This pumpkin carrot cake blends the best of pumpkin and carrot cake into one moist, warmly spiced dessert topped with a brown sugar cream cheese frosting. It’s an easy, comforting recipe that’s perfect for autumn and the holiday table.
This cake combines shredded carrots, pumpkin puree and grated apple (instead of pineapple) for bright, fresh flavor and extra moisture. The warm spices and rich brown sugar cream cheese frosting make it an ideal seasonal crowd-pleaser.
I love both carrot cake and pumpkin cake — they each shine with cozy spices. Together they create a wonderfully tender, flavorful cake that’s great as a sheet cake or an elegant layer cake.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Shredded carrots, canned pumpkin puree and grated apple keep the cake exceptionally moist and flavorful.
- Warm spices provide the signature carrot cake taste with a pumpkin twist.
- The recipe is straightforward and easy to scale for a sheet cake or layered cake.
- The brown sugar cream cheese frosting is rich, slightly caramel-like and pairs perfectly with the spiced cake.
Ingredients
Notes on key ingredients:
- All-purpose flour — the recipe was developed for all-purpose flour.
- Oil — use neutral-flavored vegetable or canola oil.
- Brown sugar — light or dark both work; packed for the frosting measurements.
- Eggs — use large, room temperature eggs for best texture.
- Pumpkin puree — use pure canned pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling.
- Buttermilk — room temperature buttermilk helps tenderize the crumb.
- Carrots — grate fresh whole carrots at home (about 2 cups). Avoid pre-shredded store-bought carrots.
- Apple — peel and grate one red apple, then drain any excess juice before adding.
- Cream cheese — use full-fat block cream cheese, softened to room temperature for smooth frosting.
See the recipe card below for exact measurements and full instructions.
Substitutions and Variations
- Stir in chopped nuts or sprinkle them on top: toasted walnuts, pecans or almonds work well.
- If you need a gluten-free version, many bakers successfully use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend (not tested by the author but commonly effective).
Instructions
Overview of the method to make this pumpkin carrot cake:
Step One – Whisk together the dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt.
Step Two – In a large bowl, whisk the granulated and brown sugars with the eggs. Stir in vanilla and pumpkin puree, then add the oil and mix until combined.
Step Three – Add the dry ingredients alternately with the buttermilk, mixing just until combined to avoid overworking the batter.
Step Four – Fold in the shredded carrots and grated apple. Pour the batter into a lined 9 x 13-inch pan (or prepared layer pans) and bake at 350°F until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 28–38 minutes depending on pan size. Cool completely before frosting.
Step Five – To make the frosting, beat room-temperature cream cheese and butter until smooth. Mix in the brown sugar and vanilla, then gradually add sifted powdered sugar on low speed until the frosting reaches the desired consistency.
Step Six – Spread the frosting over the cooled cake. Garnish with chopped nuts if desired or pipe small decorative carrots using tinted frosting for a festive touch.
Expert Tips
- Use room-temperature cream cheese and butter for the silkiest frosting.
- Sift powdered sugar to prevent lumps and achieve a smooth texture.
- Fresh brown sugar mixes more smoothly than hardened sugar—break up any clumps before measuring.
- Let the cake cool completely before frosting to avoid melting the frosting.
- For a playful garnish, tint a small portion of frosting orange and green and pipe mini carrots around the edges.
Recipe FAQs
If you don’t have buttermilk, use a buttermilk substitute such as milk mixed with a tablespoon of vinegar or lemon juice per cup, left to sit for a few minutes. The acidity helps tenderize the cake.
No. Nuts are optional. Many people enjoy them for texture, but the cake is delicious without nuts.
Store the frosted cake in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to five days.
Pumpkin Carrot Cake
Equipment
- Mixing bowls
- Hand mixer or stand mixer
- 9 x 13-inch pan (or layer pans if making a layer cake)
- Oven mitts
Ingredients
Pumpkin Carrot Cake
- 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1¼ teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 2¼ teaspoons cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- ½ cup (118 ml) vegetable or canola oil
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- ¾ cup (165 g) brown sugar, packed
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1¼ cup (306 g) canned pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
- ½ cup (118 ml) buttermilk, room temperature
- 2 cups (256 g) shredded carrots (freshly grated)
- 1 medium red apple, peeled, grated and drained
Brown Sugar Cream Cheese Frosting
- 8 ounces (227 g) cream cheese, room temperature
- 6 tablespoons (84 g) butter, room temperature
- ¾ cup (165 g) brown sugar, packed, plus 2 tablespoons
- 2½ cups (300 g) powdered sugar, sifted, plus more if needed
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Decorating (optional)
- Orange and green gel food coloring for piping decorations
- Chopped walnuts or pecans
Instructions
Pumpkin Carrot Cake
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9 x 13-inch pan with parchment paper. For a three-layer six-inch cake, prepare and line cake pans and spray sides with baking spray.
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Set aside.
- In another large bowl, whisk granulated and brown sugar with eggs. Stir in vanilla and pumpkin puree, then add the oil and mix to combine.
- Add the dry ingredients alternately with the buttermilk, mixing just until combined. Fold in shredded carrots and grated apple.
- Pour batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 28–38 minutes depending on your oven and pan. Allow the cake to cool completely before frosting.
Brown Sugar Cream Cheese Frosting
- In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle, beat cream cheese and butter on medium speed until smooth and combined, about 1 minute. Add the brown sugar and beat another minute. Mix in vanilla.
- On low speed, gradually add sifted powdered sugar until the frosting is smooth and reaches your desired consistency. If needed, add a little more powdered sugar to stiffen.
- Frost the cooled cake and garnish with chopped nuts or piped decorations if desired.
Notes
Nutrition
Please note nutritional values are estimates generated by an online calculator and should be used as a guide only.
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