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 –Â 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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Ella Brown says
Amazing!!! Even people who didn’t like carrot cake are now hooked. Thank you for the magic recipe!!
Marty says
I used this recipe to make my first carrot cake and it was delicious! I left out the coconut and raisins and the texture was still perfect. Thank you for sharing.
Adre says
O my WORD!
Greetings from South Africa!
Since we can’t go out for cake on lockdown I decided to bake one for my family.
To die for! Thank you! 😊😊😊
Martha Stewart and Nigella who!!! They have nothing on you!
Mary says
Wow! I have made this recipe twice in one week. The first time I used oil and everyone raved. My boyfriend and daughter said it was one of the best they have ever had. Yesterday I made it again using applesauce and everyone loved it again and I actually think it’s better with applesauce because it seems moister, fresher and lighter. The frosting is rich so it balances it out. Also, I only used half the amount of powdered sugar for the frosting and it was more than sweet enough. Thank you! This will be a family favorite for many years!
Nancy says
I typically buy carrot cake from our local bakery for convenience and its delicious. My daughters birthday was a couple weeks ago amidst this unfortunate quarantine. Of course, she wanted carrot cake and I, of course, would have to make it, I hunted through a dozen or so recipes until I found yours and decided to take a chance. She loved it!!! We all LOVED it! Those that tried the cake said it was the best they’d ever had. I will never buy another carrot cake again. Thank you for this gift.
Dichele says
OMG, I give it 5k stars My first carrot cake I made and wow. I cant eat nuts so I put no nuts in it but on the top I put all toasted pecans on half and all coconut on the other half. I have pulled many recipes online, rarely do I make it a point to leave comments but this carrot cake is awesome and I felt so wonderful because my hubby said this is the best carrot cake hes ever had. Thank you so much for sharing it.
Jacquelyn says
Yum!! Thanks for sharing 🙂 Just FYI, it works great with a tube pan, too! (About 45-50 mins.) I had some leftover cream cheese icing, which inspired the carrot cake (haha!) so one thick layer worked out perfectly.
Kira says
My boyfriend requested carrot cake for Easter dessert so I went searching for a recipe and I’m so glad I found yours. He said this was the absolute best carrot cake he’s ever had and as a carrot cake connoisseur,, that’s a huge compliment! I used oil since I didn’t have unsweetened applesauce and I also used pineapple chunks bc it’s what I had on hand (I mashed them a little with a potato masher). Next time I’d love to try it with applesauce although I’m afraid to change my new favorite recipe. Thank you!!
Dean says
This recipe was amazing. I used the oil not Apple sauce , was so moist , full of flavor and my fat a$$ cant stop eating it. Lol.
Kimberly says
This recipe is great! Since the place where my Mom wanted carrot cake no longer sells it, I took it upon myself to make it for her on Mother’s day. The carrot cake came out so delicious and my Mother loved it! Thank you for sharing this recipe!
Myndi McClain says
This was the best carrot cake I’ve ever had. I only did a couple things differently, more cinnamon and I used chunky applesauce. It was scrumptious and for my first ever carrot cake it was awesome.
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
More cinnamon is always a great idea! So glad you enjoyed the recipe!
Angela says
I just made this for the 1st time and it is amazing!!! Thank you for the great recipe.
Ana says
Is it best to refrigerate after you frost the cake
Melissa says
Best cake I have ever ever made!!!! This was a crowd pleaser. Very simple to follow instructions.
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
Thank you so much Melissa!
A. Lopez says
This cake seriously is to die for! I have made several different kinds of carrot cake for parties but this one really left a mark. I had people texting me for days saying how delicious this cake was. Thank you for this recipe. It will definitely be my go-to from now on!
sharon meyer says
This is the first time i have ever felt compelled to write a review – but this cake is the easiest and best carrot cake recipe ever! Moist and so full of flavor, i have made it with and without the oil, both ways are great.
Because i wanted the cake to be the “star” i changed the cream cheese frosting to a whipped cream frosting that had some cream cheese mixed in…..2 1/2 whipping cream, heaping 1/2 cup powdered sugar, (more if you like) 1 tsp. vanilla whipped to stiff peaks then fold in or beat in on low 8 0z cream cheese that had been separately beaten till smooth. This has now become my most requested “please bring” dessert with family and friends. Thanks so much for sharing this recipe!
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
Mmmmm, that frosting sounds divine! So glad you enjoyed the carrot cake Sharon!
Julie D says
Happy New Years Trish!
I’m a baker like you, but I’ve never made a carrot cake. I followed your recipe and was blown away! It was the best ever!!! It was so amazing that our server wanted a piece of it! Of course we shared it! Thank you for sharing your fabulous carrot cake recipe!!!!
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
WOW! Thank YOU Julie! Happy New Years!