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Carrot Cake

Kelly
This is my favorite Carrot Cake recipe – a super moist and tender Carrot Cake bursting with flavor from pineapple and coconut, topped with the most heavenly cream cheese frosting.
5 from 5 votes
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 15
Calories 522 kcal

Ingredients
  

For the Carrot Cake:

  • 3 eggs
  • ¾ cup (150g) vegetable oil
  • ½ cup (255g) applesauce
  • 2 cups (397g) granulated sugar
  • 2 cups (283g) all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 2 cups (227g) lightly packed finely, freshly grated carrots
  • 1 cup (227g) Dole crushed pineapple lightly drained
  • 1 cup (75g) shredded sweetened coconut
  • Optional: 1 cup pecans and/or ½ cup raisins

For the Cream Cheese Frosting:

  • 1- 8 oz package cream cheese (227g) softened
  • ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter softened
  • Optional: 1 tablespoon sour cream *
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 3 cups (360g) powdered sugar or more if needed to thicken
  • Pinch of salt

Optional decoration:

  • fondant carrots

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 350 F

Make the batter:

  • Whisk together the eggs, oil, applesauce, and sugar.
  • Gently stir in the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon).
  • Gently fold in the carrots, coconut, and pineapple (and nuts and raisins if using)

Bake the cake:

  • Pour the batter into a 9 by 13 inch baking dish that has been sprayed with nonstick baking spray.
  • Bake in a preheated 350° F oven until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean, about 35-40 minutes.
  • Allow the cake to cool completely before frosting.
  • Make the cream cheese frosting:
  • Using a hand mixer or stand mixer, beat the softened cream cheese together with the softened butter on medium-high speed until smooth, about 2 minutes.
  • Add the confectioner’s sugar, vanilla, and pinch of salt. Mix on low for 30 seconds, then turn to medium- high and beat for 3 minutes until super smooth and creamy. Add a little more sugar if it’s too loose or a little milk if it’s too thick.
  • Be sure the cream cheese and butter are at room temperature before mixing so the frosting doesn’t have any lumps. I also like to sift the powdered sugar to remove any lumps.

Frost the cake:

  • When the cake is completely cooled, frost the cake using a spoon or a spatula.
  • Store the cake, tightly covered, in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Notes

If you have sour cream on hand, add in a tablespoon. It adds sheen and flavor to the frosting.

Nutrition

Calories: 522kcal
Keyword carrot cake, coconut, cream cheese frosting, dessert, easy, pineapple, spring
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