Carrot cake is a perfect dessert for a birthday celebration or a casual get-together.
What is it about a cake made with carrots? People either love it or hate it! I love it!
This cake is made with cooked carrots, shredded coconut, chopped pecans and crushed pineapple. It's delicious eaten just on its own or topped with a cream cheese frosting.
What ingredients do I need to make this cake?
- flour
- sugar
- baking soda
- cinnamon
- nutmeg
- eggs
- oil
- vanilla
- pecans
- carrots
- pineapple
How do you make carrot cake?
You will not believe how simple this carrot cake is to make! You just put all the dry ingredients in a bowl. Add the wet ingredients and mix together.
Then you dump in all the yummy extras - carrots, coconut, pecans, and pineapple. Stir it all together, bake it and it's done! Easy Peasy!
What type of frosting is best?
I love a homemade cream cheese frosting with this carrot cake, but a great buttercream would be delicious too. You could also dust a bit of powdered sugar on the top and call it good. The choice is all yours.
What shape should I bake this cake?
I like to use two 8 inch rounds when making this cake. You could also use a rectangular cake pan and make a sheet cake.
Other Favorite Desserts Include:
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Carrot Cake
Ingredients
Cake
Frosting
- 8 ounces cream cheese (at room temperature)
- 8 ounces butter (at room temperature)
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla
- 3 ½ cups powdered sugar
- 2 Tablespoons lemon juice (freshly squeezed)
Instructions
Cake
- Prepare two 8 inch cake pans by lining bottom with parchment paper and lightly greasing. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon and nutmeg.
- In another bowl combine eggs, oil and vanilla.
- Add egg mixture to dry mixture. Stir together.
- Add pecans, carrots, coconut and pineapple. Mix until incorporated.
- Divide mixture into prepared cake pans.
- Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 30-35 minutes.
- Cool on a baking rack for 15 minutes. Remove from cake pans and continue cooling until completely cooled.
Frosting
- In a mixing bowl add cream cheese and butter. Mix with an electric mixer until smooth.
- Add vanilla and powdered sugar. Mix on low speed until combined.
- Mix in lemon juice.
Assemble Cake
- Place one cake on a dish. Place frosting on top. Place second cake on top. Frost top and sides.
- Sprinkle with additional chopped pecans (optional)
Notes
Nutrition
Fran @ G'day Souffle' says
I also love carrot cake- we served this at our wedding 40 years ago when carrot cake wasn't even in fashion. We even put the remaining cake in the freezer and had a piece one year later- that's what I call being a fanatic! And served with your famous butter cream icing, what else can I say ...... (except I wish I hadn't looked at the 500 calorie count details).
Kathy says
It would be a lovely cake to serve at a wedding and I think it would freeze beautifully and would still be moist!
Christina says
YUM!! I haven't eaten carrot cake in what feels like in forever. I know, I know. What IS wrong with me? The next time I made carrot cake THIS is the recipe I'm going to try, it looks AMAZING!
Kathy says
It sounds like it has been way too long! You'd better get baking! 🙂
Ashika | Gardening Foodie says
Oh I definitely loooove carrot cake. I am really loving how easy it is to put this recipe together and it looks so perfect and delicious. I have never tried adding pineapple before, and it sounds great...this recipe I have got to try 🙂 Absolutely love it 🙂
Nicoletta Sugarlovespices says
I love carrot cake! Of all the cakes with icing/frosting on top, it is my favorite. The pineapple adds such a great flavor component and I believe the cooked carrots makes it even more moist. Looks amazing!
Kathy says
Thanks, Nicoletta! It's a favorite in our house!
Mary Ann | The Beach House Kitchen says
Carrot cake is a total favorite at our house Kathy! Your recipe sounds delicious! Love the diced pineapple and the cream cheese frosting! You're making me very hungry!!
Kathy says
That's the plan! 🙂
David @ Spiced says
I love carrot cake, too! I didn't when I was a kid as I thought it was some sort of trick to make me eat more veggies...but I've seen the folly of my ways. I've never tried adding diced pineapple, though. I'll have to try that next time for sure! This looks delicious, Kathy!
Kathy says
Oh those ploys parents think up to make kids eat more veggies! 🙂 Glad you found it really is delicious!
Dawn - Girl Heart Food says
I'm a HUGE fan of carrot cake too! This one looks so moist and fluffy! Cream cheese frosting is definitely a must 🙂 Happy Monday to ya Kathy!
Kathy says
I think cream cheese frosting is a perfect match with carrot cake!