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Carrot cake is as quintessential to an Easter table as ham or lamb. Some say it made its way to Easter’s spotlight because it’s supposedly the favorite snack of the Easter Bunny. Folklore aside, we do know that carrots harvested in the spring are especially sweet. When combined with warm spices, bright citrus, crunchy nuts, and dried fruit, carrot cake strikes the balance of bright yet cozy — perfect for the crossover from winter to spring. Whether it’s a layer cake, sheet cake, or baked in a Bundt, carrot cake is beloved in all forms. 

When considering the best desserts for Easter, we dug into the Food & Wine archives to revisit some of our favorite carrot cake recipes. We chose a classic layer cake, a citrus-scented Bundt, a simple snack cake, and a sheet cake made with loads of cardamom and ghee. The variety of carrot cakes was impressive, but only one delivered on taste and flavor while providing the nostalgic experience many crave from this classic dessert.

Experienced recipe testers from the People Inc. Food Studios got to baking, then tasted the results alongside a team of F&W food experts and editors. It was the ultimate carrot cake showdown, with one cake standing out among the rest.

Winner: Jodi Elliott’s Classic Carrot Cake with Fluffy Cream Cheese Frosting

Food & Wine / Photo by Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Emily Nabors Hall / Prop Styling by Priscilla Montiel

Active time: 40 minutes
Total time: 3 hours 30 minutes

Chef Jodi Elliott took home the 2013 F&W People’s Best New Pastry Chef award for her work at the award-winning restaurant Foreign & Domestic in Austin. She went on to open the now-closed Bribery Bakery, which filled its cases with classic, nostalgic desserts that featured her own creative spins. In a 2014 interview with Edible Austin, she noted, “Everyone connects with desserts that remind them of family and things they can make in their own home.” This feeling of familiarity was what our tasting team loved most about her traditional carrot cake recipe, taking it to the top of our list.

Elliott’s Classic Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting looks and tastes nostalgic. Two round cake layers pack a pound of coarsely grated carrots and loads of toasted pecans for crunch. Buttermilk keeps the layers tender and moist, while a whisper of cinnamon lends subtle spice. Layered with a simple cream cheese frosting, then garnished with more crunchy pecans, this cake looks like it belongs on a cake stand in an American-style 1950s diner. 

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Credit: Food & Wine / Photo by Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Emily Nabors Hall / Prop Styling by Priscilla Montiel

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