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.
Yummy dessert recipes!
Tasty dinner recipes!
Sign up to get emails when I post new recipes!
For even more great ideas follow me on Facebook – Pinterest – Instagram – Twitter – Bloglovin’.
Rebekah says
I found the icing nowhere near thick enough, causing major problems when trying to ice the cake. I had to try and thicken it up with even more icing sugar and shortening. I may suggest a different cream cheese icing in the future.
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
I’m wondering if your measurements might have been off? I’ve made this no less than 100 times and it really is fool-proof. If ever you have icing or frosting that isn’t thick enough – just add some more powdered sugar until it gets to your desired thickness. Hope that helps!
Jan Carmichael says
I would hope she did not use shortening in this frosting….yik! I bake and decorate cakes and my go-to buttercream is actually cream cheese based. It makes enough to frost a two layer cake nicely and is very similar to your recipe but it’s not as “loose” as a regular cream cheese frosting. My recipe is 1-8 ounce box of cream cheese, 2-sticks of real butter (8-ounces), and two pounds of powdered sugar. You don’t even need the vanilla. Beat softened cream cheese and butter until smooth and creamy and well combined, then slowly add the powdered sugar. That’s it. Add liquid only if you need it. This frosting pipes well and crusts nicely and goes wonderfully well with carrot cake. It might be a good alternative for those who want a “sturdier” frosting. I can’t wait to try your recipe…it looks just like the one the bakery I used to work for used and I’ve been looking for one like it since!
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
I agree Jan 🙂 So glad you stopped by and I’ll definitely give the frosting a try without vanilla sometime soon. Thanks!
sharon says
Made this cake today. It was wonderfull! Finally I have a great carrot cake recipe! thnx
Rose says
I tried this recipe (with applesauce and 1c pecans) for my fathers bday it was AMAZING! I never made carrot cake and my dad who is a total dessert king raved about it! Def a keeper recipe!!!
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
Oh Rose you’re making me want some carrot cake RIGHT NOW! I’m so glad you dad liked it!
Iren Parusheva says
Love carrot cakes i am going to try this one.
Gergana Dimitrova says
I am gonna try this one out looks great.
susan says
hi
when you say 2 c of sugar is that a cup ??
thank you
Zuena Odhiambo says
Thanks for sharing this lovely cake recipe Trish. I made the cake a while back and the middle was not baked. I removed that and we ate the rest of it which was well baked. I figured out that the cake tin I had used was small. I really liked the mixture so today I baked again using the same ingredients although I did not put in the carrots and bicarbonate of soda because I react to it. The cake came out beautifully!!!!!!! As I type this, I’m having a huge piece with a cup of green tea…..Thanks a lot.
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
Oh wonderful! I’m so glad you’re enjoying the recipe!
Char McVay says
I was so excited , I couldn’t wait to make this cake ! I made it exactly by the recipe , I was so upset when I open the oven door ! I looked at all three pans , they look just like they did when I put them in the oven except they were done !! I don’t know what happened that they didn’t rise because I put the baking soda and baking powder in the batter ! I know I put everything in there because I had everything set up and measured out and in the order it should be used while I was waiting on my butter to soften and my coconut to defrost !! I would love to try to again but it’s kind of expensive just to throw away ! Can you use self rising flour instead of all purpose flour ??
Alexa says
Wow! This cake looks AMAZING! My day’s birthday is on the 28th and he loves carrot cake. I’m meeting him for dinner so want to bring him something to take home….I thought cupcakes would be easier. Do you happen to know about how many cupcakes this would make or how I should adjust the baking time if I make cupcakes? I’m looking forward to use this recipe!! 🙂
Ase says
I have the same question. Is it 1 can or 1 cup pineapple? And applesauce is an unsweetened or sweetened one?
Thank you
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
It is one cup of pineapple and I use unsweetened applesauce. My brother likes to use sweetened and it’s still fabulous so totally up to you 🙂
Beth says
Hey Trish:)
I’m making this for my daughter’s birthday tomorrow cuz it looks sooooo yummy, and I have a stupid question, is it 1 CUP or 1 CAN of pineapple? I know that I’ll pick one way or the other and I’ll have messed the whole thing up:)
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
I sure hope you’re getting this in time Beth! It’s one cup of pineapple. Let me know how it turns out!
linda simmons says
Hi, can’t wait to bake this cake, I have a recipe for corgette and pineapple cake which is almost the same and it’s is so delish, (it has no coconut) so maybe if anyone has an allergy or dislikes carrots, courgettes would be a good substitute .
Meg @ Sweet Twist says
Oh Carrot Cake is one of my faves…I will have to try this for sure.
Becca {Crumbs and Chaos} says
Trish, this cake is just gorgeous!!! I’ll have to make this for our next special occasion. 🙂
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
Thank you Becca! I daresay it tastes even better than it looks – yum!
Ruba says
Hi I’m from Jordan I made this recipe today for my family in law, it is soo nice and yummy but it is too sweet for me actually I felt that two cups of sugar is too much but I liked to follow the steps. Next time Ill use 1 1/2 cup of sugar.
I didn’t use the pinable too bcz I don’t have it
Thank u for the recipe.
I’d like to ask if there z another dressing bcz I’m not a cheese lover?
Thank u again
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
You can use any frosting you’d like for the cake Ruba if you’re not into cream cheese. A vanilla frosting would be delicious as well!
Eileen says
Prpllotus1@gmail.com
I think there’s too much sugar in that type of frosting. I whip a pint of whipping cream with an 8 ounce pkg of cream cheese that has been whipped with 1/2 cup powdered sugar . Then I add 1 tsp of vanilla. You can add more sugar if you want. This is my go to recipe for cream cheese frosting.
Shelley says
I made this carrot cake to take to a friend’s house for dinner last night and it was a hit~ My usual “go to” recipe uses oil and always falls in the center but this cake was moist, delicious, and perfectly shaped! It is healthier by replacing the oil with fruit. It is now my new “go to” recipe.
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
I am SO, SO glad that you and your friend enjoyed this recipe! It really is one of my very favorites and I’m happy you gave it a try. Happy New Year!
Niki says
Absolutely Delicious and beautiful. Will most definitely make again and again! Thanks for sharing!