Lloyd Carrot Cake: The Moist, Classic Bronx Recipe You Can Make at Home

Lloyd carrot cake is one of those rare desserts that people drive across the city — or order shipped across the country — just to taste. Born in a small Bronx storefront in 1986, this legendary cake has built a devoted following over four decades thanks to one thing: it is impossibly, unforgettably moist. The original recipe from Lloyd’s Carrot Cake bakery is a closely guarded secret, rooted in a Caribbean family tradition. But after studying every detail that has been shared about what makes this cake so special, I’ve put together a homemade version that gets you remarkably close.

Whether you’re a longtime fan of the Bronx bakery or discovering Lloyd carrot cake for the first time, this recipe captures the essence of what has made it an American dessert icon. Twice-grated carrots. A perfectly balanced spice blend. And that signature cream cheese frosting that finishes every slice with a silky tang. Let’s get into it.

What Is Lloyd Carrot Cake and Why Is It So Popular?

Lloyd Adams opened his bakery on Broadway in the Riverdale section of the Bronx in 1986, starting with a recipe his mother passed down from a Caribbean grandmother. He spent years in his Harlem apartment tweaking and perfecting the formula before he had something he felt was ready to sell. What he ended up with was a carrot cake unlike anything New York had tasted before.

Lloyd passed away in 2007, but his wife Betty kept the business running, and today their children Brandon and Lilka carry the legacy forward. At Thanksgiving, the bakery sells over 1,500 carrot cakes in a single weekend, with lines stretching down the block for hours. The Food Network has featured it. Celebrity fans call it the best carrot cake they have ever had. The secret? A lot more eggs and cinnamon than typical recipes, carrots that are grated twice, and a cream cheese frosting that is tangy rather than overly sweet.

The homemade version you’ll find below is inspired by every publicly known detail about what makes the original so extraordinary.

Key Ingredients in Lloyd Carrot Cake

Getting this cake right comes down to a few non-negotiable elements. Here’s what matters most:

Twice-Grated Carrots

This is the single most important technique. Grating your carrots twice — first on a box grater, then once more — produces an ultra-fine shred that almost melts into the batter. It releases significantly more moisture than standard grating, which is the root of that signature Lloyd’s texture. Use about 3 cups, loosely packed after the second grate.

Extra Eggs and Cinnamon

The bakery is known for using more eggs and cinnamon than the average carrot cake recipe. Four large eggs give the cake its structure while keeping it rich and tender. Use a generous 2 1/2 teaspoons of cinnamon and don’t skip the nutmeg and ginger — together they create that warm, layered spice profile that makes you keep taking another bite.

Crushed Pineapple

Adding well-drained crushed pineapple is a classic trick in Caribbean-style baking. It adds subtle sweetness and extra moisture without making the cake soggy. Make sure to drain it thoroughly in a fine-mesh strainer and press out the liquid before adding it to the batter.

Cream Cheese Frosting, Not Butter-Based

One of the things that distinguishes Lloyd’s carrot cake from bakery competitors is the frosting. Lloyd’s uses a cream cheese-based frosting rather than a butter-based one. The result is silkier, tangier, and lighter on the palate — it balances the dense, sweet cake rather than piling on more sweetness.

Sour Cream

A third of a cup of full-fat sour cream in the batter contributes to the tenderness and that slightly tangy note that keeps the cake from being cloyingly sweet. Don’t swap it for plain yogurt if you can avoid it — the fat content matters here.

How to Make Lloyd Carrot Cake at Home

Ingredients

For the Cake:

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 4 large eggs
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 1/3 cup full-fat sour cream
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 3 cups finely grated carrots, grated twice
• 1 cup crushed pineapple, well drained
• 1 cup raisins (optional)
• 1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)

For the Cream Cheese Frosting:

• 16 oz (2 blocks) cream cheese, softened to room temperature
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 3 cups powdered sugar, sifted
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• Pinch of salt

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and lightly flour two 9-inch round cake pans, or one 9×13-inch baking pan. Line with parchment paper for easy removal.
2. Grate your carrots twice. Use the fine side of a box grater for the first pass, then grate the already-grated carrots once more. This step is key to achieving Lloyd’s signature texture.
3. Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.
4. In a large bowl, beat eggs, granulated sugar, and brown sugar together until slightly thickened, about 2 minutes. Add the oil, sour cream, and vanilla extract, and mix until smooth.
5. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and fold gently with a spatula until just combined. Do not overmix — stop when you no longer see dry streaks.
6. Fold in the twice-grated carrots, drained crushed pineapple, and raisins and nuts if using. The batter will be thick — that’s exactly right.
7. Divide the batter evenly between prepared pans. Bake 9-inch rounds for 35-40 minutes, or the 9×13 for 45-55 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Do not open the oven before the 30-minute mark.
8. Cool the cake in the pan for 15 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack and cool completely before frosting. Rushing this step will melt your frosting.
9. Make the frosting: Beat cream cheese and softened butter on medium-high speed for 3-4 minutes until very light and fluffy. Add sifted powdered sugar one cup at a time. Mix in vanilla and salt. Beat for another 2 minutes.
10. Frost the cooled cake generously. Garnish with crushed walnuts or a light dusting of cinnamon if desired. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before slicing.

Baking Tips for the Perfect Lloyd Carrot Cake

A few small details make the difference between a good carrot cake and a great one. Keep these tips in mind:

• Always grate your carrots yourself. Pre-shredded carrots from the store are too coarse and too dry. Fresh grating — especially the double-grate method — is non-negotiable for this recipe.
• Room temperature ingredients matter. Take your eggs, sour cream, and cream cheese out of the refrigerator at least an hour before you start. Cold ingredients don’t emulsify properly and can lead to a denser texture.
• Don’t skip the pineapple drain. Press the crushed pineapple through a fine-mesh strainer until no more liquid comes out. Wet pineapple can make your batter too loose and affect baking time.
• Use a kitchen scale for the flour. Spoon-and-level measuring of flour often leads to over-packing. 2 1/2 cups should weigh about 315 grams.
• Resist the urge to open the oven. Carrot cake is sensitive to temperature drops. Wait until at least 30 minutes have passed before checking for doneness.
• Frost only a completely cooled cake. Even slightly warm cake will cause cream cheese frosting to slip and melt. If you’re in a hurry, chill the unfrosted layers in the refrigerator for 20 minutes.

For another show-stopping celebration cake, check out our Rosemary’s Bakery Whipped Cream Cake Recipe — another beloved bakery copycat that never fails to impress.

Popular Variations of Lloyd Carrot Cake

Part of what makes this cake so beloved is its flexibility. Lloyd’s bakery itself offers the cake with or without nuts, and fans have developed all kinds of riffs on the classic. Here are the most popular:

Lloyd Carrot Cake Cupcakes

Fill standard cupcake liners two-thirds full with the batter and bake at 350°F for 18 to 22 minutes. Pipe the cream cheese frosting on top with a large star tip for a bakery-quality look. Makes about 24 cupcakes.

Plain (No-Nut, No-Raisin) Version

Lloyd’s offers the cake ‘plain,’ meaning without nuts or raisins. Simply leave them out of the batter — the cake is just as moist and flavorful, and this version is a better choice when baking for guests with nut allergies.

Coconut Carrot Cake

Add 1/2 cup of sweetened shredded coconut to the batter alongside the carrots and pineapple. The coconut adds a subtle chewiness and a tropical note that feels completely at home in this Caribbean-influenced recipe.

Lighter Version

Substitute half of the vegetable oil with unsweetened applesauce and replace half of the all-purpose flour with white whole wheat flour. Reduce granulated sugar to 1 cup. The result is slightly denser but still very moist, with noticeably fewer calories per slice.

Serving Ideas and Storage Tips for Lloyd Carrot Cake

Serving Suggestions

• Serve at room temperature. While the cake should be stored in the refrigerator, bring it out 20-30 minutes before serving. Cold cream cheese frosting can taste muted — letting it warm slightly unlocks the full flavor.
• Pair with hot coffee or chai tea. The warm spices in this cake are a natural match for a bold cup of coffee or a spiced chai latte.
• Sprinkle with toasted pecans. Toast a handful of chopped pecans in a dry skillet for 3-4 minutes and scatter over the frosted cake just before serving for added crunch.
• Drizzle with caramel. A light drizzle of our coconut sugar caramel sauce takes this cake to another level for special occasions.

Storage Tips

• Refrigerator: Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Press plastic wrap directly onto any cut surfaces to prevent drying.
• Freezer: Freeze unfrosted cake layers, tightly wrapped in plastic wrap and foil, for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before frosting.
• Frosted slices: Individual frosted slices can also be frozen. Freeze on a baking sheet until solid, then wrap individually and store in a zip-lock bag for up to 2 months.
• Never leave out overnight: Because of the cream cheese frosting, do not leave the cake at room temperature for more than 2 hours.

If you love baking with warm spices, you’ll also want to try our Joanna Gaines Apple Crisp Recipe — a cozy fall favorite that pairs beautifully with a slice of this carrot cake.

Common Mistakes to Avoid When Making Lloyd Carrot Cake

• Skipping the double-grate. Single-grated carrots are too coarse and don’t release enough moisture. The twice-grating step is what separates this cake from an average carrot cake.
• Overmixing the batter. Once you add the flour, mix only until the dry streaks disappear. Overmixing activates gluten and makes the cake tough rather than tender.
• Using cold cream cheese in the frosting. Cold cream cheese doesn’t beat smoothly — you’ll end up with lumps. Always start with fully softened cream cheese and butter.
• Overbaking. Carrot cake continues to set as it cools. Pull it from the oven when a toothpick comes out with just a few moist crumbs attached, not completely dry.
• Not draining the pineapple properly. Undrained pineapple adds too much liquid to the batter, which can prevent the cake from setting properly in the center.
• Frosting a warm cake. This is the most common mistake. Even a slightly warm cake will cause cream cheese frosting to break and slide. Give the cake a full cool-down on a wire rack.

Conclusion

There’s a reason people wait hours in line on a Bronx sidewalk for a slice of Lloyd carrot cake. It’s a recipe built on family love, Caribbean culinary tradition, and an obsession with getting every detail right. The twice-grated carrots, the generous spices, the cream cheese frosting that perfectly balances each rich bite — it all adds up to something genuinely special.

This homemade version won’t replace a trip to the Bronx — but it will give you something to enjoy any time the craving hits. Make it for a birthday, a holiday, a Sunday afternoon when you want something extraordinary to come out of your oven. Once you taste a slice of this Lloyd carrot cake, you’ll completely understand the legend.

Looking for more classic cake inspiration? Don’t miss our Barefoot Contessa Grape Nut Pudding Recipe — another treasured American classic that’s stood the test of time.

FAQs About Lloyd Carrot Cake

Lloyd Carrot Cake: The Moist, Classic Bronx Recipe You Can Make at Home

---

• Author: SOPHIE
• Total Time: 1 hour
• Yield: 12 slices 1x
• Diet: Vegetarian

Print Recipe

Pin Recipe

Description

This homemade Lloyd carrot cake is impossibly moist, warmly spiced, and finished with a silky cream cheese frosting just like the legendary Bronx classic.

---

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 4 large eggs
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 1/3 cup sour cream
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 3 cups finely grated carrots (twice grated)
• 1 cup crushed pineapple, drained
• 1 cup raisins (optional)
• 1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)
• 16 oz cream cheese
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
• 3 cups powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (for frosting)
• Pinch of salt

---

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and prepare baking pans.
2. Grate carrots twice until very fine.
3. Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and salt.
4. Beat eggs, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until slightly thick.
5. Add oil, sour cream, and vanilla extract and mix until smooth.
6. Fold dry ingredients into wet ingredients gently.
7. Fold in carrots, pineapple, and optional raisins and nuts.
8. Divide batter into pans.
9. Bake for 35–40 minutes (round pans) or 45–55 minutes (9×13).
10. Cool completely before frosting.
11. Beat cream cheese and butter until fluffy.
12. Add powdered sugar gradually, then vanilla and salt.
13. Frost cake generously and chill before serving.

Notes

Double-grating the carrots is key for moisture. Always drain pineapple well and use room temperature ingredients for best texture.

• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 40 minutes
• Category: Dessert
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: American

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 slice
• Calories: 520
• Sugar: 38g
• Sodium: 320mg
• Fat: 28g
• Saturated Fat: 10g
• Unsaturated Fat: 16g
• Trans Fat: 0g
• Carbohydrates: 62g
• Fiber: 2g
• Protein: 6g
• Cholesterol: 85mg

Keywords: lloyd carrot cake, carrot cake recipe, moist carrot cake, cream cheese frosting cake, bakery style cake