This moist, airy Italian Carrot Cake is made with fresh carrots, almond flour, and orange zest, and is ready in just one hour. The simple batter bakes into a golden, almond-scented sponge that melts in your mouth without needing any heavy frosting. I love baking this for a light breakfast that feels effortlessly elegant.

What I Learned Making This

Most of us are used to American carrot cakes loaded with spices, nuts, and thick cream cheese frosting, but this Italian version (often called Torta Camilla) is completely different. The secret to its incredible texture isn’t just grating the carrots—it’s blending them with oil and orange juice until they form a smooth, bright orange cream.

When I first tried this technique, I was skeptical about puréeing raw carrots, but it completely transformed the crumb. The carrot cream emulsifies with the eggs to create a cake that stays moist for days and has a delicate, uniform consistency closer to a sponge cake than a dense muffin.

Italian Carrot Cake Ingredients

250g (approx. 3 medium) carrots: Peeled and chopped into chunks.
150ml (2/3 cup) sunflower oil: Or any neutral vegetable oil (keeps the cake lighter than butter).
3 large eggs: At room temperature to whip up properly.
200g (1 cup) granulated sugar: Provides the right amount of sweetness without overpowering the almonds.
100g (1 cup) almond flour: Adds moisture and the signature nutty flavor.
200g (1 2/3 cups) all-purpose flour: The structural base of the cake.
1 orange: You will need both the finely grated zest and about 50ml (1/4 cup) of juice.
16g (1 tbsp + 1 tsp) baking powder: Italian cakes use a whole packet (16g), which is slightly more than typical American recipes, for extra lift.
Pinch of salt: To balance the flavors.
Powdered sugar: For dusting the finished cake.

How To Make Italian Carrot Cake

Prep the Oven and Pan: Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C). Grease a 9-inch (22-24cm) springform pan or bundt pan and line the bottom with parchment paper if using a springform.
Make the Carrot Cream: Place the peeled, chopped carrots, sunflower oil, and orange juice into a food processor or high-speed blender. Blitz until you have a smooth, bright orange purée with no large chunks remaining.
Whip the Eggs: In a large bowl, beat the eggs and sugar with an electric mixer on high speed for about 5 minutes until pale, frothy, and tripled in volume.
Combine Wet Ingredients: Lower the mixer speed and gently mix in the orange zest and the carrot purée until just combined.
Fold in Dry Ingredients: Sift the all-purpose flour and baking powder into the bowl. Add the almond flour and salt. Gently fold everything together with a spatula until no flour streaks remain—do not overmix.
Bake: Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 40-45 minutes. A toothpick inserted into the center should come out clean.
Cool and Serve: Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then release it onto a wire rack to cool completely. Dust generously with powdered sugar before slicing.

Recipe Tips

Blend thoroughly: The carrots must be puréed into a cream, not just grated. If you only have a grater, use the finest holes possible, but the blender method yields the best “Camilla” texture.
Room temperature eggs: Cold eggs won’t whip up as volumously with the sugar, which is crucial for aerating this oil-based cake.
Watch the browning: Because of the almond flour and sugar, the top can brown quickly. If it looks dark after 30 minutes, tent it loosely with aluminum foil for the remaining bake time.
Don’t skip the almond flour: It provides the fat and moisture that butter usually would. If you are nut-free, you can substitute more all-purpose flour, but the texture will be drier.

What To Serve With Torta Camilla

This cake is traditionally eaten for breakfast or merenda (afternoon snack) alongside a cappuccino or strong espresso. It is light enough that it doesn’t need heavy toppings, but a dollop of barely sweetened whipped cream or a side of vanilla yogurt complements the citrus notes beautifully.

How To Store

Store the cooled cake at room temperature under a cake dome or in an airtight container for up to 4 days; the flavor actually improves the next day. You can also freeze individual slices wrapped in plastic wrap for up to 3 months.

FAQs

Can I use olive oil instead of sunflower oil?
Yes, but use a light or mild olive oil. Extra virgin olive oil has a strong flavor that might overpower the delicate almond and orange notes.
Is this cake gluten-free?
Not as written, but you can successfully replace the 200g of all-purpose flour with a 1:1 gluten-free baking flour blend since the almond flour already provides good structure.
Can I use store-bought almond meal?
Yes, almond meal (skin-on) works fine, though it will make the cake slightly darker and more rustic looking than blanched almond flour.
Why is my cake dense?
You likely overmixed the batter after adding the flour, or didn’t whip the eggs and sugar long enough to incorporate air initially.

Nutrition

Calories: 320
Total Fat: 22g
Saturated Fat: 2g
Cholesterol: 55mg
Sodium: 180mg
Total Carbohydrate: 38g
Protein: 6g

Try More Recipes: