Orange Glazed Carrot Cake

Here is my favorite glazed carrot cake recipe, with white chocolate, warm spices like cinnamon and allspice, fresh ginger, walnuts, and a tangy lime glaze that balances out the sweetness.

This carrot cake is always a hit when I bring it to potlucks or bake sales. The white chocolate adds a creamy richness you don’t usually find in carrot cake, and that lime glaze gives it just the right amount of zing. Perfect with a cup of coffee any time of day!

What Kind of Carrots Should I Use?

Fresh carrots are definitely the way to go for this cake – avoid pre-shredded carrots from a bag since they tend to be dry and won’t add the same moisture to your batter. Regular orange carrots work perfectly fine, though you can also use rainbow carrots if you want to mix things up a bit. When you’re prepping your carrots, make sure to peel them first and then grate them finely so they distribute evenly throughout the cake and bake properly. The fresher your carrots, the more natural sweetness and moisture they’ll bring to your cake.

Options for Substitutions

This carrot cake recipe is pretty forgiving when it comes to swaps:

• White chocolate: You can use milk chocolate instead, though it will give the cake a slightly different flavor profile. Dark chocolate works too if you prefer less sweetness.
• Butter: If you need a dairy-free option, try using coconut oil or a plant-based butter substitute in equal amounts. The texture will be just as good.
• Walnuts: Pecans are a classic swap for walnuts in carrot cake and work perfectly here. You can also use almonds or skip the nuts altogether if you have allergies.
• Fresh ginger: If you don’t have fresh ginger, use about 5 mL of ground ginger instead. It won’t have quite the same punch, but it’ll still give you that warm spice.
• Lime juice: Lemon juice works just as well in the glaze and pairs nicely with the orange zest. The citrus flavor will be slightly different but still tasty.
• Allspice: Don’t have allspice? Mix equal parts cinnamon, nutmeg, and a tiny pinch of cloves to create a similar warm spice blend.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Baking

The biggest mistake when making carrot cake is not letting the melted chocolate and butter mixture cool down before adding it to the eggs – if it’s too hot, you’ll end up scrambling the eggs instead of creating a smooth batter.

Another common error is overmixing the batter once you add the flour, which can make your cake tough and dense rather than tender, so mix just until the flour disappears.

Don’t skip grating your carrots finely, as large chunks won’t incorporate well and can create pockets of moisture that affect the texture.

Finally, resist the urge to glaze your cake while it’s still warm – a completely cooled cake prevents the glaze from sliding off and gives you those beautiful, thick layers you’re looking for.

What to Serve With Carrot Cake?

Carrot cake is pretty rich on its own with that white chocolate glaze, so I like to keep things simple on the side. A hot cup of coffee or tea is really all you need to balance out the sweetness, though a scoop of vanilla ice cream never hurts if you’re feeling extra indulgent. If you’re serving this for a gathering, fresh berries like strawberries or raspberries make a nice addition to the plate and add a bit of brightness. You could also serve it with a dollop of whipped cream or cream cheese frosting on the side for anyone who wants an extra creamy bite.

Storage Instructions

Store: Keep your glazed carrot cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or in the fridge for up to a week. The glaze might soften a bit in the fridge, but it’ll still taste great. Just let it sit out for about 20 minutes before serving if you prefer it at room temperature.

Freeze: This cake freezes really well for up to 3 months. I like to wrap individual slices in plastic wrap, then put them all in a freezer bag so I can grab just one piece whenever I want. You can freeze it with or without the glaze, but I usually add the glaze after thawing for the best texture.

Thaw: When you’re ready to enjoy a frozen slice, just leave it on the counter for about an hour or pop it in the fridge overnight. If you froze it without the glaze, whip up a fresh batch of the lime glaze to drizzle on top before serving.

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 2350-2550
• Protein: 27-31 g
• Fat: 120-135 g
• Carbohydrates: 295-320 g

Ingredients

For the cake:

• 3.5 oz white chocolate (I like Ghirardelli baking bars for a smooth melt)
• 4.2 oz unsalted butter (I prefer Kerrygold for its high fat content)
• 0.7 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1.2 cups flour (I always use King Arthur all-purpose flour)
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp allspice
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 1.4 oz walnuts
• 1 oz ginger (finely minced, about 1/4-inch pieces)
• 2.5 oz carrot (shredded using the small holes of a box grater)
• 1 tbsp orange zest

For the first glaze:

• 0.7 cup icing sugar
• 2 tbsp lime juice

For the second glaze:

• 1 cup icing sugar (sifted to remove lumps)
• 1 tbsp lime juice
• orange zest

Step 1: Prepare mise en place and preheat oven

• 1 oz ginger, finely minced
• 2.5 oz carrot, shredded
• 1.4 oz walnuts, chopped
• orange zest
• lime zest
• 1 cup icing sugar, sifted

Preheat your oven to 350°F and line a 9-inch round cake pan (or 8×8 square pan) with parchment paper.

While the oven heats, finely mince the ginger into 1/4-inch pieces, shred the carrot using the small holes of a box grater, chop the walnuts into bite-sized pieces, and zest the orange and lime.

Sift the 1 cup of icing sugar for the final glaze to remove any lumps—this ensures a smooth, lump-free glaze later.

Step 2: Melt chocolate and butter, then prepare dry ingredients

• 3.5 oz white chocolate
• 4.2 oz unsalted butter
• 1.2 cups flour
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp allspice
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg

While your oven finishes preheating, chop the white chocolate into small pieces and combine it with the unsalted butter in a heatproof bowl.

Melt over a double boiler or in 30-second microwave bursts, stirring between bursts until completely smooth—I find Ghirardelli chocolate melts beautifully without seizing.

Set aside to cool for 2-3 minutes.

Simultaneously, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, allspice, and nutmeg in a separate bowl to combine the spices evenly throughout.

Step 3: Create the cake batter

• 2 eggs
• 0.7 cup sugar
• melted chocolate and butter mixture from Step 2
• dry ingredient mixture from Step 2
• prepared carrot, walnuts, ginger, and orange zest from Step 1

In a large mixing bowl, beat the eggs and sugar together for 2 minutes until pale and slightly fluffy—this aerates the batter for a lighter crumb.

Pour the cooled chocolate-butter mixture into the eggs and mix until fully combined.

Add the dry ingredient mixture from Step 2 and fold gently until just combined, being careful not to overmix.

Fold in the carrot, walnuts, ginger, and orange zest from Step 1 until evenly distributed throughout the batter.

Step 4: Bake the cake

• batter from Step 3

Pour the batter into your prepared pan and smooth the top with a spatula.

Bake for 35-40 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs—the cake will continue to set as it cools.

The top should look set and slightly golden.

Remove from the oven and let cool completely in the pan, about 30-40 minutes, before moving on to glazing.

Step 5: Make and apply the first glaze

• 0.7 cup icing sugar
• 2 tbsp lime juice
• cooled cake from Step 4

While the cake cools, prepare the first glaze by whisking together the 0.7 cup icing sugar and 2 tablespoons of lime juice until smooth and pourable.

Once the cake has cooled completely, pour this glaze over the top, letting it drip down the sides naturally.

Allow this first glaze to set for 45 minutes at room temperature—the acidity of the lime juice will add brightness to the white chocolate cake.

Step 6: Make and apply the second glaze, then finish

• sifted icing sugar from Step 1
• 1 tbsp lime juice
• orange and lime zests from Step 1
• cake with first glaze from Step 5

After 45 minutes, prepare the second glaze by whisking together the sifted icing sugar from Step 1 with the remaining 1 tablespoon of lime juice until you reach a smooth, spreadable consistency.

Gently pour or spread this second glaze over the first layer, working quickly so it sets smoothly.

Immediately sprinkle the reserved orange and lime zests over the top for brightness and color.

Let the cake rest for 1 hour before serving to allow the glazes to fully set—this helps the slices cut cleanly.

Orange Glazed Carrot Cake

Delicious Orange Glazed Carrot Cake recipe with step-by-step instructions.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 1 hour hr 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 2 hours hrs 35 minutes mins

Total Time 3 hours hrs 55 minutes mins

Servings 8 slices

Calories 2450 kcal

Ingredients

  

For the cake::

• 3.5 oz white chocolate (I like Ghirardelli baking bars for a smooth melt)
• 4.2 oz unsalted butter (I prefer Kerrygold for its high fat content)
• 0.7 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1.2 cups flour (I always use King Arthur all-purpose flour)
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp allspice
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 1.4 oz walnuts
• 1 oz ginger (finely minced, about 1/4-inch pieces)
• 2.5 oz carrot (shredded using the small holes of a box grater)
• 1 tbsp orange zest

For the first glaze::

• 0.7 cup icing sugar
• 2 tbsp lime juice

For the second glaze::

• 1 cup icing sugar (sifted to remove lumps)
• 1 tbsp lime juice
• orange zest

Instructions

 

• Preheat your oven to 350°F and line a 9-inch round cake pan (or 8x8 square pan) with parchment paper. While the oven heats, finely mince the ginger into 1/4-inch pieces, shred the carrot using the small holes of a box grater, chop the walnuts into bite-sized pieces, and zest the orange and lime. Sift the 1 cup of icing sugar for the final glaze to remove any lumps—this ensures a smooth, lump-free glaze later.
• While your oven finishes preheating, chop the white chocolate into small pieces and combine it with the unsalted butter in a heatproof bowl. Melt over a double boiler or in 30-second microwave bursts, stirring between bursts until completely smooth—I find Ghirardelli chocolate melts beautifully without seizing. Set aside to cool for 2-3 minutes. Simultaneously, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, allspice, and nutmeg in a separate bowl to combine the spices evenly throughout.
• In a large mixing bowl, beat the eggs and sugar together for 2 minutes until pale and slightly fluffy—this aerates the batter for a lighter crumb. Pour the cooled chocolate-butter mixture into the eggs and mix until fully combined. Add the dry ingredient mixture from Step 2 and fold gently until just combined, being careful not to overmix. Fold in the carrot, walnuts, ginger, and orange zest from Step 1 until evenly distributed throughout the batter.
• Pour the batter into your prepared pan and smooth the top with a spatula. Bake for 35-40 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs—the cake will continue to set as it cools. The top should look set and slightly golden. Remove from the oven and let cool completely in the pan, about 30-40 minutes, before moving on to glazing.
• While the cake cools, prepare the first glaze by whisking together the 0.7 cup icing sugar and 2 tablespoons of lime juice until smooth and pourable. Once the cake has cooled completely, pour this glaze over the top, letting it drip down the sides naturally. Allow this first glaze to set for 45 minutes at room temperature—the acidity of the lime juice will add brightness to the white chocolate cake.
• After 45 minutes, prepare the second glaze by whisking together the sifted icing sugar from Step 1 with the remaining 1 tablespoon of lime juice until you reach a smooth, spreadable consistency. Gently pour or spread this second glaze over the first layer, working quickly so it sets smoothly. Immediately sprinkle the reserved orange and lime zests over the top for brightness and color. Let the cake rest for 1 hour before serving to allow the glazes to fully set—this helps the slices cut cleanly.