This To Die For Carrot Cake recipe receives rave reviews for it’s unbelievable moistness and delicious flavor! Truly the BEST Carrot Cake you’ll ever try! So easy to make and as an added bonus, there’s no oil or butter. I know this cake will quickly become a family favorite! Looking for a layered cake alternative? Check out these Carrot Cake Bars!
Carrot Cake
There is nothing like a cake to transform an ordinary party into a celebration. There’s something so festive about cakes that scream it’s time to PARTY! Today I’m sharing a cake recipe with you all that’s a family heirloom. I can’t believe I’ve waited this long to share this recipe with you!
This is my Nana’s recipe – slightly modified – and it is sooo amazing! I get requests several times a year for this To Die For Carrot Cake and made it just last week for my sister’s birthday. I love this recipe because it’s a one-two-three recipe and that makes it so easy! It also is a one-bowl wonder which I love.
I have made this recipe hundreds of times and all my friends and family love this cake so much so that I get asked to bring it to parties, holidays, potlucks, and BBQs all year long. I just love that it’s SO easy to make and completely foolproof!
Best Carrot Cake Recipe
This carrot cake with pineapple makes it so moist and the addition of coconut adds a sweet, delicate flavor that you’re going to love!
I have many carrot cake recipes on my site – like these Carrot Cake Bars – but they are all variations of this one. There isn’t another recipe that I’ve ever tried that even comes close to this carrot cake recipe for flavor, moistness, and texture. It’s hands down the best carrot cake I’ve ever had. Period.
What’s In Carrot Cake
This easy carrot cake recipe with cream cheese frosting stands out from the rest for two important reasons: I use both applesauce (instead of oil) and pineapple for extra moistness. The rest of the ingredients are typical cake ingredients that you most likely already have on hand,.
- unsweetened applesauce or oil (my Nana used oil, I use applesauce)
- granulated sugar
- eggs
- all-purpose flour
- baking soda
- baking powder
- salt
- cinnamon
- carrots
- shredded sweetened coconut
- chopped nuts optional
- vanilla
- crushed pineapple
Does Carrot Cake Have Raisins?
This is totally up to you. I don’t include it in my recipe because so many in my family don’t like raisins. If you’d like to add raisins to this recipe, add half a cup of raisins in with the shredded carrot in Step 3. Golden raisins are especially delicious in this recipe!
Carrot Cake Frosting
My Nana’s recipe is super simple (as easy as 1-2-3) and tastes incredible but what’s a carrot cake without cream cheese frosting??
Cream cheese frosting is the standard when it comes to carrot cake and with good reason. Soft and gooey with a hint of tang from the cream cheese – it’s the perfect complement!
How To Decorate!
You can decorate the cake however you want and I do it differently every time. You really can’t do this wrong!
- After the cakes have finished cooling, invert one of the cakes onto a cake plate or stand. Apply a generous dollop of frosting and spread to cover. An offset spatula will make quick work of this. Gently place the second cake on top and continue frosting.
- For this carrot cake recipe, I chose to decorate with the nuts. I chopped up some toasted pecans and then inverted a bowl onto the cake.
- Gently spread the pecans around the bowl and you’ll end up with a nice clean circle on the center of the cake. Watch the video below to see how I did it!
- I could have left it like this but my family loves coconut so I filled in the center with shredded coconut. Turned out really pretty!
What a cake!! I’d love for you to give this from scratch carrot cake recipe a try – it really will blow your mind! I like to use light cream cheese frosting and then subbing the applesauce for the oil, well, obviously you can now have two pieces of cake!
Do you have family recipes that the whole family just LOVES like this cake recipe?? I’m so thankful that I was able to get so many fabulous recipes from my Nana. Every time we eat this cake, I think of her and all the yummy times we had together.
Tips for the Best Carrot Cake
- Toasting the pecans (if you’re using them) adds even more amazing flavor to this recipe.
- DO NOT use pre-shredded carrots. Buy standard carrots, peel and grate by hand for the best results. You want the fresh flavor in this cake – it’s what makes it so outstanding!
- I used three 8-inch cake pans in the video. I really like the size of the cake with three layers. These are the pans I used – they’re amazing!
- These cakes are SUPER moist – amazingly so. Make sure to adequately grease your pans before adding the cake batter. My little brother likes to grease his pans, and line them with a piece of parchment before baking. I’m far too lazy for that. Using the pans above, and some baking spray that has the flour added in (like Baker’s Joy or Pam with flour), I have never, ever had any sticking issues.
- I’ve had several requests from people wanting to know where I got my cake serving set from… Amazon, of course!
How To Make Carrot Cupcakes
This recipe can easily be converted into a cupcake recipe. I do recommend that you use parchment liners because this cake is very moist and could stick to regular paper liners.
To make carrot cupcakes:
- Follow instructions 1 and 2 below.
- Place liners in muffin pan and fill two-thirds full.
- Bake at 350F for 18 to 22 minutes.
- Let carrot cupcakes cool before frosting.
Try these cake recipes!
- Orange Creamsicle Cake
- Lemon Zucchini Cake
- Best Ever Texas Sheet Cake
- Strawberry Shortcake Roulade
- Zucchini Spice Cake
How To Make Carrot Cake
To Die For Carrot Cake
Ingredients
Cake:
One
- 1 ¼ cups unsweetened applesauce or oil, this is what my Nana used
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 3 eggs room temperature
Two
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
Three
- 2 cups grated carrots
- 1 cup shredded sweetened coconut
- 1 cup chopped nuts optional
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 cup Dole crushed pineapple not drained! {use the pineapple in JUICE not syrup}
Cream Cheese Frosting:
- ½ cup butter softened
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 pound powdered sugar
- top with toasted pecans or coconut if desired
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Combine #1 ingredients. Add #2 ingredients. Stir in #3 ingredients.
- Pour into a lightly greased 9 x 13 , two 9-inch pans or three 8-inch pans. (The cake is very moist so cutting parchment for the bottom of your pans will ensure they don't stick. I prefer to use the non-stick baking spray that has the flour in it for easy cake removal.)
- Bake for 35-40 minutes for the 9x13 and 9-inch pans and 25-30 minutes for the 8-inch pans. You're looking for an inserted toothpick to come out clean.
- Let cakes cool for 10 minutes in the pan and then remove to a cooling rack and let cool completely.
For the frosting:
- Beat the butter and cream cheese until nice and fluffy. Add in the vanilla and powdered sugar and beat until nice and smooth.
- Invert the cake onto a cake plate or stand.
- Apply a generous dollop of frosting and spread...
- Gently place the second cake on top and continue frosting. Repeat with the third cake if you made three.
- Refrigerate for an hour before serving for best results.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Original post published August 18, 2012. Updated February 27, 2018.
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Lisa says
This is one of the best cakes! Everyone raved about it and I just made the second one. Thank you for sharing this recipe!
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
Thank you SO much Lisa! Have a great week!
Brenda says
My husband loves carrot cake so I was searching around for some recipes to decide what one to make. I decided on this one because I liked all the ingredients and it seemed to be very easy to make. This is the best carrot cake ever! After his first bite when he said “mmmm this is so good”, I deleted all the other recipes I was saving. I was telling a friend I made this for Easter. She said she wanted to make one but couldn’t find the mix. I grabbed this recipe I had hanging on my fridge and told her that she won’t ever need the box mix again. Thank you for sharing this recipe it is greatly appreciated!!
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
This is the best comment! I think that’s what I love most about this cake – ANYONE can make it. Super easy and SO much better than a box mix. Thanks for stopping by Brenda!
Renée Dimitros says
Hello I love what’s in this cake, I know it will be the best ever , soon I will make this TY RENEE FROM NJ ??????❤️
Angelina says
I gotta say it again, it’s the VERY BEST Carrot Cake EVER (and I’ve made many!) This time, I added in a generous handful of golden raisins (in Step #2) which I soaked in warm water to soften, since we like raisins in our carrot cakes. I baked this cake in a 13″ x 9″ Pyrex cake pan, since I was bringing it to a birthday party. Everyone loved it! 🙂
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
I love raisins in mine as well Angelina! So good!
Linda Hughes says
Trish….this is, hands down, the best carrot cake I’ve ever made. I made it exactly to your recipe and used oil. It is a joy to make and eat. I’ll be making it again this weekend for my best friend as it’s now her favorite dessert in the world. Thank you so much for sharing it. It’s a treasure.
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
I only wish my Nana was around to see all these compliments – she would have loved it! Have a great week Linda!
L says
I’ve made this many times and every time it’s a hit!
Thank you
Quick question.. could we make the frosting ahead and keep it refrigerated?
Want to make it for the weekend and may not have time for all the steps.
I want to frost the cake when I get to my family’s, could I possibly make the cake layers the night before, and then layer everything when I get to my destination?
Thanks again for a wonderful recipe.
It’s amazingly delicious!!
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
Thank you! And yes, totally can make the frosting in advance.
Elsa Eastman says
By far the BEST cake ever! I love that there’s
no oil or butter…the applesauce is brilliant…
makes it moist and delicious…thanks for
sharing your grandma’s recipe…this has become my cousin’s favorite and is always requesting it…
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
Thank you so much Elsa!
Katherine says
I made this cake in 2 9” rounds, then shaped into bunny face for Easter (get it? Carrot cake…). I used walnuts and the applesauce, and the only change I made was to use unsweetened coconut instead of sweetened. Still plenty sweet enough. BEST CAKE I’VE EVER MADE. Yum, yum, yum. Fabulous frosting, too. Thanks for sharing your Grandma’s fabulous recipe!
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
Thank you SO SO much Katherine!
Lorraine says
Well, I thought my old go-to recipe for carrot cake was the best but this is absolutely golden. I made it in the 9” pans and the quantity was just right. Also, I always had to double the frosting recipe for the ratio to be correct, but not this time. The proportions were perfect. This recipe is a keeper. Thank you.
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
High praise indeed Lorraine! Thank you so much!
Megan says
Simply, unbelievably, on-friggin-point Carrot Cake. Its 10:30 PM, night before Easter, and I’m cooling the cakes now so I can frost them. I don’t even care that I’m utterly wiped out from cleaning/setting up for 13 straight hours since we are hosting Easter, because my house smells delicious and nothing can go wrong tomorrow if this cake is being served. This recipe is a God-send. It’s the second time I have made this cake, and if it were up to me, I’d eat a slice every day for the rest of my life. No joke. Thank you, thank you, thank you for sharing!!!
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
LOL! Best comment ever award goes to…. Megan! I hope you had an amazing Easter and I apologize for not replying sooner. So glad you love this recipe as much as we do!
Ashley Leach says
Made this with Gluten free flour for Easter brunch and it was moist and delicious. I make it every year for my husband’s birthday and it’s always delicious. 1st time trying not gluten free and it didn’t disappoint. Thanks for sharing this delicious recipe!
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
I’m glad it worked out for you Ashley! I haven’t made it gluten free before so that’s really good to know.
Kyla says
Best carrot cake ever! I made this recipe 2 years ago for Easter and they’ve been requesting it for everything since then!
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
Welcome to my world Kyla – lol! So glad everyone loves it!
Judyta says
The best cake ever. Thank you!
Jen says
I’ve made this cake a dozen times so far, followed recipe to a T and it’s the best Carrot Cake ever, hands down.
I did have to add a little bit of heavy cream to the icing to make it more workable for my personal preference.
Five stars.
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
Thank you so much Jen!
Claudia L Edwards says
Awesome…. This is my third attempt at this carrot cake and it gets better at each attempt. Moist, crunchy with a great presentation of colors. It’s a hit for all of my family and guests. It took awhile to get the frosting right. The first attempt it was too thin. I learned that to thicken it, just add more powered sugar.
This recipe is definitely a keeper.
Thanks for sharing.