The best carrot cake to buy: tried and tested

A dessert that’s perfect for this time of year, but which carrot cakes offer a little slice of heaven?

Carrot cake on a plate about to be eaten
Image credit: Getty/Nelea Reazanteva
By Saga Magazine | Published - 10 Apr 2025
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1. Morrisons The Best Hand Decorated Carrot Cake

Winner

£3.50, serves 6

This was an exceptionally good cake.

The subtly spiced sponge was packed with abundant fruit and was perfectly moist while the orange-infused buttercream gave a pleasant zesty tang. 

  • 9/10

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2. Aldi Specially Selected Carrot Cake

£2.25, serves 6

This was packed with fruit and nuts and delivered a pleasant spicy tang. A thick buttercream between the layers meant you got the whole flavour in one mouthful.

A carrot cake with an authentic taste that hit the spot!

  • 9/10

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2. Tesco Finest Carrot Cake

£3.50, serves 6

Light, moist and pleasantly spiced, but this cake had little evidence of whole fruit.

The cream cheese topping was a little uneven but appetising with a delicate cinnamon dusting. 

  • 8/10

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3. Co-op Irresistible Carrot Cake

£3.25, serves 6

A strong fruity taste but lacking a substantial amount of whole fruit.

The lovely textured cake had plenty of carrot and a good covering of walnuts, albeit with an uneven but sweet icing. 

  • 8/10

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4. Waitrose Free From Carrot Cake

£4, serves 6

Nicely presented and with a palatable icing, this gluten-free cake looked good but didn’t deliver on taste.

It was dry and crumbly, lacking in fruity flavours and with a coconut aftertaste. 

  • 6/10

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5. M&S Lightly Spiced Carrot Cake

£4, serves 6

This looked better than it tasted. The lack of fruit and spice made it a bland flavour, while the texture was a little heavy and dry.

However, the cream cheese buttercream was divine.

  • 7/10

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6. Sainsbury’s Taste the Difference Carrot Cake

£3.50, serves 6

Despite being an attractive, double tiered cake, this was dry. There was little spice and a lack of satisfying fruitiness.

The buttercream icing was rather grainy and lacked flavour.

  • 6/10

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Our reviewers are mother and daughter team Diana Redfern and Emma Gill. 

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