bakers

What makes carrot cake stand out from other produce-packed bakes, like simple banana bread or the zucchini muffins that put excess squash to good use, isn’t just the shredded carrots; it’s the bold, warming blend of spices. According to expert bakers, the secret to the best carrot cake comes down to getting the spice balance just right.

“It’s all in the spices! The right combination brings out flavor,” says Foster.

It’s not just about tossing in heaps of spices. The key is finding the correct balance to complement the star ingredient, the carrots. “Too little spice, and the cake can taste too earthy, incomplete, or just off,” says Smith. “Too much spice, and it might yield a spiced cake with carrot.”

The Best Spices for Carrot Cake (and How To Use Them)

Most classic carrot cake recipes rely on a familiar quartet of warming spices: a teaspoon of cinnamon, a dash of nutmeg, a bit of ground ginger, and a touch of allspice. This combination is tried and true, but many bakers take it a step further to add more depth and complexity.

“I love to add a sprinkle of cardamom in my carrot cake,” says Middlebrook. Traditionally used in Nordic baking, cardamom adds a bit of citrus and floral flavor to the cake. Preuss recommends swapping ground ginger for freshly grated to introduce a subtle heat and zing, explaining, “This is crucial for that signature warm, spiced flavor.”

How To Get the Most Flavor From Your Spices

If you’ve been using the same bottle of nutmeg for years (guilty!), it's probably time to toss it. As soon as whole spices are ground, they start to oxidize, becoming less flavorful over time. Spices eventually expire, so using fresh, high-quality spices can make a huge difference. Foster encourages home bakers to explore beyond the basics: “Invest in quality spices, take your time with the process, and experiment with flavors that are unique to your culture.”

One trick that takes carrot cake to the next level? Toasting whole spices before grinding them. “I use all the usual spices—cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, allspice—plus a sprinkle of cardamom,” says Middlebrook. “But what really makes a difference is toasting whole spices at 375°F for about seven minutes, then grinding them in a spice grinder or an old coffee grinder.”

So, whether you’re sticking with the classics or branching out, a fresh, flavorful spice blend is the key to the best carrot cake.