This classic carrot cake recipe is fully loaded with nuts, coconut, pineapple and more! It’s super moist and topped with my favorite cream cheese frosting!
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
Holly’s Recipe Highlights
- Flavor: This is a deliciously spiced cake with lots of flavor and texture since it’s fully loaded. The cream cheese frosting is hard to resist.
- Prep note: Make up to two days ahead and the flavors will blend even more.
- Yield: Carrot cake baked in a 9×13” pan allows for cutting into different serving sizes.
- Freezing: Freeze a baked and cooled cake for up to two months. Just thaw and serve.
Ingredient Tips for Carrot Cake
- Flour: This recipe uses all-purpose flour and has not been tested with other types of flour.
- Leavening: Baking powder and baking soda help this cake rise. Check the dates to ensure they’re fresh.
- Applesauce: Applesauce adds moisture and can be replaced with additional oil.
- Oil: Use a light-tasting oil such as vegetable oil or canola oil. Stronger oils (like olive oil) may change the flavor of the cake.
- Buttermilk (or sour milk): Buttermilk adds moisture, richness, and activates the leavening agents. If you don’t have buttermilk, add 2 teaspoons of white vinegar or lemon juice and fill it to ¾ cup with milk. Stir and let it rest for 5 minutes.
- Add-ins: Naturally sweet carrots, raisins, walnuts, pineapple, and coconut give this cake its signature flavor, amazing texture, and visual appeal.
Frosting For Carrot Cake
The cream cheese frosting in the recipe below is my favorite topper! This cake is so moist and can be served without frosting and instead with whipped cream or ice cream.
Other flavors that pair well with carrot cake are Vanilla Buttercream or Coconut Frosting
Tips for Moist Carrot Cake
- Toast nuts and coconut in a dry pan until barely fragrant. This helps intensify their flavor and keeps them extra crunchy in carrot cake.
- Use room temperature eggs, cream cheese, and butter for the cake and frosting.
- Be sure to let the cake cool fully before adding frosting, or it will melt on the surface of the cake.
Did you make this Carrot Cake recipe? Be sure to leave a rating and a comment below!
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 3 large eggs
- ¾ cup buttermilk or sour milk, see note
- ½ cup applesauce
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 ½ cups carrot shredded
- 1 cup chopped walnuts
- 1 cup raisins
- 1 cup coconut flakes optional
- 8 ounces crushed pineapple well drained, 1 can
- cream cheese frosting optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a 9×13 pan or glass baking dish, set aside.
- In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, and salt with a whisk. Set aside.
- In a separate bowl, mix together eggs, buttermilk, applesauce, oil, sugar, and vanilla.
- Stir in the flour mixture just until mixed. Fold in the carrots, walnuts, raisins, coconut, pineapple, and mix until combined.
- Pour into the prepared pan. Bake for 50-65 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the center of the cake.
- Remove from the oven and cool completely in the pan. Once cooled, frost with cream cheese frosting.
Video
Notes
- This recipe works best when baked in a glass pan. If using a metal baking pan, check it a little bit early. A dark or non-stick pan will cook much faster, check the cake at least 15 minutes early.
- No buttermilk? No problem, simply add 1 tbsp of white vinegar or lemon juice to a liquid measuring cup. Fill to ¾ cup with whole milk, stir, and let rest for 5 minutes. This can be used in place of buttermilk in most recipes.
- Shred carrots using the large side of a box grater.
- Applesauce can be replaced with additional oil. We prefer the lighter flavor with applesauce.
- To drain the pineapple, place in a mesh strainer and gently press.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Cake, Dessert, Party Food
Cuisine American© SpendWithPennies.com. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited. Please view my photo use policy here.
I love this recipe. But i use whole wheat flour. Is the best carrot cake.
I am so glad you love it Rosa!
I made this two days ago…OMG this cake is amazing. Literally the BEST carrot cake ever! I doubled your cheesecake frosting recipe and added in extra lemon juice for a little extra tang. This recipe is definitely a keeper!
YAY!! I’m so glad you loved it Bridgette, it’s the #1 dessert I’m asked for by my “real life” friends!! :)
I have since been the answer to my question in another comment. Thank you!
Would this work as a bundt? Any m modifications?
Has any tried it as layer cake
Can this be made with gluten free flour
I haven’t tried it with gluten free flour. Please let us know how it goes if you try it!
Hi! I’m over from StoneGable. I love carrot cake and want to make this for my next book club. Not a fan of coconut though. If I delete that what do I need to make this recipe work?
You can leave the coconut out or add extra nuts or raisins if you prefer. Enjoy!
Looks delish. Can I make this into mini loaves? Looking for bake sale ideas.
If so how long do I bake them? How much batter in each pan? Thank you.
Hello Holly!
I am planning to bake this cake, frost and cover it with a readymade fondant as I am doing it for a event!
In that case, how much should I reduce the sugar quantity!?
Pls reply…
I’ve only made it as written, so I’m not sure about that. For many recipes, you can reduce the sugar by about ⅓ cup without adjusting other ingredients. Let us know if you try it!
This is the best carrot cake I have ever made!!! Make this every year for my father (89 years old), it’s his favorite as well as all family!!! So moist!! Don’t change a thing!!!!
Can I use a spice cake mix box as the base.?
I have only made this recipe as written so I can’t say for sure.
Is the applesauce sweetened or unsweetened? I am planning to make this today and I picked up applesauce which is not labeled as either sweetened or unsweetened. The label says it has 14g sugar in 0.5 cup. I am wondering if using this would make the cake too sweet and if I should reduce the amount of sugar in the cake. (I prefer to err on the side of not-so-sweet dessert)
I use unsweetened but either will be fine in this recipe.
To make the carrot cake, can I use self rising flour instead of the regular flour?
I have only tried this as written. If you use self rising flour, please let us know how it works out for you!
Hi! Is it okay to not use flaked coconut? What can be used in place of apple sauce? Is molasses acceptable or will it ruin everything?
Thank you in advance for your help.
I am new at baking and would really love to hear your thoughts :)
I have only made this as written so I can’t say how your changes would affect the recipe. You can leave out the coconut and for the applesauce you can substitute extra oil. I would not recommend molasses.
If I want to bake half a portion (8×8) I suspect baking time will remain same or will I need to reduce it?
I would check the cake about 5 minutes earlier just to be sure, but it would take close to the same amount of time. Enjoy!
This cake was a big hit with the family.
Woohoo! Happy to hear it!
Wonderful cake receipes…
Very eager to try!!
But pls let me know how much does one cup measure!?
One cup equals ____ ml
One cup equals 250 ml. Enjoy it!
Thank you so much for the reply!
Has anyone made this as a layer cake?
I’m wondering the same thing. I’d like to make it a layer cake. I’m going to try and do it this Tuesday. I’ll let you know how it turns out
Making this as my new Easter cake! 2 9×13 with coconut cream cheese filling, then cut into a cross. The extra squares will be made into Bibles!! Creatively Christianity!!
Can this be made in a bundt pan? If so, does baking time increase or decrease?
I haven’t made this in a bundt pan so I can’t say for sure. I would ensure your pan is not more than ⅔ full and bake at 325. You’ll want to start checking your cake for doneness at about 40 minutes. Please let us know how it turns out for you.