The Best Ever Homemade Carrot Cake With Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe

I’m sharing my take on the Best Carrot Cake packed with pineapple, coconut and raisins and topped with cream cheese frosting that hides a little surprise.

I always thought carrot cake was straight forward, until I piled in finely grated carrots and topped it with a tangy cream cheese frosting softened to silky perfection. This version is loud, a little messy, and full of surprises that make you pause and wonder why you never tried them together before.

After dabbling with a Sallysbakingaddiction Carrot Cake and a bunch of online takes called the Best Carrot Cake, I kept pulling little tricks into this one. It’s the kind that makes you second guess just grabbing a slice, cause you’ll want to know what’s hiding under that frosting.

Ingredients

• Packed with vitamin A and fiber, adds moisture and gentle sweet flavor to cake
• Adds juicy sweetness, natural sugars and a tiny tang, keeps cake super moist
• Gives chew and tropical taste, some healthy fats, adds texture not strong though
• Provide crunch, good fats and some protein, slightly bitter notes balance sweet
• Rich, tangy frosting base loaded with fat and calcium, makes cake creamy
• Adds deep caramel sweetness and moisture, has molasses flavor and slight chew
• Bind ingredients, add protein and structure, help cake rise and hold together

Ingredient Quantities

• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves optional
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 4 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 3 cups finely grated carrots about 4 to 5 medium carrots
• 8 ounces crushed pineapple drained
• 1 cup sweetened shredded coconut
• 1/2 cup raisins
• 1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
• 8 ounces cream cheese softened
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter softened
• 4 cups powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract for frosting
• Pinch of salt
• 1 to 2 tablespoons heavy cream or milk optional

How to Make this

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and grease and flour two 9 inch round pans or line them with parchment; measure flour by spooning into the cup and level it so cake wont be heavy.

2. In a large bowl whisk together 2 cups all purpose flour, 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg and 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves if using.

3. In another bowl beat 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar and 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar with 1 cup vegetable oil until blended, then add 4 large eggs one at a time and 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, scraping the bowl as you go.

4. Stir the wet mixture into the dry ingredients until just combined, dont overmix or the cake will be dense.

5. Fold in 3 cups finely grated carrots, 8 ounces crushed pineapple drained well, 1 cup sweetened shredded coconut, 1/2 cup raisins and 1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans; fold gently so distribution is even.

6. Divide batter evenly between prepared pans and bake 25 to 35 minutes until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs; cool in pans 10 minutes, then turn out onto wire racks to cool completely.

7. For the frosting beat 8 ounces softened cream cheese with 1/2 cup softened unsalted butter until smooth, then gradually add 4 cups powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract for frosting and a pinch of salt; add 1 to 2 tablespoons heavy cream or milk if you need a looser consistency.

8. Taste and adjust: if frosting is too sweet or soft chill it briefly, if too thick add a little more cream, and always make sure cake is fully cool before frosting or the frosting will melt.

9. Level layers if needed, spread a thick layer of frosting between layers and around the cake, press extra chopped nuts or coconut on the sides or top for texture, chill 30 minutes to set, then slice and serve.

Equipment Needed

1. Two 9 inch round cake pans, greased and/or lined with parchment
2. Measuring cups and spoons plus a liquid measuring cup
3. Large mixing bowl and one medium bowl for wet and dry mixes
4. Electric hand mixer or a sturdy whisk (either works)
5. Rubber spatula and a wooden spoon for folding
6. Box grater for finely grating the carrots
7. Colander or fine mesh sieve to drain the crushed pineapple
8. Wire cooling rack, a toothpick or cake tester, and an offset spatula or butter knife for frosting — dont forget the toothpick for the bake test

FAQ

The Best Ever Homemade Carrot Cake With Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe Substitutions and Variations

• All purpose flour: try whole wheat pastry flour, use cup for cup but expect a slightly denser, nuttier cake; or use a gluten free 1:1 baking blend, swap cup for cup with no other changes.
• Vegetable oil (1 cup): swap with canola or light olive oil 1:1 for same texture; or melted unsalted butter 1:1 for richer flavor; or unsweetened applesauce (use 1/2 to 1 cup) to cut fat, cake will be moister and a bit denser.
• Eggs (4 large): make flax “eggs” for each egg mix 1 tbsp ground flax + 3 tbsp water, or use 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce per egg for moisture, or 1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt per egg for richness and structure.
• Cream cheese (frosting): use Neufchatel 1:1 for lower fat but same texture, or mascarpone 1:1 for a silkier, richer frosting; for a lighter tang try full fat Greek yogurt mixed with a little butter (about 3/4 cup yogurt + 1/4 cup softened butter to replace 8 oz cream cheese).

Pro Tips

1) Drain the pineapple well then press it between paper towels or wrap in cheesecloth and squeeze, you want the flavor not extra liquid that makes the crumb gummy.

2) Toast the nuts and the coconut in a dry pan till they smell toasty, let them cool before folding in, it makes the cake taste way richer.

3) Grate the carrots finely or use the food processor shredding blade, big chunks make the cake uneven; if your carrots are super wet pat them lightly but dont squeeze them bone dry.

4) Make sure eggs, cream cheese and butter are at room temp so everything emulsifies smooth, if the frosting looks lumpy cool the cream cheese then beat again.

5) Dont overmix the batter, fold until you just dont see streaks; use an ice cream scoop to split batter evenly between pans and use an oven thermometer so your oven is actually 350 F.