Carrot Cake! With a hint of cinnamon, soft crunch from nuts, ultra moist crumb and piled high with the fluffiest ever cream cheese frosting, this has the perfect texture and flavour. Easy and foolproof, absolutely to-die for!
Carrot Cake
This Carrot Cake is from a reader, the lovely Dorothy of Tennessee in the States, a long-time reader of RecipeTin Eats. She promised it was dead easy, foolproof, ultra moist with a heavenly flavour.
One bite was all it took for me to ditch the recipe I’d been using all my life up until that moment. This was The One. Hands down the best Carrot Cake I have ever had in my life!
I love it so much, in fact, that I’ve also just published a cupcake version too!
Why you’ll love this Carrot Cake recipe
The cake itself is not too sweet, with less sugar than most recipes;
The cake is moist, but not doughy or “mud-cake” like;
The subtle crunch from pecans and coconut in the cake. The textural contrast with the crumb is really terrific; and
There is plenty of frosting!!
What you need for Carrot Cake
Here’s what you need for this Carrot Cake. The “secret ingredients” in this are:
Crushed pineapple (canned) – this adds to the moistness of the crumb, as well as sweetness and flavour. We’re going to use all of the pineapple and some of the juice; and
Coconut and walnuts (or pecans) – they add a subtle soft crunch which provides great textural contrast in this cake that has a very soft crumb.
No butter! Did you know – oil makes cakes moist and butter adds flavour. In this recipe, we don’t need butter because there’s all sorts of flavour from the other ingredients so we just use oil.
How to make Carrot Cake
Just use a standard box grater to grate the carrot. Then it’s as simple as mixing the Dry ingredients, mixing the Wet, then mixing them together.
I’ve made a 2 layer cake here but you could also make one rectangle single layer cake.
Cream Cheese Frosting for Carrot Cake
There’s just no question – fluffy cream cheese frosting is the BEST frosting for Carrot Cake! Here’s what you need:
Cream cheese – use BLOCK, not the spreadable cream cheese in tubs (too soft);
Softened butter – softened but not super soft / borderline melting;
Icing sugar aka powdered sugar – 🇦🇺use soft icing sugar, NOT pure icing sugar (which is used for things like royal icing ie sets hard); and
Vanilla.
How to make cream cheese frosting
There’s no secret trick to making fluffy cream cheese frosting. Just beat, beat, beat until fluffy! It will take a good 3 to 5 minutes to make the frosting super fluffy.
TIP for even layers (without trimming)
No cake comes out of the oven with a perfectly level surface.
But rather than bothering to cut the top to make it level, just flip the cake upside down before frosting.
You’ll still get a slight dome in the middle with this cake but it’s less pronounced than if you frosted it without turning it upside down.
And so I present to you, Dorothy’s Carrot Cake, with 2 layers, though it’s marvellous as a single layer sheet pan rectangle cake – goes further and there’s a thicker layer of frosting on the surface.
Thank you Dorothy, for sharing your wonderful recipe with us!!! I’m so honoured! – Nagi x
Watch how to make it
Hungry for more? Subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram for all of the latest updates.
Carrot Cake (Easy and ultra moist!)
Ingredients
- 440g / 20 oz can crushed pineapple , drained but RESERVE juice (Note 1)
- 1/4 cup (65 ml) reserved canned pineapple juice (from canned pineapple above)
Wet Ingredients
- 3/4 cup (185 ml) milk , at room temperature (full or low fat)
- 1 tsp white vinegar (or lemon juice or other clear vinegar, (Note 2)
- 3 eggs (55g/2oz each)
- 1 1/2 cups (265g) brown sugar (loosely packed)
- 1/2 cup (125 ml) vegetable oil (or canola)
Dry Ingredients
- 2 cups (300g) flour , plain / all purpose
- 2 tsp baking soda (aka bi carb soda, Note 3) (NOT BAKING POWDER)
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 tsp cinnamon powder
Stir Ins
- 2 cups grated carrot , about 2 carrots, peeled (Note 4)
- 1/4 cup coconut , shredded or desiccated (plain / unsweetened)
- 1/2 cup walnuts or pecans , roughly chopped
Frosting
- 180g / 6oz cream cheese , at room temperature (Note 5)
- 225g / 1 cup unsalted butter , softened
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 4 cups (480g) icing sugar / powdered sugar , sifted if clumpy (Note 6)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180°C/350°F (all oven types). Grease and line two 20-22.5 cm/8 – 9" round pans OR a 9 x 13" / 22 x 33cm pan with baking/parchment paper. (Note 7)
- Drain crushed pineapple well, reserving the juice. Measure out 1/4 cup of pineapple juice.
- Whisk Dry ingredients in a large bowl.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the milk, vinegar, eggs, sugar, oil and the 1/4 cup pinepple juice from Step 2.
- Stir in carrot, crushed pineapple, coconut and pecans into the Wet ingredients bowl.
- Pour Wet into Dry ingredients, stir until flour is incorporated.
- Pour into prepared pan(s). Bake round cakes for 35 minutes, rectangle cake for 40 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean and the cake is golden on top.
- Rest for 10 minutes in the pan before turning out onto a cooling rack. Frost once completely cool.
Cream Cheese Frosting
- Beat together cream cheese, butter and vanilla until smooth. Then beat in the icing sugar in 2 batches until it is well incorporated and the frosting is fluffy – about 3 minutes on speed 7 stand mixer.
- Flip one cake upside down on serving platter (for flat surface). Spread with 1/3 frosting. Place 2nd cake upside down on frosting. Frost top and sides with remaining frosting.
Storage
- If cooler than 25°C/77°C and not humid, ok to keep cake in airtight container not in fridge. If very humid OR warmer than 25°C/77°C, store in fridge (Note 8).
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
Originally published April 2016. Updated with new photos, and new recipe video added!
“Let them eat cake!” 10 classic cake recipes
Life of Dozer
Project Manager Dozer on duty for the video shoot! Quality Assurance is his speciality 😂
And here he is from when I originally published this Carrot Cake – no surprises, Dozer lurking under the shoot table! I’m not going to lie to you. He scored a big hunk of carrot cake. His bottom can afford it. Mine can’t.
This could be called “Irene’s ” Carrot Cake, too! My mom made this cake and also put some crushed pineapple in the frosting for the 13×9 cake… it was known as a Tropical Carrot Cake. Not too sweet, just right!
It looks divine! Thanks Nagi and Dorothy 🙂 looks like Dozer likes the look of it too.
Seriously the most amazing carrot cake ever!!
This was fantastic. I whipped it up today quickly during baby nap time, and divided it up into a muffin tin (made 16 exactly!) and baked for 20 mins on the same temp. So delicious, thanks Dorothy (and Nagi!)
I’m so glad you enjoyed this Liz!!! It’s fabulous isn’t it? Impressed you whipped it up during nap time!!! N x
Hi Nagi, I absolutely love your recipes! I’ve been allergic to walnuts and pecans all my life (but all other nuts are fine) – can you recommend any substitutes?
Hi Kate! I would do either cashew or macadamia, both have a similar soft crunch and relatively mild flavour. 🙂 Not peanuts – it will make it taste too peanuty I think! Oh – hazelnuts would also be nice! N x
Thank you so much! So excited to make this now 🙂
Hi Nagi! I just saw your recipe for the magic custard cake. It could be as simple as serving that with some stewed Apple. Or even canned pie Apple to make it super easy! I will make it next week and let you know how I go ????
I thought of that, but actually, I think that there is not enough sponge 🙂 The base layer is fudge-like. I didn’t think it would be close enough!
Hi Nagi and Dorothy and all
Yum!! Such a lovely cake I am nibbling on some now. It was fun to make too. Mixing together the things no food processors and beaters and etc etc soooo good!!!!! And it’s nice it’s big too – so it doesn’t disappear too quickly!!!
I think I saw somewhere you were asking about what we readers like to bake. A firm favourite is a cake with custard in the middle and apple on top (http://www.taste.com.au/recipes/37582/apple+and+vanilla+tea+cake). its a bit fiddly to make but those flavours are so lovely. Apple custard and butter cake. It would be good to find a cake / pudding that puts those flavours together easily…
Anyways thanks again!
Jules ???
Isn’t it incredible??? I LOVE that it doesn’t require appliances too!!! Ooooh, thank you so much for letting me know what you like to bake!! When I started sharing baking recipes more regularly, I honestly had no idea where to start. So many ideas!!! Hmmm….I’m wondering if it’s possible to make something like this using the Magic Custard Cake recipe as the base….one batter, 3 layers….. 😉
HI Nagi, can this recipe be made as muffins.
YES IT CAN! 🙂 Not exactly sure of baking time though – for regular muffins, I’m guessing 20 – 25 minutes 🙂
Tried this recipe on two occasions. The first attempt was ok, a bit undercooked in the middle. But my second attempt was absolutely delicious (received many compliments). This will be one of my favorite dessert. Thank you Nagi.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it Carol! 🙂 Try using a skewer to pierce the cake to test whether it is cooked or not, I find that’s the easiest way to tell!
Nagi – you may have already seen this, so if you have, disregard! But someone pointed out this girl’s “blog” and this jumped out at my because I had just seen it on yours…. http://beyondsavory.blogspot.com/2016/04/dorothys-carrot-cake.html – I don’t understand how she’s totally plagiarizing your ENTIRE post???!!! SO crazy!
Grrr!!! I have seen that blog before, drives me nuts. It is SO CRAZY isn’t it????
The cake is great, but the frosting, I need that in my life. YARM! 🙂
I don’t bake Carrot Cake often cuz I tend to eat half of it on my own (I’m not kidding) It’s embarrassing, my husband doesn’t say anything but if looks can kill!
This version sounds delicious Nagi, thanks for sharing the recipe, I will try it soon and will let you know ow it came out and if I attacked it before anyone 🙂
I totally hear you Muna. I have to get any form of sweet treat OUT of the house asap, I have terrible self control issues!!! 🙂
HI Nagi! Had to tell you that I emailed my “other son” in Florida (my son’s best friend) to check out your blog and his response was “Mom, that’s soooo cool” (he’s 37). He cooks and bakes and frequently calls me to talk about food. I thought you would enjoy his comment. 🙂
Awwww Dorothy! That is SO CUTE that you have “another son”! I’m glad he thinks this is “cool”! Also glad to hear another 30-something year old still uses the word “cool” 😉 N x
Hi Nagi,
I came across your website whilst searching for Bill Granger’s corn fritters recipe and WOW! What a fabulous collection of recipes and photos you have! THANK YOU SO MUCH for your time, effort and passion.
Nagi, I was wondering with this glorious carrot cake, what size rectangle pan did you use?
Hi Diane! I am so sorry about the late response, this got caught up in my filter 🙁 I made this in a 9 x 13″ / 22 x 33cm pan (it’s big!) but you could also make it in a 20cm/8″ springform pan which will make a tall cake to cut in half and fill with frosting (there is enough frosting) OR a giant single layer 25cm springform pan. Works for all! Oh – OR 2 x lamington pans. 🙂
Great recipe Dorothy, I made this according to instructions but there was no mention of using the crushed pineapple,
Do you just use the I/4 cup reserved juice from the can ?
The cake didn’t rise much. Is it because there was no pineapple added and the amount of baking powder used?.
The ratio of baking powder is 2 tsp per cup of flour, according to the label on Mckenzies baking powder.
Why not use self raising flour instead ? I’m confused.
The picture second from the top is what my cake turned out like.
Hi John – I am SO SORRY ? I forgot to include the crushed pineapple in the instructions, it is to be stirred in with the carrots. I’m so so sorry. I’d send you a carrot cake if you’re local!!! Regarding the rising, the reason it did not rise much is because you used baking powder, not baking SODA (bicarb soda) which is what the recipe calls for. Baking powder is diluted baking soda which is why it didn’t rise much. But if your cake looked like the photo, then it sounds like it worked out pretty well!! N x
Thank you Nagi for your speedy reply. Must have misread the baking soda bit, cake turned out fine despite
the pineapple being omitted. I would’ve loved the cake offer but too far to send to Cairns.
I will repeat this recipe again, once I have finished eating the other one.
I have tried a lot of your recipes and they all turned out with pleasing results. Keep up the good work.
You have quite a few good recipes I still have yet to try.
I have a few Eastern European recipes I would like to share with you, if your interested.
All the best.
John
Hi John! I would love to! I must say Eastern European isn’t a cuisine I know well, though the little I have tried I love! My email is nagi.maehashi@gmail.com 🙂
Thank you Dorothy! Love carrot cake but finding an GOOD recipe can be tough. Will have to make this soon, thanks for sharing the recipe Nagi. And thank you for all the comments while I was ‘away’ xoxoxox
I know exactly what you mean Evelyne! Too sweet or too oily or TOO dense are the problems I’ve encountered in the past. No more! 🙂
Moist and dense is exactly how it should be 🙂 I’m going to try this for my husband– carrot cake is his favorite, and he is always asking me to make it. I make the one from Elana’s Pantry, because I am gluten intolerant (its made with almond flour), but I don’t eat it anyway, and it costs so much money to make with all those specialty ingredients in Malaysia!
Oh gosh yes, I remember being floored at the prices of GF ingredients when I was in Japan!!! I expect it’s the same much throughout Asian 🙁
When the email said that you were sharing a recipe from Dorothy, I instantly wondered if it was Dorothy Dunton and it is!!! What an amazing woman she is and we have so much in common, Dorothy and I. She lives not far from where I lived in Tennessee for many years and our cooking style is very similar. I’m so glad you shared this recipe!
I’m due for surgery in a week and a half and my husband is still blind in one eye so life is a struggle at the moment. I’m sorry I haven’t been a better blogger but you just wait until I can get around better. 🙂
Oh Maureen, I think of you often. You have to call me if I can do anything to help!!! Promise me!
Had an amazing slice of this cake at my quilt meeting today, to die for! But she would not give out the recipe so thank you for this one, will try it out!
There’s my 6th sense in action again…. te he he!!
The carrot cake looks delicious! Thank you so much for sharing. 🙂
Thanks Linda!!! 🙂
I love carrot cake, and that one looks perfect! I also heartily agree with the ratio of frosting to cake! (PS cream cheese frosting is my favourite!)
ME TOO!!! 🙂
5 stars for Dorothy from Tennessee! Her cake looks and sounds amazing of course Nagi who is better to capture that, then you. With Mother’s day right around the corner, I am hoping that my kids take the big hint if I just start sending them links of recipes like this delicious carrot cake. Happy Happy for poor little Dozer, he is very patient and deserves a little treat every now and then. Wishing you a super weekend Nagi, Take care.
I wish I could give her 10 stars for this cake! Seriously, it is THAT GOOD!