Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

This Loaded Carrot Cake is a tender spice cake chockful of shredded carrots, coconut flakes, sweet chunks of juicy pineapple, and crunchy nuts layered with a rich cream cheese frosting.

This easy carrot cake recipe will be the centerpiece on your next holiday dessert table. It could also start a cage match for the last piece after the family supper. Whatever happens, it’s not my fault.

*This recipe was published in April 2020, I’ve updated it to include more concise instructions.*

What Ingredients Are In Carrot Cake?

My sincere apologies for not including the ingredients shot. The adulting struggle is real, Fam.

To make a loaded carrot cake, you need grated carrots, crushed nuts (either pecans or walnuts), sweetened coconut flakes, crushed pineapple, eggs, vegetable oil (or any neutral oil like canola oil), white sugar (or brown sugar), vanilla extract, all-purpose flour, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, baking powder, soda, and salt. 

First, drain the canned pineapple before measuring out the rest of your ingredients. The pineapple needs to be drained well before going into the cake batter to avoid a gummy, crumbly cake.

The final ingredient for this perfect carrot cake is my homemade Cream Cheese Frosting, the best cream cheese frosting in the world. This creates a sweet cream cheese filling between the carrot cake layers and tops the delicious cake as well.

How Do I Shred the Carrots?

Thinly shredding fresh carrots is how to create the best texture in your carrot cakes. Carrots grated too large create an unappealing texture in carrot cakes and don’t often contribute to a moist texture as thinly shredded carrots do.

Use the small grate to finely shred your carrots during prep.

How Do I Prepare the Carrot Cake Batter?

Sift together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and salt into a medium bowl. Set this bowl aside. Combine the sugar and oil in a separate large mixing bowl.

Use an electric mixer to whip the sugar and oil together for 2 minutes until the sugar is slightly dissolved. Blend in the eggs, one at a time, on low speed, adding the vanilla extract with the last egg. Increase the mixing speed to high once the eggs have all been added. Whip the mixture for 2-3 minutes or until it thickens and resembles mayonnaise.

Use a rubber spatula to fold the shredded carrots, coconut flakes, nuts, and crushed pineapple into the wet ingredients. Mix until the mixture looks cohesive.

Add the dry ingredients to the bowl filled with the wet mixture. Mix the flour into the batter for a minute and a half or until all of the flour has been absorbed. You can do this by hand with a rubber spatula or an electric mixer at low speed.

How Long Do I Bake the Cake?

Divide the batter equally between two 8 or 9-inch cake pans pans, lightly greased and floured or sprayed with non-stick baking spray. 

Finally, bake the pans of carrot cake in a 350°F (177°C) preheated oven for 35-40 minutes.

Remove the cakes from the oven once they are done baking, and allow them to cool in the pans for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, turn the cakes out of their pans onto a wire rack to cool completely.

If you have the time to allow the cake layers to cool for 12 hours, that’s optimal. Since a freshly-baked cake is a tender cake, they are likelier to fall apart because their structure hasn’t had a chance to firm up.

The best way to achieve a perfectly frosted cake is to wrap the room-temperature cakes in plastic wrap and allow them to sit on the countertop overnight.

What’s the Best Icing For Carrot Cake?

Cream cheese frosting is the best topping for carrot cake. The tanginess from the cream cheese and lemon juice balances the warm spices and brightness of the fresh fruit and carrots.

Use a serrated knife to trim the dome from the tops of the cakes that might have formed in the center of the cake during baking. Trimming the domes off provides an even, stable base for your subsequent layers. If your cake layers are more than 2 inches tall, use the knife to cut them into 1-inch layers. This will create a layer cake. If not, stick with two layers.

Save those trimmings to crumble them and press them into the sides of the frosted cake as a garnish later.

Use an offset spatula to spread the fluffy cream cheese frosting over the first layer of cake. Smooth it out, so the icing layer is level.

To give your carrot cake a flat top, invert the next layer so the bottom of the cake faces up, creating the second layer. If you have more layers, continue filling and stacking until they’re all used up.

Spread a very thin layer of frosting over the outside of the cake when your layers are assembled. This “dirty ice” layer of frosting locks in all those loose crumbs, making your final cake smooth and perfect. Place the dirty iced cake into the fridge for 30 minutes to firm up. 

Frost the outside of the cake with the remaining frosting. 

Do I Have to Decorate the Carrot Cake?

This moist carrot cake doesn’t need any more decorations, but when is a decorated cake a bad thing? The answer is “Never.”

To decorate the sides of your cake, press crushed nuts into the sides of the cake just after frosting it, so they stick well. Of course, if you or your friends have a nut allergy, you can do this with crumbled cake crumbs instead.

Pipe rosettes onto the top of the cake with a piping bag fitted with a 1M tip using the leftover frosting. I recommend doubling the cream cheese frosting recipe if you want to go all out with two borders.

Garnish the border with toasted nuts and/or toasted coconut flakes.

Refrigerate the frosted carrot cake for 15 to 20 minutes to give it time to firm up before slicing it.

Can I Bake This Into a Different Shape?

To convert this carrot cake from a layer cake into a sheet cake, scrape the prepared batter into a 9 x 13-inch prepared pan. Change the baking time to 35 to 40 minutes at 350°F (177°C) or until the sides of the cake pull away from the pan. Cool and frost as instructed above.

Scrape the mixed batter into a prepared 12-cup bundt pan to make this a carrot bundt cake. Bake the cake for 45 to 50 minutes or until the top springs back when pressed. Cool, as instructed. Thin the cream cheese frosting with a tablespoon of lemon juice and heat it for 15 seconds in the microwave. Drizzle the cream cheese glaze over the carrot bundt cake to ice it.

For carrot cake cupcakes, use a #16 portion scoop to scoop the batter into a greased cupcake tin lined with baking cups. Bake the cupcakes for 18 to 20 minutes or until the tops spring back when pressed. Cool and pipe the cream cheese frosting onto the cupcakes to decorate them.

How Do I Serve This Loaded Carrot Cake?

Slice the carrot cake with a sharp knife and serve.

Enjoy your carrot cake with hot coffee, tea, or cold milk.

How Do I Store Leftover Carrot Cake?

Store leftover carrot cake lightly covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or at room temperature for 2 days. After cutting, press wax or parchment paper against any exposed cake to keep it from drying out. You can also store individual slices in an airtight container. That’s called meal prepping, where I’m from.

Can I Freeze Carrot Cake?

You can freeze a decorated carrot cake for up to 2 months. Freeze it for 2 hours while uncovered. After two hours, you can wrap it in plastic wrap or pack it in a container and freeze it without ruining the frosting. Thaw the cake slowly under refrigeration for 24 hours, then cut and serve it.

You’re going to agree that this is by far the best carrot cake recipe out there with its simple ingredients, moist cake, and tangy cream cheese frosting. Be sure to pin this recipe to your desserts board and wow your friends and family with it at your next gathering. Let me know what you think of this homemade carrot cake recipe in the comments below!

Loaded Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Marta Rivera at Sense & Edibility

5 from 35 votes

This Loaded Carrot Cake is a tender spice cake chockful of shredded carrots, coconut flakes, sweet chunks of juicy pineapple, and crunchy nuts layered with a rich cream cheese frosting.

Servings: 12

Print Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 35 minutes mins

Total Time 50 minutes mins

Equipment

• 2 8", 9", or 10" cake pans

Ingredients

  

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For the Loaded Carrot Cake

• 2 1/2 cups (340g) all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons (6g) baking powder
• 1 teaspoon (5g) kosher salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoon (3g) ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon (3g) baking soda
• 1 teaspoon (2g) ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 1/2 cups (300g) sugar
• 1 1/2 cups (385ml) vegetable oil
• 3 large eggs room temperature
• 2 teaspoons (10 milliliters) vanilla extract
• 4 large carrots finely shredded (1 cup or 300g)
• 1 cup (80g) sweetened coconut flakes
• 4 ounces (115g) chopped pecans
• 8 ounces (260g) crushed pineapple juice drained from can

To Decorate

• 5 cups Cream Cheese Frosting
• 1 1/2 cups chopped nuts

Instructions 

Prepare the Cream Cheese Frosting

• Use the link in the recipe or in the article to make the Cream Cheese Frosting if you haven't already.

  You can make this frosting up to 1 week ahead and store it in the fridge. Before using, allow the cream cheese frosting to warm up slightly for 30 minutes. Blend the frosting on low speed using an electric hand mixer to make it fluffy again.

Preheat the Oven and Prepare the Cake Pans

• Begin preheating your oven to 350°F (177°C). If your oven rack isn't in the middle position, move it so that it is.

  Spray two 8 or 9" baking pans with non-stick baking spray or lightly grease them with vegetable shortening and dust them with all-purpose flour.

  Set the pans aside.

Mix the Loaded Carrot Cake Batter

• Sift together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, kosher salt, cinnamon, baking soda, nutmeg, and ginger into a medium bowl.

  Set this bowl aside.
• Add the sugar and vegetable oil to a separate, larger mixing bowl.

  Use an electric mixer to whip the sugar and oil together for 2 minutes until the sugar is slightly dissolved.
• Blend in the eggs, one at a time, on low speed, adding the vanilla extract with the last egg.

  Increase the mixing speed to high once the eggs have all been added.

  Whip the mixture for 2-3 minutes or until it thickens and resembles mayonnaise.
• Use a rubber spatula to fold the shredded carrots, coconut flakes, nuts, and crushed pineapple into the sugar mixture.

  Blend on low speed until the mixture looks cohesive.

  Add the dry ingredients to the bowl filled with the wet mixture. Mix the flour into the batter for a minute and a half or until all of the flour has been absorbed.

  You can do this by hand with a rubber spatula or an electric mixer at low speed.

Fill the Pans and Bake the Carrot Cake

• Divide the batter equally between the prepared cake pans.

  Bake the pans of carrot cake in a 350°F (177°C) preheated oven for 35-40 minutes.
• Remove the cakes from the oven after they are done, and allow them to cool in the pans for 5 minutes.

  After 5 minutes, turn the cakes out of their pans onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Trim, Then Decorate the Carrot Cake with the Cream Cheese Frosting

• Use a serrated knife to trim the dome from the tops of the cakes that might have formed in the center of the cake during baking.

  If your cake layers are more than 2 inches tall, use the knife to cut them into 1-inch layers to create a layer cake. If you layers are less than 2 inches tall, don't cut them.
• Use an offset icing spatula to spread a thick layer of the fluffy cream cheese frosting over the first layer of cake. Smooth it out, so the icing layer is level.

  To give your carrot cake a flat top, invert the next layer so the bottom of the cake faces up, creating the second layer. If you have more layers, continue filling and stacking until they're all used up.
• "Dirty Ice" to cake by spreading a very thin layer of frosting over the outside of the cake once your layers are assembled.

  Place the dirty iced cake into the fridge for 30 minutes to firm up. 
• Frost the outside of the cake with the remaining frosting. 

  To decorate the sides of your cake, press crushed nuts into the sides of the cake just after frosting it, so they stick well.
• Fill a piping bag fitted with a 1M tip with the remaining frosting. Pipe rosettes onto the top of the cake.

  Garnish the rosettes with toasted nuts and/or toasted coconut flakes.

Chill to Set Up, Then Serve the Loaded Carrot Cake

• Refrigerate the frosted carrot cake for 15 to 20 minutes to give it time to firm up before slicing it.
• Slice the carrot cake with a sharp knife and serve.

  Enjoy your carrot cake with hot coffee, tea, or cold milk.

Notes

Swaps and Substitutions:

• Omit the ground cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger and replace it with 1 3/4 teaspoons (3 grams) pumpkin or chai spice blend. 
• For those with a nut allergy, omit the chopped pecans. Likewise if you have a coconut allergy. 
• Replace the vegetable oil with a similar, neutral tasting oil like canola, avocado, or corn oil. 
• Swap the chopped pecans for chopped walnuts. 

Tips and Techniques:

• Thinly shredding fresh carrots is how to create the best texture in your carrot cakes.
• The pineapple needs to be drained well before going into the cake batter to avoid a gummy, crumbly cake.
• To convert this carrot cake from a layer cake into a sheet cake: 
  1. Scrape the prepared batter into a 9 x 13-inch prepared pan.
  2. Change the baking time to 35 to 40 minutes at 350°F (177°C) or until the sides of the cake pull away from the pan.
  3. Cool and frost as instructed above.
• For a carrot bundt cake: 
  1. Scrape the mixed batter into a prepared 12-cup bundt pan.
  2. Bake the cake for 45 to 50 minutes or until the top springs back when pressed.
  3. Cool, as instructed.
  4. Thin the cream cheese frosting with a tablespoon of lemon juice and heat it for 15 seconds in the microwave. Drizzle the cream cheese glaze over the carrot bundt cake to ice it.
• To Make carrot cake cupcakes: 
  1. Use a #16 portion scoop to scoop the batter into a greased cupcake tin lined with baking cups.
  2. Bake the cupcakes for 18 to 20 minutes or until the tops spring back when pressed.
  3. Cool and pipe the cream cheese frosting onto the cupcakes to decorate them.
• A freshly-baked is likelier to fall apart because their structure hasn't had a chance to firm up. If you have the time to allow the cake layers to rest for 12 hours, that's optimal.
• Save the cake trimmings to crumble them and press them into the sides of the frosted cake as a garnish (instead of crushed nuts).
• Dirty icing the cake locks in all those loose crumbs, making your final cake smooth and perfect.
• I recommend doubling the cream cheese frosting recipe if you want to go all out with two borders.

Storage Instructions:

• After cutting, press wax or parchment paper against any exposed cake to keep it from drying out.
• Store leftover carrot cake lightly covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or at room temperature for 2 days. 

• To Freeze an Undecorated Carrot Cake:
  1. Allow the bake carrot cake layers to cool completely.
  2. Wrap each cake layer in two layers of plastic wrap. 
  3. Freeze the cake layers for up to 2 months. 
  4. Thaw the cake layers at room temperature and decorate as desired.
• To Freeze a Decorated Carrot Cake:
  1. Freeze the frosted cake for 2 hours while uncovered.
  2. After two hours, you can wrap it in plastic wrap or pack it in a container and freeze it without ruining the frosting.
  3. Freeze the cake for up to 2 months.
  4. Thaw the cake slowly under refrigeration for 24 hours, then cut and serve it.

Nutrition

Calories: 1690kcalCarbohydrates: 268gProtein: 15gFat: 66gSaturated Fat: 23gCholesterol: 70mgSodium: 941mgPotassium: 418mgFiber: 7gSugar: 195gVitamin A: 199IUVitamin C: 3mgCalcium: 118mgIron: 5mg

Course Sweets

Cuisine North American

Keyword cake, carrot cake

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