This carrot cake is a delicious classic spring cake filled with shredded carrots, crushed pineapple, walnuts and cinnamon topped with cream cheese frosting.
This carrot cake is a classic spring cake made with shredded carrots, crushed pineapple, walnuts, cinnamon and topped with a delicious homemade cream cheese frosting. We love making this carrot cake for Easter but it also makes a delicious birthday cake.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Flavorful spring cake
- Layer cake or sheet cake
- Great for Easter
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Butter - We recommend using butter softened at room temperature for both the cake batter and frosting.
- Sugar - This recipe calls for both brown sugar and cane sugar.
- Vanilla Extract - Real vanilla extract enhances the flavors of the cake.
- Eggs - Eggs add structure to the cake batter and add moisture to the cake.
- Carrots - Finely shredded carrots give the recipe its classic flavor.
- Pineapple - You can use fresh or canned crushed pineapple.
- Flour - We recommend using unbleached all-purpose flour for this recipe. Use a gluten-free 1:1 flour blend to make a gluten-free carrot cake.
- Baking Powder and Baking Soda - Both help leaven the cake.
- Spices - This recipe calls for cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and salt.
- Walnuts - Walnuts add texture and flavor.
- Frosting - We like to frost this cake with a homemade cream cheese frosting.
Complete list of ingredients and amounts is located on the recipe card below.
Kitchen Tools & Equipment
- Stand Mixer - A stand mixer helps to easily mix the cake batter together. We also use a stand mixer to make the frosting.
- Grater - A grater helps to easily shred the carrots.
- Cake Pans - To make a 2-layer round cake, we recommend using two 8-inch round pans.
- Cake Frosting Kit - We love this cake frosting kit to easily frost a layer cake. It comes with a turntable, icing spatulas, and more tools to make a beautiful layer cake.
How to Make the Recipe
Step 1. Mix the cake batter together.
Step 2. Pour the cake batter into the cake pans.
Step 3. Bake the cake in the oven, allow to cool and frost before serving.
Recipe Serving Suggestions
This carrot cake recipe makes one 2-layer 8-inch round cake. We love to frost the cake with homemade cream cheese frosting to serve.
If you like this recipe, you will love our classic dessert recipes.
- Hummingbird Cake
- The Best French Silk Chocolate Pie
- Classic Scotcharoos without Corn Syrup
- Pumpkin Roll with Cream Cheese Frosting Filling
- Classic No Bake Cookies
- The Best Key Lime Pie Bars
- Peanut Butter Cake with Creamy Peanut Butter Frosting
Expert Tips & Variations
- Line your cake pans with parchment paper. Lining the cake pans with parchment paper makes it much easier to remove the cakes from the pans after baking.
- Allow the cake to cool completely before adding frosting. If you frost the cake when it is still warm, the frosting will melt. Allow the cakes to cool at room temperature or place in the freezer to speed up the cooling process.
- Freeze cake leftovers for later. If you happen to have leftovers, wrap them tightly in plastic wrap and aluminum foil to then place in the freezer for later. I store all of my leftover cakes this way and they make for a delicious treat.
How to Store
- Countertop - store in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-4 days.
- Freezer - wrap the cake in a layer of plastic wrap followed by a layer of aluminum foil in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Recipe FAQ
How do you make gluten-free cake cake?
Make this recipe gluten-free by replacing the all-purpose flour with a gluten-free 1:1 flour blend.
More Dessert Recipes
Carrot Cake
Yield:
1 cake
Prep Time:
30 minutes
Cook Time:
40 minutes
Total Time:
1 hour 10 minutes
This carrot cake is a delicious classic spring cake filled with shredded carrots, crushed pineapple, walnuts and cinnamon topped with cream cheese frosting.
Ingredients
Cake
- 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened at room temperature
- 1 cup brown sugar
- ½ cup cane sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3 eggs
- 3 cups finely shredded carrots
- 8 ounces crushed pineapple
- 3 cups unbleached flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 Tablespoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon cloves
- 1 cup crushed walnuts
Frosting
- 1 stick butter, softened at room temperature
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened at room temperature
- 6 cups powdered sugar
- ¼ cup milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and grease and line 2 8-inch round pans with parchment paper.
- Add the softened butter, brown sugar and cane sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer.
- Turn the stand mixer to medium speed to cream the butter and sugars together.
- Add the eggs, vanilla extract, crushed pineapple and shredded carrots to the bowl and mix to combine.
- Pour the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves into the bowl.
- Mix to combine the wet and dry ingredients together.
- Add 1 cup chopped walnuts and use a spoon to fold the walnuts into the cake batter.
- Divide the cake batter into the two round pans.
- Place the pans in the oven and bake for 35-45 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean from the center of each cake.
- Remove the baked cakes from the oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes.
- After 10 minutes, remove the cakes from the pans and transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.
- When the cakes are completely cooled, make the frosting.
- Add the softened butter and cream cheese to the bowl of a stand mixer and beat to cream.
- Add the vanilla extract to the bowl with 1 cup of powdered sugar and mix to combine.
- Add the powdered sugar 1 cup at a time with the milk 1 Tablespoon at a time to mix into a creamy frosting.
- When the cake layers are completely cooled, frost with the cream cheese frosting before serving.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 12 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 657Total Fat: 22gSaturated Fat: 10gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 86mgSodium: 528mgCarbohydrates: 111gFiber: 3gSugar: 82gProtein: 8g
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