Go Back
–+ servings
Carrot Cake

The Most Favorite Carrot Cake Recipe

This is the best Carrot cake recipe. It's loaded with toasted walnuts, shredded coconut, raisins, and crushed pineapples and frosted with a tangy cream cheese frosting. It'll be your new favorite cake recipe. 
5 from 1 vote
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Resting Time 1 hour
Total Time 2 hours 15 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 16 slices

Equipment

Ingredients
  

Carrot Cake Batter

  • 2 ¼ cup All purpose Flour
  • 4 large eggs room temperature
  • 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 ¼ cup oil
  • 1 ¼ cup granulated sugar
  • ½ cup light brown sugar
  • 2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda

Carrot Cake Add-ins

  • 3 cup freshly grated carrots
  • 1 cup walnuts toasted, chopped
  • ½ cup shredded coconut
  • ½ cup raisins soaked in hot water
  • ½ cup crushed pineapples drained

Cream Cheese Frosting

  • 2 8oz cream cheese softened
  • 1 lb unsalted butter room temp
  • 5 cup Powdered Sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Decorations:

  • 1 cup crushed walnuts

Instructions
 

Cake Add-in Preparations

  • Toasted Walnuts: Preheat the Oven to 350 degrees and toast the walnuts in the oven on a sheet pan for 5 to 10 minutes. Once toasted set aside for later use.
  • Grated Carrots: Peel the large carrots and use a box grater to finely grate the carrots into a large bowl.
  • Raisins: Soak the raisins in hot water for 10 mins
  • Pineapple: Drain excess liquid

Carrot Cake Batter:

  • In a stand mixer using a paddle attachment or a large mixing bowl add the wet ingredients and mix until all the ingredients come together.
  • Add in the dry ingredients making sure to keep 2 tablespoon of flour to the side. Mix the dry ingredients with the wet until just barely combined. There should be some streaks of flour.
  • To the batter add the grated carrots, coconut shreds, and crushed drained pineapple. With a small bowl add in the walnuts and raisins and mix the 2 tablespoon of flour making sure to coat everything. Fold in all the add-ins and mix until just combined.
  • Line 2-8in cake rounds with parchment paper and divide the batter into the pans. Bake in the preheated oven for 35 to 40 minutes or when a toothpick is inserted into the center of the cake and is clean.
  • Once the cakes have cooled run a butter knife on the sides of the cake for easier release and take the layers out of the cake pan. Transfer the cake layers onto a wire rack to allow the cake to cool.

Cream Cheese Frosting:

  • To begin making the cream cheese frosting, add room temperature butter into a stand mixer and whip for 2 minutes on high, and then add cream cheese and beat on medium speed for 2 more minutes scraping the sides with a rubber spatula.
  • Add in the sifted powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and salt and beat on low for 30 seconds, and then continue to whip on medium-high speed for 2 to 3 minutes to create a fluffy cream cheese frosting.

Cake Assembly and Frosting

  • Cut and level the top of the cakes.
  • Begin with a layer of cake on either a large cake plate or cake stand making sure the cake is cut side up.
  • Using an offset spatula or an icing spatula place an even layer of cream cheese frosting on the first cake layer
  • Repeat this step one more time and then place the last layer on top making sure the bottom side of the cake is on the top. This will ensure the cake won't be lopsided.
  • Refrigerate the cake for at least 30 minutes or until the frosting on the cake is firm to the touch. This will help firm up the frosting and reduce the cake from sliding while frosting.
  • Once the cake is firm coat the outside of the cake with a thin layer of frosting and then chill the cake again until the frosting has set.
  • Frost the cake with the remaining frosting.
  • In a food processor add in the walnuts and pulse the nuts until medium fine. Press the walnuts into the sides of the cake ⅓ of the bottom.
  • ​Place the remaining frosting into a piping bag with a star tip and pipe 8 rosettes on top of the cake.
  • Refrigerate the cake to let the frosting fully set before cutting and serving.
  • Enjoy!

Notes

To create a 3-layered cake, I did 1.5x the recipe and divided the batter into 3-8in cake rounds. 
Keyword Carrot cake, carrot cake with cream cheese frosting, Classic Carrot cake, cream cheese frosting
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!