Carrot Bundt Cake

Carrot Bundt Cake feels like a warm kitchen memory—simple, honest, and quietly comforting. A golden ring flecked with carrot, tender in the middle and tempting a second slice.

Made to share with coffee or at an easy family table, this cake stays unfussy and full of heart. Light, homey, and lovely to pass around—exactly the sort of baking that makes a day feel like Sunday.

Ingredients

This carrot bundt has a simple, cozy glaze and a scattering of chopped pistachios — perfect for a casual get-together. Here’s everything you’ll need to recreate that exact cake, from the batter to the drizzle and the green crunch on top.

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 3/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups finely grated carrots, packed
• 1 tablespoon lemon zest, finely grated
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1/2 cup shelled pistachios, coarsely chopped
• 1 sprig fresh mint, whole (garnish)

Instructions

This carrot bundt has a cozy crumb, a bright lemony glaze and a sprinkle of green pistachios — simple steps so you can enjoy good cake without fuss.

1. Preheat and prep the pan: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C), brush a 10-cup bundt pan with a little vegetable oil and dust lightly with some of the all-purpose flour so the cake releases easily.
2. Whisk the dry ingredients: In a bowl, whisk together the remaining all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, fine salt, ground cinnamon and ground nutmeg until evenly mixed.
3. Combine sugars and eggs: In a large bowl, whisk the granulated sugar and packed light brown sugar with the three large eggs until blended and a bit glossy, then slowly whisk in the vegetable oil.
4. Add yogurt, vanilla and zest: Stir the plain Greek yogurt, vanilla extract and the tablespoon of finely grated lemon zest into the sugar-egg mixture until smooth and homogenous.
5. Fold in the carrots: Stir the two cups of finely grated carrots into the wet mixture until evenly distributed and the batter looks moist and speckled with carrot.
6. Combine wet and dry: Add the dry flour mixture to the wet ingredients in two additions, folding gently each time until just combined and there are no streaks of flour.
7. Fill the pan and bake: Spoon the batter into the prepared bundt pan, smooth the top, and bake at 350°F (175°C) for about 45–55 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
8. Cool before glazing: Let the cake cool in the pan for 10–15 minutes, then invert onto a rack and cool completely, about another 45–60 minutes, so the glaze won’t slide off.
9. Make the lemon glaze: Whisk the one cup of powdered sugar with the two tablespoons of lemon juice until you have a pourable glaze, adding a tiny extra drop of lemon juice if it’s too thick for drizzling.
10. Glaze and finish: Drizzle the lemon glaze over the cooled bundt, scatter the half cup of coarsely chopped shelled pistachios over the top, and tuck the whole sprig of fresh mint on the cake as a bright garnish.

Tweaks and Additions

Want to give this carrot bundt a little personality? Here are eight simple, friendly tweaks — easy swaps and small additions that add warmth, texture or a brighter citrus note without any fuss.

• Browned-butter swap: Replace half the vegetable oil with 6 tablespoons of browned butter (cooled) to lend a toasty, nutty depth that complements the carrots and pistachios.
• Add ground cardamom: Stir 1 teaspoon of ground cardamom into the dry spices for a warm, floral lift that plays nicely with the cinnamon and lemon.
• Fold in ricotta: Fold 1/2 cup whole-milk ricotta into the wet ingredients (or swap it for half the Greek yogurt) to make the crumb extra tender and moist.
• Soaked raisins or currants: Soak 1/2 cup raisins or currants in warm strong tea or orange juice for 10 minutes, toss with a little flour, then fold in for little juicy pockets that won’t sink.
• Crushed amaretti: Gently fold 1/2 cup crushed amaretti cookies into the batter for a light almond-y crunch and a lovely Italian note.
• Orange in the glaze: Add 1 teaspoon finely grated orange zest and a tablespoon of orange juice to the lemon glaze to round the citrus and give it a sunnier perfume.
• Cream-cheese drizzle: Swap half the powdered-sugar glaze for a cream-cheese drizzle by whisking 4 ounces softened cream cheese with 3/4 cup powdered sugar and 1 tablespoon lemon juice for a tangy, richer finish.
• Finish with sea salt and toasted nuts: Right after glazing, sprinkle a small pinch of flaky sea salt and a few extra chopped toasted pistachios (or toasted walnuts) to sharpen the flavors and add nice contrast.