This Slow Cooker Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting is going to change your life! Free up the oven and get the moistest carrot cake you’ve ever had – right from your slow cooker! Made without oil or butter and loaded with coconut, pineapple and pecans!
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One of the most popular recipes on my site is my Nana’s To Die For Carrot Cake recipe. It’s a recipe that I posted YEARS ago and continues to remain popular because it is just that good. The cake is unique in that I don’t use any oil or butter in the recipe – just applesauce. Combined with pineapples and loads of shredded carrots, it makes for a wonderfully moist cake.
I can’t tell you the number of times I have been asked by readers if this recipe could be made in the slow cooker. I was like, “Um, yeah, I don’t know.” I have one slow cooker cake recipe on my site (Slow Cooker Pumpkin Pie Cake) and it really is AMAZING. I decided that I owed it to myself AND my readers to find out if this cake could be done in the slow cooker. Good news…it can!
Let’s talk about why you might want to make a cake in the slow cooker. One, it frees up the oven for other dishes. This cake is frequently requested for holidays and birthdays at my house. Whether I’m making this cake for Easter or another occasion, I’m not typically making just the cake. I’ve got a main dish, side dishes, etc. that are being prepared at the same time. Freeing up the oven is a major bonus.
Two, I am a HUGE fan of moving the slow cooker outdoors during the summer to avoid heating up the house. Let me tell you, between June and July, I make carrot cake at least a half a dozen times. No joke. The mere thought of not having to heat my house up further on 105 degree days brings me to very grateful tears.
Three, and this may be the best reason of all, using Reynolds® Slow Cooker Liners means no scrubbing cake pans which is something I can totally get behind. I love being able to just throw out the liner and all that mess! It’s kinda the highlight of my day 🙂 Reynolds Slow Cooker Liners are certified kosher, BPA-free, and safe for cooking at standard slow-cooker temperatures. The liners are made from a nylon-resin, not plastic, so no worries there.
Spraying the liner with a non-stick cooking spray ensures that this insanely moist cake releases nicely from the liner. This is a good thing. Let the cake cool completely before frosting. I went ahead and cut the cake into two layers because, well, I hate missing opportunities for more frosting 🙂
As you can see, I topped this cake with toasted coconut. I did this for my dad’s birthday this year and it was a big hit! I think it looks beautiful and is just one more wonderfully yummy element to this already amazing cake.
Tips for a successful slow cooker cake:
- Use the foil sling method for easy removal from the slow cooker insert. (Two pieces of foil, perpendicular and long enough to use as handles to lift the cake out.)
- Generously spray the slow cooker liner with cooking spray, preferably one with flour in it.
- If your slow cooker cooks unevenly, rotate the insert (not the liner) 90 degrees ever 30 minutes or so.
- Let the cake cool in the insert for a good 30 minutes before removing. This lets the cake cool enough that it won’t fall apart on you.
- PIN IT NOW!
Slow Cooker Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
Cake
- 1¼ cups unsweetened applesauce
- 2 cups sugar
- 3 eggs room temperature
- 2 cups flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 2 cups grated carrots
- 1 cup shredded sweetened coconut
- 1 cup chopped nuts optional - I used pecans
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 8.25 oz can crushed pineapple do not drain
Cream Cheese Frosting:
- ½ cup butter softened
- 8 oz cream cheese softened
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 lb powdered sugar
Instructions
- Lay down two pieces of foil perpendicular to each other making sure there is enough foil that it hangs over the edges of the slow cooker. These will be your handles later.
- Line your slow cooker with a Reynolds® Slow Cooker Liner and spray with non-stick cooking spray.
- Whisk together applesauce, sugar, and eggs.
- Whisk in flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon.
- Stir in carrots, coconut, nuts, vanilla extract, and pineapple.
- Gently pour batter into the prepared slow cooker.
- Place several folded paper towels between the lid and the slow cooker - this will absorb some of the steam and keep it from dripping back onto the cake.
- Cook on low for 2 hours 45 minutes to 3 hours and 15 minutes, rotating the insert 90 degrees every 30 minutes or so. (Not necessary if your slow cooker heats evenly.)
- Test if the cake is done by inserting a toothpick into the center of the cake. If it comes out clean, the cake is done. The cake should be slightly domed when done.
- Remove the insert from the slow cooker and place on a wire rack. Let the cake cool in the insert for 30 minutes.
- Use the foil sling to lift the cake, still in the liner, out of the insert. Place on a cooling rack. Gently remove liner from the cake.
- Let the cake cool completely before frosting.
Cream Cheese Frosting
- Beat the butter and cream cheese until nice and fluffy. Add in the vanilla and powdered sugar and beat until nice and smooth.
- Frost the completely cooled cake, cutting into layers if desired.
- Top with toasted coconut (optional).
Nutrition
More cake recipes!
Reese’s Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Pound Cake
Zucchini Bundt Cake with Orange Glaze
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Ritika Desai says
One of the Amazing dishes i try I’ve been wanting to make these forever! My hubs is a huge carrot cake fan! I’m bookmarking them for the weekend. It’s actually been way too long since I’ve made it.keep posting
Liz says
My family isn’t a fan of pineapple, does the pineapples give it a lot of flavor? Can I substitute it for more applesauce?
Shilpa Malhotra says
Such a great idea. This sounds so zesty and delicious! I cannot wait to try it out!
Amelie Moore says
I’ve been wanting to make these forever! My hubs is a huge carrot cake fan! I’m bookmarking them for the weekend. It’s actually been way too long since I’ve made it.
Fran says
Same question again, what size slow cooker did you use? Also, I have an Instant Pot (multi use pressure cooker type thing) with a slow cooker function, would it be ok to use this?
Many thanks.
Fran
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
I used a 6 qt round slow cooker. And although I haven’t used an Instant Pot before, as far as I understand, it would work just fine for this recipe. I got my brother one for Christmas and have been meaning to buy one myself 🙂
Sandy_of_WV says
Have the SAME question as above… what size slow cooker?
Accountant girl says
Looks wonderful! What size slow cooker did you use?
Tally says
Gotta try this one
Julie @ Texan New Yorker says
Oh wow, your icing/frosting job is just gorgeous!! I love that you made this in your slow cooker! I haven’t yet really ventured into baking things in mine. I should though! This looks amazing.
Agelina says
Hi Trish: My family and I LOVE “Carrot Cakes”., I’ve baked almost every “Carrot Cake” recipe which I came across (on the internet) over the coarse of many years. They were all pretty good in their own right, but your “Slow Cooker Carrot Cake” sounded very interesting to me. I’m impressed that it doesn’t call for a lot of cooking oil, since you substituted applesauce. I plan to add some raisins into the batter, simply because we like them.
Please tell us if this recipe can be baked in the traditional way (in a regular oven), and at what temperature.
Sonja says
Hi Trish, just found your blog and am excited about starting to try some of your recpes. As I’m in Australia though, I do find that some things you suggest just aren’t available here. For instance, the slow cooker liners are nowhere to be found, so for this cake, can you tell me how to make it in an oven? Thanks
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
I’m so glad you found me too Sonja! I’ve included the link to the original recipe in the post Sonja (here it is as well: http://www.momontimeout.com/2012/08/to-die-for-carrot-cake-recipe/.) Also, this cake could be made without the liner – you’ll just have to wash the insert 😉 Just invert the insert onto a plate when the cake is done, just like you would when removing a cake from a baking pan. Hope that helps!
Chrisy @ Homemade Hooplah says
I have yet to try a slow cooker cake, but this looks SO easy!
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
It really is Chrisy and so amazing!
Marlynn @ UrbanBlissLife says
This is a beautiful cake! I don’t make carrot cake very much but your recipe looks fantastic, and I love that you made it in the slow cooker. I have yet to make a dessert in my slow cooker but I need to give it a shot!
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
This is a great recipe to start with Marlynn! Thanks for stopping by 🙂
Allison says
What a great idea – I would have never thought to make a cake in a slow cooker!
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
So great for busy days like Easter when oven space is at a premium Allison. Thanks for visiting!