Ahhhhh, today I’m going to share with you a scratch Carrot Cake Recipe that is downright legendary! Truly, carrot cake is my favorite dessert of all time, and THIS carrot cake recipe is the only one that we make.
I love cakes with lots of “stuff”… cakes with wonderful textures and a mixture of flavor combinations. For instance, Hummingbird Cake and Italian Cream Cake are close to the top of my list, but Carrot Cake is king! (I feel like I should put that on a t-shirt).
Let’s talk about the parade of ingredients that make this Carrot Cake recipe SO amazing. Of course, carrots and spices are a given, but this favorite carrot cake recipe of ours also includes crushed pineapple, pecans, and coconut.
Not all carrot cakes call for coconut and pineapple, or even nuts, but after trying this recipe, we could never go back! The added flavor and sweetness are the perfect complement to the carrots, spices, and pecans.
Just look at this slice- so much texture and lumpity bumpity deliciousness!
As a child I avoided carrot cake in favor of pretty much any other dessert option at family celebrations. I mean, carrots? In a cake? The name alone just sounded a bit too healthy and vegetable-y for me.
Oh how wrong I was! Just think of all of those slices of carrot cake I missed out on.
Though we don’t see carrots in many desserts, it actually makes perfect sense in terms of the sweetness factor. Even in medieval times, carrot puddings were hugely popular due to their natural sweetness.
The carrot cakes that we know and love today are believed to have evolved from these flavorful carrot puddings.
That natural sweetness also explains the resurgence of carrot based desserts during World War II when sugar was rationed.
Fast forward to the 1960s and 1970s and carrot cakes began to enjoy widespread popularity in the US not only for their amazing flavor, but also (hee hee) because it’s healthy.
Okay, so carrot cake as a health food may be a bit of a stretch, but it really makes it easier for me to cut myself a giant slab of cake! Mmmmmm.
Finally, let’s get down to the business of cream cheese frosting.
Our luscious Pipeable Cream Cheese Frosting is just what this scratch Carrot Cake needs to take it to the next level. (We actually have two fabulous Cream Cheese Frosting recipes on our site. The second is a classic Cream Cheese Buttercream Frosting that has a slightly softer consistency as it doesn’t call for quite as much cream cheese.)
Sandwich the cream cheese frosting between your cake layers, and then finish it off with a generous slathering.
This cake disappeared in record time after we took our photos. We’ve made countless variations of carrot cake over the years, but THIS is our favorite!
*Although this scratch Carrot Cake recipe is our favorite, we also have a fantastic doctored cake mix Carrot Cake recipe if you prefer working with a mix. You can find it at the bottom of this post!
Enjoy the recipe!
Carrot Cake {Scratch Recipe}
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups (325g) All Purpose Flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Baking Soda
- 1 1/4 teaspoons Baking Powder
- 2 teaspoons Ground Cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon Salt
- 2 cups (400g) Sugar
- 4 Large Eggs
- 1 cup (218 g) Vegetable Oil
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 2 cups (180 g) Grated Carrots
- 3/4 cup (92 g) Chopped Pecans
- 3/4 cup (50 g) Coconut (I used Bakers Angel Flake Sweetened coconut)
- 1 8oz can Crushed Pineapple (put in strainer and let juice drain. I used a fork to press out more liquid.)
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees
- Line the bottoms of 3 (8inch) or 2 (9inch) round pans with wax or parchment paper, grease with shortening and flour the paper and pans for easy release when turning out......carrot cake has a tendency to stick so be sure to use the paper.
- Whisk together for 30 seconds the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Set Aside.
- In a mixing bowl, add 2 cups sugar , 4 eggs, 1 cup oil and 1 tsp. vanilla. Mix 2 to 3 minutes at medium speed until well blended and light colored.
- With a spoon stir in the flour until moistened, then add the carrots, pecans crushed pineapple and coconut.
- Bake 35 minutes at 350 degrees or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Refrain from opening the oven door or touching the center of the cake to test for doneness until very near the end of baking time or it could cause the cake to sink slightly in the center.
- Makes 6 1/2 cups batter
- Cool cake layers in pan for 10 minutes on a wire rack then turn out. Cool completely before frosting.
As I mentioned above, we have a great “almost homemade” doctored cake mix version of Carrot Cake that’s a keeper! Convenient, consistent, and with many of the same ingredients as our scratch version. You can find it here!: Carrot Cake: A Doctored Cake Mix Recipe.
Thanks for stopping by! I guarantee that if you try this carrot cake recipe, you’ll come back to it again and again. It’s just that good!
Don’t miss our full collection of tried and true favorite cake and frosting recipes in our Recipes Section! We also have a section of Free Cake Tutorials which include step by step photo tutorials and free cake video tutorials! Enjoy!
Looks delicious! Carrot cake is my favorite to! Gluten-Free version though.
Thank you so much for sharing this, I can’t wait to make it! Would you mind sharing the tip you used to pipe the outer frosting? And did you have to add more sugar to the frosting to make it firm enough to be piped onto the cake? Thanks again!
Yum, yum, yummmmm!!! Carrot cake is my all time favorite, too! Can’t wait to try this recipe. Perfect for Fall. Thanks!
Hi Ladies
I got a request for carrot cake today so Im glad this was the first thing that popped up on your site…. just a couple of questions.. Can cake flour be substituted for the APF ? what measurements are best to use, weighing them out and using the grams or cups? last question……. I’d like to use a bundt pan would it be enough batter or too much?? I have the large pan……..
thank you for your time
Stella
My favourite cake! will def. be trying it soon.
Will this recipe work with cupcakes?
Yes, it should be fine for cupcakes.
Hi Stella, I have not tried using cake flour instead of all-purpose flour, but if you do I would use the cup measurement. For each cup of all-purpose flour in a recipe, you can substitute 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons of cake flour. We have not baked the recipe in a bundt pan. The recipe will give you 6 1/2 cups batter and I think a large bundt pan will hold 12 to 15 cups, so it there may not be enough batter.
Hi JC, I think it would be fine for one of the tiers of a multi tier wedding cake. As you can tell from the picture, you will not get a clean precise slice because of the coconut and pineapple. I would want you to give it a test run before offering as a wedding cake.
Is this very sweet?… because 2 cups of sugar plus pineaple plus coconut ?… can I use less sugar?
Is there a way to print this recipe? Can’t find a “print” button . . .?
@Claudia- We really love the recipe as is (we’ve tried many!) but if you do a little experimenting with sugar amounts, we’d love to hear how it goes ;0)
@JeanF- I don’t post recipes very often in the blog (although that is about to change!) — and so the “print recipe” feature isn’t set up yet for blog posts. However, since you are a member, you can use this link to print it from our recipes section-
link to mycakeschool.com
Hello Melissa,
I was in a bind for a 12 inch carrot cake for a bachelorette party for this Friday nite. I did a recipe on yesterday (Tuesday) that I did not like. It was heavy and gummy. I tried your carrot cake recipe today. I actually tripled the recipe and was able to get 2 very nice 12 inch layers that were Oh… so even with no lumps and a dozen cupcakes. Actually I got a couple extra so that I could taste the recipe for myself. I just want to tell you that I was very pleased! Your recipe is
AWESOME!!! Thanks so Much!!!
Hi Hazel, I am thrilled that you are happy with the cake! Thanks so much for your feedback & details on tripling the recipe. Glad that it came out so well for you. (Now I’m craving carrot cake!) ;0)
Hi Melissa. I read the recipe and comments for the cream cheese frosting recipe used with your strawberry cake (it is the same recipe used for the carrot cake I believe)…someone asked if the cream cheese recipe would be good for roses and the reply was that it would not. (I hope I am reading and posting accurately). Did you add more sugar to the recipe in order to make the roses on the carrot cake? Thank you.
Hi Paula- For a realistic rose, this frosting would be a bit too soft…but for rosettes or rose swirls with a star tip, I find that it does fine. I really like this cream cheese frosting for a filling…but when using as a frosting for the outside of the cake, I sometimes change things up and add more powdered sugar or combine with a little vanilla buttercream if it seems too soft..especially when the weather is warmer.
Thank you very much Melissa!
Looks and sounds scrumptious, Melissa!
Hi Melissa, just wanted to know if the coconut you used was sweetened or unsweetened and can I use fresh pineapples instead of can pineapples.
Thanks
Hi Fortune, We used sweetened coconut in the recipe. I think you can use fresh pineapple with no problem. We have not tried it but I have seen it as an ingredient in other recipes. I think it would work best diced into small pieces.
Can I use gluten free flour instead of the regular flour?
Hi Cathy, We have not tried baking this recipe using gluten free flour. I have some King Arthur gluten free flour than can be used with 1/4 teaspoon xanthan gum for every 1 cup of flour in the recipe, but I have not tried it with any of the recipes on the site. Let us know how it goes if you give it a try.
Hi, if I substitute organic coconut oil for vegetable oil do I need to add coconut? And is the pineapple able to be removed?
Hi, will honey work instead of sugar if I’m seeking a healthier cake? Happy Easter!
Hi Meghan, We have not tried leaving out the coconut, since the recipe has 3/4 cup, I do think the recipe would not be the same. I’m sorry but I don’t think honey would work in place of sugar.
Made this for Easter and it was a huge hit! Making it again for a cake auction at my church. Thank you!
Wonderful !! Thanks so much for posting your review of the recipe.
I’m not a big carrot cake fan. I’m not even a big cake fan, but this carrot cake was so great. I made it for a group gathering and only 1 piece was left…which my husband claimed. So moist and the cream cheese frosting was wonderful.
Hello Teena! Thank you for your feedback, I’m so happy to hear that you all loved the cake!! ;0) xo
Hi! I was wondering if I could make this cake a couple days before a birthday party and if it would be fine if I put it into the freeze for a couple days?
Hi Evalene, The carrot will be fine to be made two days before the party and kept in the refrigerator under a cake cover. I would not freeze the frosted cake, sometimes there is a problem when freezing cream cheese frosting. You could make the cake layers well in advance and freeze them individually wrapped in plastic wrap and aluminum foil. A day or two before the party the layers could be thawed and decorated.
Hello, I was wondering when you mean by coconut what exactly should I buy? Coconut shreds?
Hi Erika, I used Bakers Angel Flake Coconut, it is sweetened. I don’t know if that brand is available to you but any brand of sweetened flaked coconut will be fine.
By far my favorite cake!! The recipe is fabulous and I got rave reviews. So happy to be a member ! Thanks Melissa and Bebe
Hi Janis, Thanks so much for posting your thoughts on the recipe, so glad you like it!!
Made this today and omg I cannot wait to dig in! My house smells so good!!! Should this cake be refrigerated?
Hi Renee, So happy you gave the recipe a try. Yes, we do refrigerate the cake, the cream cheese frosting is perishable. Take the cake out of the refrigerator 1 or 2 hours before serving to take the chill off the cake and the cream cheese frosting can soften a bit.
I’m just making this right now and it’s so easy. My kitchen smells yummy. I can’t wait to taste it, thank you for sharing 😀❤️❤️
Hi Ruth, I’m so glad you are trying the recipe. It is one of our favorites!
How much flour do I use? I don’t think I saw it in the instructions.
Thanks
Hi Amanda, It is the first ingredient, 2 1/2 cups (325g) flour. I hope you enjoy the cake.
Hi there! Looks yummy! Can I use only baking soda? Thanks! Tama
Hi Tama, You really need the baking powder in this recipe. Baking soda is 3 times as strong as baking powder and too much can give your cake a metallic taste. Also, you would need another acidic ingredient in the recipe. You need the baking powder for extra lift. Is there a reason you don’t want to use baking soda?
Thanks!
I made another recipe of carrot cake that ask for baking soda and baking powder ( 1 tsp of each). The taste was really very bad. I couldn’t eat it. Any suggestions?
Another thing… Can I substitute the pecan, pineapple and coconut for grated zucchini? I know… Strange but taste really good, I tried before.
I will do this recipe next week! Thanks again!
Hi Tama, It probably was something other than the baking soda and baking powder that caused the problem with the other recipe. This recipe will definitely have a different taste if you leave out the pecans, pineapple and coconut. Let us know how it goes.
Would this recipe still be okay if the pecans were omitted?
Does anything change if I dont wanna put pineapples in the cake?
Hi can I substitute coconut or olive oil for the veg oil? Thanks
Myla
Can I bake this in a 9 by 13 pan instead of two round cake pans?
Hi Myla, We haven’t tried substituting the oil so I can’t say for sure.
Hi Cheri, I think you can bake this recipe in a 9 x 13 inch pan. Line the baking pan with wax or parchment paper because carrot cakes tend to stick to the pan. Also, if you have a rose nail, grease and flour it and place in the center of the pan to distribute heat to the center of the pan. Do not open the oven door during baking time, as the cake could fall in the center. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, check at 35 min. Test with a toothpick in the center of the cake, it is done when it comes out clean or with only a few crumbs attached.
This recipe is amazing.I was able to bake it in two loaf pans. I am officially the talk of our church group. Today I am subbing the pineapple and carrots for banana and making banana bread.
Alright, I had to comment because this cake turned out really yummy! I am living with my husband in Ukraine and wanted to make something that my husband and in-laws would not have had before. Since I am in Ukraine, some ingredients are either hard to find or they are really expensive. I tried to follow the recipe as much as I could but had to make some changes. Even though I could find pineapple, I have never seen it crushed and the amount I needed was really expensive. Ironically I found some pineapple jam on sale. I took a chance and used it instead and it worked well. I also have never seen pecans here so I used walnuts. The only coconut I could find was unsweetened. Last but not least, I did not want to use so much oil so I decided to use half as much and replace the other half with apple sauce. I am telling you, sometimes you have to be creative here, I could not find any applesauce except for in baby food form. Even with all of these little changes everything came out amazingly and everyone LOVED it! Oh, furthermore, cream cheese is crazy expensive here so the cream cheese frosting was out of the question. I ended up making a butter, milk, flour based frosting recipe that I found on another blog called, “Frosting that will get you hugs.”by Christy Denney. Even though I think the cream cheese frosting would have been ideal, this was definitely a great substitute. Thanks for the great recipe!
@Jessica- I missed your comment before, so happy that you liked the recipe! xo
@Dianna- Wow, you really had to be creative! Thanks for listing all of the different substitutes that worked for you, so glad that you were happy with how it came out! xo
Hi Melissa i want to make this cake for my husband birthday. But I was wondering what type of coconut can I used or is coconut milk.
Also this receipt doesn’t required any liquid.
Hi Roselie, The coconut we used is Bakers Angel Flake Sweetened Coconut. You could use any brand of flaked sweetened coconut. The liquid in the recipe is the oil, eggs and pineapple. It is a moist cake. I hope your husband loves it for his birthday cake.
Made this on Friday and am feeling so guilty cause I have had at least 4 slices since then. They are so goood! The taste, texture and the icing! Perfecto! :) thank you for sharing.
Gluten-free works! And so do cupcakes!
We used 2 cups gluten-free Bisquik + 1/2 Cup almond meal. We also replaced the 1 cup vegetable oil with 1/2 cup coconut oil (melted) and 1/2 cup applesauce (natural/no sugar added). 20 minutes in the oven.
We also “cheated” by using pre-shredded carrots from the produce section and unsweetened coconut flakes. Whirled them both around in the food processor to chop them into small pieces!
WONDERFUL!!! This just became our new favorite cake!
Now one to see how our coconut cream frosting is going to work! (We’re dairy-free too..making this one up as we go!) <3
Hi Linda, I’m happy you were able to use the recipe. Thanks so much for posting how this could be made gluten free. I’m sure it will be helpful to many.
Hi, can u please tell me about the frosting recipe i can’t see it here, thnx
I would love to try this for Easter this year. We can’t do the pecans or any nuts due to tree nut allergy. Would omitting nuts be fine? Should I add extra flour or anything if I leave nuts out?
I can’t tell you how many people have told me that this is the best carrot cake they have ever tasted. I have made it several times in the past year and it is amazing every time! I have to tell you that your tip on using a fork to strain the pineapple is key to the overall texture and success of this recipe. With some other recipes pineapple can add too much moisture if it’s not squeezed enough and the cake is not fluffy enough. So, thank you for this exceptional recipe, it is well loved!
Hi Mel-ish, Melissa and I are so happy you like the cake, your comments make our day!! Thank you so much for taking the time to post your review of the recipe!!
I made this cake last year for easter and it was a hit! I’m going to make it again and I was wondering if you think adding raisins would affect the outcome?
Hi Danielle, I’m happy you like the recipe! We have not tried adding raisins but I think it would be fine to do so.
Would using salted butter make a big difference in the icing recipe?
Hi Susan, It will be fine to use unsalted butter for your frosting. It will taste slightly less sweet because of the salt in the butter. Many people prefer a less sweet frosting.
Omg, this carrot cake is amazing. Thank you. I used walnuts instead of pecans and it was awesome.
Thanks so much for posting your review of the recipe! We are happy you like it and to hear that walnuts are a good substitution for pecans.
Made your wonderful carrot cake for my sisters 40th birthday and was a total hit ….. beautiful moist cake and topped with your pipeable cream cheese frosting .. yum !! Thank you for the awesome recipe …. will be making it a favourite . Everyone luved the added crushed pineapple …. super good 😊
Hi Sandra, This recipe is one of our favorites, I’m so happy you gave it a try for your sister’s birthday !! Thanks so much for your comments!!
This cake is well decorated and looking very attractive, The recipe of this cake that you given is also very simple and easy to bake it. Today we will make it.
What a lovely cake this is!!! Really it can be the best gift for my friend at her birthday, which is coming soon it means 21 june.
Hi there
I am making this cake this week…will it be ok under fondant???
Thank you so much
Hi Sandi, This recipe does not make a firm cake because of the pineapple and coconut so I don’t think it would be a good choice for fondant. There are other recipes that do not include pineapple that would be better to use. I’m sorry that we don’t have that recipe for you.
Can I bake the Scratch carrot cake in a 9×13 pan?
Hi Patricia, This recipe makes 6 1/2 cups batter. If baked in a 9×13 inch pan it would probably be 1 1/2 inch high. To have at least a 2 inch high cake you will need 10 cups of batter so you would need to double the recipe. Here is a link to the Wilton serving chart that you will find helpful. link to wilton.com
making this in 9 inch layers with the middle being a homemade cheesecake, frozen before assembling. Outside cream cheese frosting. Saw the recipe for that on facebook but the carrot cake I made in the past is like this recipe with the pineapple, theirs wasn’t. So, combining 2 beautiful recipes,,,,,,only to give it away without a taste. :)
Hi Leah, That sounds delicious!!
This cake was AMAZING!!! My entire family of six loved it:) I used two loaf pans and it was fabulous. I will definitely be making again and again. Thank you!
Hi Johanne! I’m so happy to hear it! Thanks for your feedback! xo
I am about to try this for the first time, but we have a food allergy to pineapple in the family. What do you suggest as a replacement for this so the moisture it provides is not missing. Thank you.
Hi! This is my second time making this recipe as well as the pipeable cream chees,e and we absolutely loved it. I will continue to make it every year. Thank you for this recipe. No substitutions needed.
Hi there,
I was wondering if this cake could be baked in a bundt pan rather than the pans mentioned in the recipe?
Hi Alissa, I have never baked this recipe in a bundt pan but it should be just fine. Maybe slightly more dense than in 8 inch pans, but still very good. It is a very moist and thick batter so I am not sure about the length of baking time. Bake at 350 degrees, it may take 55 to 60 minutes, maybe longer. If you find that the top is getting a bit too dark, cover loosely with a piece of aluminum foil. Position the oven rack to the lower third of the oven…..not the lowest rack but the next to lowest. Check for doneness with a long skewer at about 55 minutes. It will be done when the skewer is clean or has just a few crumbs attached. Let the cake cool in the pan at least 30 minutes before turning out. Let me know how it goes.
Hi Bebe,
Thank you so much for your detailed response. I will definitely give it a try. I figured the cooking time would have to be adjusted. I am hoping to try it for Thanksgiving (maybe a test run sooner) but I will definitely let you know.