For years, I stayed away from carrot cake, thinking there was no way a cake made with a vegetable would be something I’d enjoy eating. I certainly didn’t think I’d ever be writing about (or singing the praises of) anything like this carrot-infused sweet treat, which is hands-down the best carrot cake recipe.
Boy, was I wrong!
It was on a bus ride home from high school one afternoon when a classmate got me to try a piece of a cake she had made in her home ec class. I really didn’t want to try it, but I also didn’t want to hurt her feelings.
After one bite, I was in love…sigh. Not with the cute girl on the bus ride home, but with the Carrot Cake she had gotten me to try.
It was love at first bite.
Later in life one of the desserts, I learned to make during my time with Mama Jeanette was this amazingly delicious carrot cake.
With its delicious, moist texture and rich cream cheese frosting, it was even better than I remembered and has become my go-to recipe for this delicious dessert.
Ingredients to Make Carrot Cake
Let’s start by gathering the ingredients we need to make the best carrot cake recipe. In Chef Speak this is called the “Mise en Place” which translates to “Everything in its Place”.
Not only does setting your ingredients up ahead of time speed the up cooking process, but it also helps ensure you have everything you need to make the dish.
Chef Dennis Tip*
*Grate your own fresh carrots at home. Don’t buy pre-shredded carrots; they’re dry and disgusting
Do I have to use pecans in the carrot cake?
No, you don’t. You can use walnuts or leave the nuts out altogether if you have nut allergies.
How to Make a Classic Carrot Cake
Start by getting the cake pans ready and preheating the oven. Once those two steps have been completed, you can start making the carrot cake.
- Add the applesauce, white sugar, and eggs to a mixing bowl.
- Mix well with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon and set the applesauce mixture aside until needed.
- Add the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon to a large bowl.
- Combine all the dry ingredients thoroughly.
- Add the grated carrots, coconut, pecans, pineapple (with juice), and vanilla extract to a large bowl.
- Mix the ingredients together until well blended.
- Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients.
- Using a spoon or a hand mixer (or a stand mixer with a paddle attachment), mix the flour in just enough to combine the ingredients
- Add the carrot mixture to the mixing bowl
- Combine the carrot mixture just enough to blend into the flour mixture, , scraping down the sides of the bowl with a large rubber spatula.
- Get the prepared pan (greased, floured with a greased parchment circle )
- Divide the cake batter into the three prepared round cake pans.
*Make sure to use parchment paper in the bottom of the cake pans!
Bake the cakes for 25-30 minutes on the center rack of the preheated oven or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
*Let cake cool for 10 minutes in the pan before transferring each to a cooling rack and allowing them to cool completely to room temperature.
How to Make Classic Cream Cheese Frosting
- Add the butter and cream cheese to a large mixing bowl.
- Beat until creamy and light.
- Add the vanilla extract and confectioners’ sugar to the cream cheese mixture.
- Whip until well blended and creamy.
How to Assemble the Carrot Cake
- If necessary trim the top of each layer, so they are flat
- Using an offset spatula, add frosting to the first layer, spreading it evenly.
- Repeat this process with the remaining layers.
- Frost the outside of the cake with an icing spatula, doing your best to keep it even. Some cake can show through.
- Frost the top of the cake
If you want to take the carrot cake to the next level add a ring of frosting along the outside edge of cake. Then garnish the top with pecans and coconut.
This is entirely optional.
If you’d rather not add more frosting to the top, you can simply add a ring of pecan halves on the outside of the cake. I added toasted coconut and pecans to the top of this cake.
Recipe FAQ’s
While cake, in general, is not really considered a healthy food, all things in moderation, right? Carrot cakes do incorporate carrots, so they can have more nutrients than standard cake recipes.
Carrot cake can have all sorts of add-ins. Sweet, plump raisins are definitely a good option, though they’re not necessarily a standard addition.
Carrot cake can most certainly be an option for a wedding cake. While it’s delicious for any gathering, it does work well for special occasions.
More Cake Recipes You’ll Love!
Mama Jeanette’s Carrot Cake
Ingredients
Carrot Cake
- 1 ¼ cups applesauce unsweetened
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs room temperature
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 cups grated carrots
- 1 cup shredded sweetened coconut
- 1 cup pecans chopped
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 cup crushed pineapple with juice in juice not syrup
Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 1 cup butter softened
- 16 oz cream cheese softened blocks -Don't use whipped cream cheese
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 lb powdered sugar
Assembly
- toasted pecans and coconut for topping
Instructions
Carrot Cake
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Butter and flour three 9-inch cake pans.*Make sure to use parchement in the bottom of your cake pans. This is a very moist cake and it will make it easier to remove from the pans.
- Add the applesauce, sugar and eggs to a mixing bowl. Mix well and set aside until needed.
- Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon in a mixing bowl, making sure to combine all the ingredients.
- Add the carrots, coconut, pecans, pineapple (with juice) and vanilla to a bowl and mix well.
- Add the flour mixture to the applesauce mixture. Mix just enough to combine.
- Add the carrot mixture to the mixing bowl with the other combined ingredients and mix just enough to combine.
- Divide the batter into the three prepared pans.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes on the center rack of the preheated oven.*a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake should come out clean.
- Let cakes cool for 10 minutes in the pan and then remove to a cooling rack and let cool completely.
Cream Cheese Frosting
- Beat the butter and cream cheese until fluffy.
- Add the vanilla and powdered sugar, mix until well blended and creamy.*Don't overmix the frosting
Assembly
- If necessary trim the top of each layer so they are flat.
- Invert one layer of the carrot cake onto a cake plate or stand and begin frosting the top of the cake. Spead the layer of frosting evenly using a spatula.
- Gently place the second cake on top and continue frosting. Repeat the process with the third layer.
- Finish frosting the sides of the cake with the remaining frosting, keeping it as even as possible.*it's okay for a little of the cake to show through.
- Refrigerate for an hour before serving to allow the cake to firm up.*You can refrigerate the cake overnight, just remove it about an hour before serving to allow the carrot cake to come back to room temperature. The cake will actually taste better the next day.
Becky Comer
This was hands-down the best carrot cake recipe ever and I received 5 stars from those that had some of my cake made from this recipe. Thanks Chef Dennis for sharing it with us all. ❤
Debra
Restaurant style for sure! So many compliments when I made this for a neighbors birthday.
Sloan
I loved this carrot cake! The cream cheese frosting is the best part.
Oscar
Oh wow, the coconut and pineapple in this carrot cake totally hit the spot. What a great recipe.
Amanda Dixon
This is such a wonderful carrot cake! It was perfectly spiced and super moist — just the way I like it.
Rob
Carrot cake is one of my favorites and your recipe didn’t disappoint!
Sue
This carrot cake is the best!! My family loved it!