Carrot Cake

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 are baked, 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
• Orange Olive Oil Cake
• Chocolate Mousse Cake

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Recipe

4.96 from 240 votes

Carrot Cake

The best Carrot Cake recipe is extra moist from buttermilk and crushed pineapple and has the perfect balance of spices. It's covered in smooth cream cheese frosting and so dreamy I choose it for my birthday cake every single year!

Print Pin Review

Author Lauren Allen

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 15

Calories 747

Cost 15

Prep 20 minutes mins

Cook 30 minutes mins

Total 50 minutes mins

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Equipment

• Cake Pans
• Parchment Paper

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• ▢ 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar (300g)
• ▢ 2/3 cup light brown sugar (147g), firmly packed
• ▢ 1 cup oil (198g), vegetable or canola oil
• ▢ 1/2 cup buttermilk (114g)
• ▢ 4 large eggs , room temperature
• ▢ 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• ▢ 1/2 cup crushed pineapple * (128g)
• ▢ 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (281g)
• ▢ 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 (248g), finely grated (about 3-4 large carrots)
• ▢ 1 cup chopped pecans (114g), optional
• ▢ 1 cup golden raisins (149g), optional

For the Cream Cheese Frosting:

• ▢ 16 ounces cream cheese (454g), softened
• ▢ 3/4 cup butter (170g), softened
• ▢ 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• ▢ 4-5 cups powdered sugar (480-600g)

Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180°C). Prepare three 8 inch cake pans* by lightly coating with cooking spray then 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 then 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 the 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

Recipe Variations:

• No Pineapple: I love the crushed pineapple, it adds a sweetness and keeps it moist, but you could use applesauce instead as a substitute.
• Nuts & Raisins: These are optional, if you prefer, you could add walnuts or coconut. For me, I prefer raisins inside my cake and the nuts just on the outside.
• 9×13 Cake: Grease a 9×13 inch baking pan then pour in some of the batter, but don’t overfill. Use the rest of the batter to make a few cupcakes. Bake the cake for 35-45 at 350°F (180°C). Test with a toothpick, it should come out clean.
• Two Layers: Divide batter in half and pour into two parchment lined and greased 9″ round cake pans. Bake at 350°F (180°C) for 30-40 minutes, or until the toothpick comes out clean.
• Cupcakes: Place cupcake liners in muffin pan and fill 3/4. of the way with batter. Bake at 350°F (180°C) for 18-25 minutes.

Make Ahead Instructions: The cake can be baked and the cream cheese frosting at least one day in advance. The frosting can be stored in the refrigerator for 3-4 weeks. Cakes are easier to frost when the rounds are frozen!

Freezing Instructions: Let the cakes cool completely then carefully wrap each cake round in plastic wrap then place in a freezer safe bag. Keep in the freezer for up to 3 months. The frosting can be frozen in a freezer-safe container in the freezer for up to 3 months. Take frosting out of the fridge 1-2 hours before frosting and keep on the counter to let it come to room temperature.

Nutrition

Calories: 747kcalCarbohydrates: 90gProtein: 7gFat: 42gSaturated Fat: 14gPolyunsaturated Fat: 7gMonounsaturated Fat: 18gTrans Fat: 0.4gCholesterol: 105mgSodium: 408mgPotassium: 289mgFiber: 2gSugar: 71gVitamin A: 4348IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 104mgIron: 2mg

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*Cake Recipe adapted from The Essential Baker.

Have you tried this recipe?!

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I first shared this recipe May 2013. Updated March 2021.

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