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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betty says
Can you make the cake without coconut.
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
I haven’t tried it but several readers have done so and confirmed that the cake turned out great!
Enelie says
Can use any kind of oil?
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
Vegetable or canola in place of the applesauce if you choose to.
Sharon says
How much oil do you use
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
The same amount if you were using applesauce, 1 and 1/4 cup.
Cheryl Powell says
Do this cake need to kept refrigerated?
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
The cake doesn’t but I like to once it’s frosted. It keeps the frosting intact. Also, the flavor is better when the cake is cold.
Jessica Villasenor says
I made this cake last night for my extremely picky bf’s birthday (who has been craving a really good carrot cake after many failed attempts to find a good one in local bakeries). I have scoured the internet over the last few weeks looking for just the right recipe. I found your recipe, read probably every single review posted, & decided this was the one. I followed your directions word for word. I opted for your version using unsweetened applesauce & didn’t make any variations whatsoever. Let me tell you this was the absolute BEST carrot cake we have ever had!! Wonderfully moist, not too sweet, utterly PERFECT. I hit the jackpot finding your recipe. Picky boyfriend LOVED it! Thank you so much for sharing it with us 🙂
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
I just got chills lol! Thank you so, so much! I know my Nana would have appreciated this 🙂
Crystal Anthony says
This cake is amazing!
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
Thanks so much Crystal – I couldn’t agree more 🙂
Refilwe chilisa says
May I please have the metrics measurement! Tia
Destiny says
Could you substitute raisins for the coconut shred?
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
Sure!
Linda says
I made this recipe from your old recipe last year and the new one this year. My husband likes the old one better, but I didn’t print it. Can you you tell me what you changed?
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
I didn’t change anything 🙂 It’s the exact same recipe, just updated photos.
Gladys says
The best Cake recipe
Ever my family love it is very easy to make very moist I had make this cake so many times .! The last one I made was for some of my coworkers birthday they were literally in shock one said this taste like Christmas another one said my mom needs to tray this to see what a real carrot cake taste and look like .!!!! I’m very very happy whit this recipe I’ll never make a different one .! Thanks for sharing
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
You are the best Gladys – thank you!
Cardyn Brooks says
This recipe was a hit! Everyone raved about hos tender and delicious the cake and icing were. I used one cup of applesauce and 1/4 cup of oil. The batter is naturally sweetened with the pineapple, applesauce, and carrots so 1 & 1/2 cups (instead of 2 cups) of granulated sugar worked great.
Thanks for sharing this easy recipe that really delivers!
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
Fantastic! So happy you enjoyed the cake as much as we do!
Carolyn says
This cake is wonderful! I made it for my husband today for Father’s Day. It was a huge hit. Thanks for sharing this great recipe!!!
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
So glad you enjoyed it Carolyn!
Inocensia says
I made this cake for my husband for Father’s Day! It’s his favorite and he loved it! It was so easy! I work full time and being busy with sports and kids, this recipe was really easy to follow and quick to make. Thank you for sharing this recipe.
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
I’m so glad you gave it a try! Thanks for stopping by!
Margaret Lownsberry says
Amazing recipe. Super easy and the cake is wonderfully moist. A friend requested one for a Birthday and I decided to practice with this one, I have made tons of cakes in my time, but never a carrot cake for some reason. The entire cake was gone in no time. Everyone loved it. Wonderful texture and moist crumb. I made a double batch of icing to pipe a little and I made 3 layers. This is the cake you want to try. I grew up helping grandmother bake and I knew if this was a grandmother’s recipe, then it would be the one and it is THE ONE you want to try. Very versatile. You can add raisins if you want and I suspect you could add a pinch of ginger and nutmeg for a perfect Fall cake as well.
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
Thank you so, so much Margaret. There is not one recipe I have from her that isn’t a family treasure. Love them all!
Denise Boycik says
I have made this scrumptious carrot cake 3 times already! The only thing I did different is added 3/4 cups of yellow raisins. My husband said he has never had a carrot cake this good before. I love the instructions too! I didn’t have 3 8″ pans so I bought aluminum ones. I put the parchment paper in the bottom. I finally made a successful 3 layer cake! I am now anxious to try more of your recipes! Thank you so much!
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
You are the sweetest Denise – thank you!
alesha says
Does this cake freeze well!??!!??!?!
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
It does. In fact, my brother recently froze the entire cake, frosting and all, and just defrosted overnight in the fridge and it was delicious. If you’re not that adventurous, you can always just make the cakes, cool, wrap in plastic wrap and then foil before popping in a freezer bag. Freeze for up to 3 months.
DD says
I’ve made this 4 times already, I get requests!! In fact my mother in law requested one for her luncheon for the board she’s on! I wish it let you post pictures, for Easter I turned the recipe into two 3-D bunnies! It was super cute! Thank you for sharing this fantastic recipe!
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
Oh my goodness DD – I need to see a picture! Can you email me if you have a chance? trish @ momontimeout.com