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!
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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.
Hi Holly, in your recipe for carrot cake, it says to drain the crushed pineapple well. What is the best way to drain and how can I tell it’s been drained well? Difficult to tell since the can is full of liquid! Thank you!
Hi Cindy, I find if you keep the lid once removed from the can you can use it to help drain out the liquid and use it to press down on the crushed pineapple to help drain it well. Hope that helps!
Can I use cake tins instead of the big 9×13 pan.
Yes, that will work fine. Cooking time will need to be adjusted based on the size of the pans you use.
I dont like coconut… can that be left out or replaced ?
You can leave the coconut out or add extra nuts or raisins if you prefer. Enjoy Liz!
I made your carrot cake on Friday it was delicious. I followed your recipe exactly and it came out wonderful. My family enjoyed it. I will definitely make it again. Thanks.
You’re welcome Teleckies!
I am making this for Easter and am so excited! Do you use sweetened or unsweetened apple sauce?
I usually use unsweetened because that is what I have on hand, but either will work. Enjoy the cake Nancy!
Amazing recipe! Followed it exactly except just a little box of raisins because I wasn’t sure. Followed the cream cheese frosting exact too- minus lemon zest. My family ate it up!
I will be using this recipe,but omitting the coconut and raisins. My husband doesn’t like coconut. I don’t like raisins. But I like the idea of using a 9×13 pan .
Hey Holly! Awesome flavor and very moist. Made a couple of changes, substituting the applesauce for extra pineapple (since I love pineapple) and because I was out of walnuts, I used pecans instead. Also, my cake was done with 20 minutes left on the timer, baking it at 350. Suffice it to say I did use a dark non stick pan which most likely decreased the baking time. Thanks for sharing! =)
Yum, great substitution Jules! Glad you enjoyed it :)
I made this gluten free (because I’m celiac and I have to) and while I’ll say it came out really moist which is nice, it was REALLY bland. The most prominent flavour was baking soda. Definitely needs more cinnamon, maybe add some nutmeg or cloves. Other than that the recipe works well.
I made this cake a while ago, and it was the best carrot cake we ever had. Next time I plan to double the recipe & made it into a frosted layer cake layer cake. The other cakes in this post also look to be fabulous! Thanks :-)
I have no pineapple, what can I use as a substitute?
We have only made this recipe as written, Claire. But if you try substituting it we would love to hear how it turns out!
Made this today. It was great!!
So happy to hear that Kathy :)
Delicious cake! Everybody just loved it! Like you said, there is even no need in cream. I did’t have cream cheese at home so I’m gonna do a cream made of sour cream, butter and sweet cream.
So happy to hear that Irena! I am glad everyone enjoyed it.
Hi Holly,
The cake looks delicious.
What can I use instead of pineapple to add moisture?
I have only made this cake as written Irena.
This recipe calls for buttermilk but I can only find low-fat buttermilk in our local grocery stores. Will low-fat suffice?
That will work perfectly.
I will make this carrot cake this week for my daughter’s 3rd birthday. I don’t have any buttermilk. Is there a good substitute?
Hi Maria, check out our Easy Buttermilk Substitute post for some great information on what you can use! Happy Birthday to your Daughter!!
I made this today and was glad I did. This is the moist and delicious carrot cake that I was hoping for. The calories are much less than most versions, only 1/2 c of oil, that is a bonus. Thank you for a delicious recipe.
You are welcome Cheryl! We are glad you enjoyed it!
Do you store the cake in the refrigerator?
I usually keep it at room temperature.
Is that an 18 oz can of pineapple or an 8 oz can
One 8 ounce can Dianne. Enjoy!
Made this recipe and carrot cake was excellent. Very moist and excellent flavour. Was a hit, will definitely make again
Patti, I am so glad you liked this carrot cake!
any way to change the measurement to metric which is now widely use. thanks
I am unable to provide ingredients in grams however you can find conversions here.
I haven’t made this but can tell you it hits all my carrot cake requirements and has apple sauce to boot. Can’t wait to try it!
Thank you!
You’ll be happy you did Ro!!