Supremely moist, perfectly spiced, and beaming with flavor is this easy skillet carrot cake in a nutshell. This cake bakes up in a cast iron skillet for an even better texture and gets slathered with a tangy cream cheese frosting- so delicious!

skillet carrot cake in black cast iron pan

As a home cook and recipe developer one of the most common questions I get is if I prefer cooking or baking. I usually hesitate a little because I honestly enjoy both. However, before I started Butter Be Ready, I did have more of a penchant for baking. It’s true, that’s exactly how the name of this site came to be. Prior to engaging in a baking session, I almost always had to take butter out of the refrigerator to soften for recipes.

I loved (and still do!) me some butter. Everything from making frosting, to developing sauces, cooking with, and all that is in between; butter is bae! I thought my namesake was a cute play on words surrounding my love for butter and, well, here we are years later. Listen, ya girl is certainly the happiest when baking up new sweets + treats and this skillet carrot cake is one I’m proud of. So excited to share it with you.

sliced carrot cake in black cast iron skillet

DISCLOSURE: This post is sponsored by Pete and Gerry’s Organic Eggs who I’m always so excited to partner with; all thoughts expressed here are my own. So grateful for brand ambassadorships like this one! I’ve been using their high-quality eggs for quite some time now and could not be more of a fan.

This is a company that supports their farmers by providing opportunities for small family farms to remain in business. Additionally, Pete and Gerry’s Organic Eggs are Certified Humane and free range and the company is committed to sustainability. So proud to continue working with such a great brand like this!

>>> Don’t Miss These Other Great Recipes Featuring Pete and Gerry’s Organic Eggs <<<

skillet carrot cake on wood surface with carton of Pete and gerry's eggs

Seriously The Best Carrot Cake!!!

Carrot cake can be quite a controversial dessert, ha! Some folks love it, some folks despise it, and others feel very meh about it. I’ve had many different kinds of carrot cake and can confidently dub this one here a carrot cake that you’ll truly enjoy. There are no nuts, no pineapple, no raisins, and no other ingredients that make some turn away from carrot cake. I like to think of it as straightforward with no fuss involved whatsoever.

For starters, this cake is baked in a skillet hence the name skillet carrot cake. Have you ever baked a cake in a skillet before? It’s the best! Cast iron skillets conduct more heat and have the potential to create a nice golden, light, crisp crust on the cake. I am in love with how wildly simple yet so perfectly flavorful this carrot cake is.

Skillet Carrot Cake Ingredients

(Note: the full ingredients list, including measurements, is provided in the recipe card directly below.)

  • all-purpose flour
  • almond flour
  • light brown sugar
  • baking soda
  • baking powder
  • kosher salt
  • cinnamon
  • nutmeg
  • cloves
  • cardamom
  • eggs
  • vegetable oil
  • sour cream
  • vanilla extract
  • shredded carrots
shredded carrots on top of carrot cake batter in glass bowl
carrot cake batter in glass bowl with black spatula
black spatula mixed in carrot cake batter in glass bowl
carrot cake batter in black cast iron skillet

How To Make This Carrot Cake

(Note: please see the recipe card directly below for the complete + full instructions.)

  1. Preheat the oven and grease your skillet.
  2. Combine all of the dry ingredients together in a bowl.
  3. In another bowl, combine all of the wet ingredients together.
  4. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix together until combined.
  5. Fold the shredded carrots into the batter.
  6. Bake the cake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
  7. Once done, allow the cake to cool down completely before frosting.
  8. Make the frosting and frost the top of the cooled cake.

Y’all, this skillet carrot cake is mind blowing! It’s so moist thanks to almond flour, oil, and sour cream. All of the spices (cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and cardamom) really give this cake such depth and warmth. And finely shredded carrots complete this beauty. While this is a carrot cake, one of my pet peeves is huge shreds in some versions. With finely shredded carrots, they blend more seamlessly within the batter for a better bite and texture. This cake is wonderfully light and just the right amount of sweet.

black hand taking forkful of carrot cake on pink and white plate

Can I Use Only All Purpose Flour?

In short, yes. Here’s the thing, almond flour adds more moisture to this skillet carrot cake and it gives even more flavor. Almond flour in this carrot cake takes it up a notch because it enhances the other flavors. If you only have all purpose flour on hand you could still make it work, but I fully recommend that almond flour.

Customize This Skillet Carrot Cake

  1. Toss in some walnuts or pecans.
  2. If you like pineapple, a little crushed pineapple here will be nice.
  3. Add some fun carrot-like decorations on top of the frosting (as pictured).
  4. This carrot cake can also be made into cupcakes or a loaf.

More Decadent Sweets To Try

sliced carrot cake in black cast iron skillet on wood surface

REMEMBER TO LEAVE A ⭐️STAR RATING⭐️AND TAG ME ON THE ‘GRAM IF YOU MAKE ANY OF MY RECIPES! I ALWAYS LOVE TO SEE IT WHEN YOU DO!

UNTIL NEXT TIME…LOVE AND BUTTER,

Q.

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skillet carrot cake in black cast iron pan

Easy Skillet Carrot Cake

★★★★★ 5 from 1 review
  • Author: Quin Liburd
  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Cook Time: 30 minutes
  • Total Time: 35 minutes
  • Yield: 4-6 1x
  • Category: Desserts & Sweets
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: American
Print Recipe

Description

Super moist, perfectly spiced, and beaming with flavor is this easy skillet carrot cake in a nutshell. This cake bakes up in a cast iron skillet for an even better texture and gets slathered with a tangy cream cheese frosting!

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup almond flour
  • 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
  • 2 large Pete and Gerry’s Organic Eggs
  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil, or canola oil as alternate
  • 8 ounces full-fat sour cream, or plain yogurt as alternate
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 cup finely shredded carrots (about 2 medium-sized carrots)

Cream Cheese Frosting

  • 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
  • 4 ounces (block-style) cream cheese, softened to room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly spray or grease a 10-inch cast iron skillet and set aside.
  2. In a large bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, almond flour, brown sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and cardamom together. Whisk the dry ingredients together super well to thoroughly combine and then set the bowl aside.
  3. In another medium-sized bowl, combine the eggs, oil, sour cream, and vanilla extract. Whisk the wet ingredients together until fully combined. The mixture should have a pale yellowish color.
  4. Pour the wet ingredients into the flour mixture and use a rubber spatula to fold the batter together until just combined. Then add in the shredded carrots and fold them into the batter until just combined and incorporated.
  5. Empty the batter into the prepared cast iron skillet and use an offset spatula to smooth the top.
  6. Bake the cake for 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool down completely before frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting

  1. In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or using an electric hand mixer); beat the butter and cream cheese together on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add in the vanilla paste/extract and continue beating together. With the mixer on the lowest setting, add in the powdered sugar and continue beating until well incorporated. 
  2. Add the frosting to the top of the cooled carrot cake and use an offset spatula to spread the frosting. Slice the cake into wedges and serve. Enjoy!

Keywords: carrot cake, skillet, baking, sweets, desserts