Let me introduce you to the Carrot Cake of my dreams, made with the perfect balance of spices, extra moist from buttermilk and crushed pineapple, and slathered in delicious cream cheese frosting.
We love sneaking carrots into baked goods like carrot muffins, or carrot zucchini bars. If you love cake as much as I do, be sure to check out all of my homemade cake recipes.
Of all the cakes in all the land, this Carrot Cake is the one I choose for my birthday each year. I share my birthday with my twin sister and my mom always spoiled us growing up by making both of our favorite cakes; German Chocolate Cake for her, and Carrot Cake for me. Our family members loved it because they got a little slice of both types of delicious cake.
Sometimes carrot cake can be dense and dull but this carrot cake recipe makes the most moist, light and flavorful carrot cake, EVER.
What makes this the BEST Carrot Cake:
- Three Layers. That means extra frosting smoothed between not two, but THREE layers of cake.
- It’s loaded with the good stuff, like buttermilk and crushed pineapple to give it that extra moist, tender crumb. You can add golden raisins and pecans, or coconut to the cake batter, as well.
- The frosting is (almost) the best part. Carrot cake just isn’t carrot cake without the pairing of cream cheese frosting and this frosting is fool-proof, light and creamy, and compliments the cake flavors perfectly.
How to Make Carrot Cake:
1. Combine wet ingredients: Beat the eggs, granulated sugar, brown sugar, oil, buttermilk, vanilla, and pineapple together in a large bowl.
2. Combine dry ingredients: In another bowl combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, salt and nutmeg. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until incorporated.
3. Fold in carrots, pecans, and raisins just until evenly distributed throughout the batter
4. Bake. Pour the batter into prepared pans. Bake at 350ºF for 25-40 minutes (see details in recipe card). Allow cakes to cool in the pans for 10-15 minutes before inverting them onto a wire rack to cool completely.
To assemble carrot cake:
- Place the bottom layer on serving plate. Scoop about 2/3 cup of the cream cheese frosting onto the bottom cake layer. Spread the frosting thinly and evenly over the surface and out to the edge of the cake. repeat with remaining cake layers.
- Spread frosting around the sides of the cake, adding more as needed, until it’s covered. Use the palm of your hand to cup chopped pecans around the edge of the cake, if desired.
- Chill for at least 30 minutes before serving.
Variations:
- Pineapple substitute: The Crushed Pineapple adds a lot of moistness and sweet flavor to the cake, but you could use applesauce as a substitute.
- Nuts and Raisins: These are optional, so add what you like, or add walnuts or coconut. I prefer raisins in the cake and nuts only on the outside.
- Make it in advance. I like to make the cake and cream cheese frosting at least one day in advance. Frozen cakes are easier to frost!
- One layer cake: Grease a 9×13 inch baking pan and add batter, but don’t overfill the pan (you could use leftover batter to make a few cupcakes). Bake for 35-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Two Layer Cake: Pour batter into two lined and greased 9” round cake pans and bake for about 30-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cupcakes: Line muffin pans with cupcake lines and fill ¾ full with batter. Bake cupcakes for about 18-25 minutes. Makes about 30 cupcakes cupcakes.
Freezing Instructions:
After the cakes bake, allow them to cool completely, then wrap each layer in plastic wrap and place a ziplock freezer bag. Freeze for up to three months. Frosting can be stored in the fridge for 3-4 weeks or frozen for up to 3 months in a freezer-safe container. Remove the frosting from the fridge 1-2 hours before frosting the cake, to allow it to come to room temperature.
More Popular Cake Recipes:
- German Chocolate Cake
- Pineapple Cake with coconut filling
- Almond Sheet Cake with berries
- Cinnamon Roll Cake
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Recipe
Carrot Cake
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 2/3 cup light brown sugar , firmly packed
- 1 cup oil ,vegetable or canola oil
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 4 large eggs , room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup crushed pineapple*
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 2 1/2 cups carrots , finely grated (about 3-4 large carrots)
- 1 cup chopped pecans , optional
- 1 cup golden raisins , optional
For the Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 16 ounces cream cheese , softened
- 3/4 cup butter , softened
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 4-5 cups powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare three 8 inch cake pans* by lightly coating with cooking spray and lining with parchment paper on the bottom.
- Beat the eggs, granulated sugar, brown sugar, oil, buttermilk, vanilla, and pineapple together in a large bowl.
- In another bowl combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, salt and nutmeg. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until incorporated.
- Fold in the carrots, pecans and raisins just until evenly distributed throughout the batter.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pans. Bake on the center oven rack until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, about 25-30 minutes. Allow cakes to cool in the pans for 10-15 minutes before inverting them onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Cream cheese frosting:
- Beat cream cheese and butter together until smooth. Mix in vanilla. Add powdered sugar, one cup at a time, until the frosting reaches consistency you want. You may not need to add all of the sugar.
Assemble:
- Place the bottom layer on a cardboard round on serving plate. Scoop about ½ cup of the cream cheese frosting onto the bottom cake layer. Spread the frosting thinly and evenly over the surface and out to the edge of the cake. repeat with remaining cake layers.
- Spread frosting around the sides of the cake, adding more as needed, until it's covered. Use the palm of your hand to cup chopped pecans around the edge of the cake, if desired. Chill for 30 minutes before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
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*Cake Recipe adapted from The Essential Baker.
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I first shared this recipe May 2013. Updated March 2021.
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This is truly the Ultimate Carrot Cake. I made it the first time because my 3 year old great grandson asked me to make a Peppa Pig carrot cake! … Everyone loved it and now I am asked to make it for every birthday! Today I made it for my daughter’s 60th Birthday tomorrow.
Great recipe. Love the flavor though I didn’t add the coconut to the recipe . It did bake for an extra 10 min because cuz I only wanted the double layer cake. I am happy with this new recipe.
Have made this 3 times now and it’s a smash hit each time. I frequently get requests. The pineapple is stellar.
Awesome, awesome, awesome!
ABSOLUTELY AMAZING!!!!! So moist and paired with cream cheese icing is BEYOND!!! Thank you so much for this recipe!!! Rave reviews from ALL!!