World’s Best Carrot Cake
Hundreds of have spoken…this is The World’s Best Carrot Cake! Layers of moist flavor filled cake with coconut, crushed pineapple, carrots, spices, and nuts come together with a delectable cream cheese frosting.
I felt like I needed to add more veggies to my diet, so I made my favorite carrot cake! Ummm… Heck yeah! I’m happy to report that about three more slices of this baby and my eyesight should be back to normal!
I’m obsessed with this carrot cake recipe! It truly is the “World’s Best Carrot Cake”! That is no exaggeration. This recipe ALWAYS receives rave reviews! (It makes me look good!)
It’s the perfect balance of everything I love! This cake is bursting with flavor and ultra moist, but not overly sweet like some traditional carrot cakes.
How To Make The World’s BEST Carrot Cake
First you are going to place your wet ingredients into the mixer and blend.
Next add your dry ingredients and mix.
Then add your carrots, pineapple, coconuts and lastly the nuts and mix again. (Nuts are optional)
When you have blended all the ingredients together you’ll have a very thin batter like pictured below.
Grease and flour three 8-inch cake pans, or you can do two 8-9 inch cake pans too. I wanted a three layer cake with thinner layers because I love how this cake looks with three layers. It’s a personal choice and totally up to you!
Tip: I only had two cake pans, so I baked two, and then did the third after the first one had slightly cooled, and I could invert it onto my cake plate.
Once you have baked your cakes in a 350-degree oven for about 30–40 minutes, place on a cooling rack and allow them to completely cool in the pans!
The reason for this… remember how I said this cake is “moist”…it’s really moist! I placed mine face down on a cooling rack the first time, and had to carefully lift mine with two spatulas. (It’s a nightmare you don’t wanna live through! Trust me!) Place your cake pan up against your cake plate and invert.
Use your favorite cream cheese recipe (I’ll include mine… I promise) Frost the tops of each cake layer.
I love that this cake is only frosted between the layers. You could go around the outside if you really want to, but Mars and I are not huge frosting fans so this method of just frosting in between the layers and on top is perfect for us.
I don’t do a ton of frosting either, just a nice medium layer. Again this is a personal choice. You can do whatever floats your boat! (Don’t take all your baking advice from me! Lol I’m the lady eating cake to get her vegetable count in!) (wink, wink)
Here is the finished cake. I didn’t go all fancy with piping frosting around the edges or adding any garnish. I really believe sometimes more is just that…more! Not necessarily better.
This cake is so beautiful on its own! It doesn’t need all that “Froufrou”! (I hate my kitchen table and am re-doing it soon!!! Just in case you were wondering.)
I do think it deserves a moment of silence…. ticktock…tick-tock….
Okay… enough of that! Let’s get to the good part…the eatin’! Ooooh…so super moist and so yummy! Makes eatin’ your veggies a divine pleasure!
One bite, and you can feel yourself start to elevate to new heights! (I said “heights” not “weight”! This cake has fruit and veggies it cancels out all calories!… You’re Welcome! Lol)
I made this for dessert the other night and my kids… who both told me they don’t usually like carrot cake…loved it! Mars, who has always “Passed” on my carrot cake, asked for a slice and then proceeded to “ewww and ahhhh” and ask me why he’s never tried it before? (Mmmmm… That’s a question only the other Martians can answer! Us Venusians eat any carb covered in frosting!)
Here are some other great Cake Recipes
- Banana Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
- The Best Dark Chocolate Cake with Creamy Chocolate Buttercream
- Cake Mix Cinnamon Coffee Cake
- Best Vanilla Cake with Special Buttercream frosting
- Pumpkin Cake with Cream Cheese frosting
- Best Pound Cake Recipe from Julia’s Simply Southern
The printable recipe is located below.
If you try this recipe… I’d REALLY love to hear from you! I want to know if you love this splendid carrot cake as much as I do.
Have a GREAT day! Happy Veggie Eatin’!
World’s Best Carrot Cake
Ingredients
- 3 eggs
- 3/4 cup buttermilk
- 3/4 cup vegetable oil
- 1 1/2 cups white sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 2 cups shredded carrots
- 1 cup flaked coconut
- 1 8 ounce can crushed pineapple with juice
- 1 cup chopped walnuts
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour two or three 8 inch pans, depending on if you are doing a two layer or three layer cake. You can make either two thicker 8 inch cakes or three thinner layers. It’s up to you and the desired look you’re trying to achieve.
- In your mixer bowl, combine eggs, buttermilk, oil, sugar and vanilla. mix well.
- Add in your flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Mix till well blended.
- Next add your carrots, coconut, crushed pineapple with juice and chopped walnuts. Mix till just blended.
- Pour into prepared 8 inch cake rounds, bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes. Check to see if done. If finger lightly pressed in center bounces back it is done.
- Allow to cool in cake pans. Invert onto cake plate and frost each layer.
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 1/2 cup butter (softened)
- 8 oz. cream cheese (softened)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 lb. powdered sugar
- Beat the butter and cream cheese until nice and fluffy. Add in the vanilla and sifted powdered sugar and beat until nice and smooth. Test the consistency of the frosting. Too thin? Add powdered sugar 2 Tablespoons at a time. Too thick? Add a teaspoon of milk at a time.
Nutrition
Meet The Author
Hi! I'm Norine, the cook, baker, and recipe creator behind Norine's Nest. I love sharing and creating recipes that invite family, friends, and neighbors to gather around the dinner table. Sharing good food and creating memories with those we love brings me happiness. Thanks for stopping by my Nest!
Hi norine,greetings from the Philippines. I would really like to try this recipe for my wedding anniversary but the thing is, we dont have ready made cocout flakes here in in our province. I was just wondering if i can use fresh coconut instead? Or can dessicated coconut be use instead?
Hi Marianne!
I get so excited when I hear from friends in other countries! Coconut Flakes and Dessicated Coconut is basically the same thing. I would recommend using that rather than fresh. I am a little concerned that if you use fresh it may make the cake too “wet”. If you can find dessicated that would be perfect! I hope you love this cake as much as we do. I made it yesterday for Easter. Happy Wedding Anniversary to you and your husband.
Happy Baking!
~Norine
I served this cake for Easter. It was a huge hit! Soooo delicious! This yummy cake is definitely a make again and again kinda cake!
Hi Sondra!
Hooray!!! I’m so happy you loved this cake! We had it yesterday too and as always…we all loved it! I love that you said this is a make it again, and again…kinda cake! It really is! Hope you had a nice Easter!
Happy Nesting and Thanks for stopping by and sharing!
~Norine
if you have nonstick pans should you still grease and flour and can i use butter and flour and not crisco?
Hi Christine!
I’m sorry I didn’t see this earlier. We’ve been busy having Easter fun at this Nest. I always spray my pans, even my non-stick, with Baker’s Joy baking spray. Just to be sure that the cake will release from the pans. Cooking time for two pans would probably be around 30 minutes. My three layers each took 25 minutes.
I hope you have a wonderful Easter and that you love the cake! Again…sorry I missed these messages.
Happy Nesting!
~Norine
Thank you so much for the help! I tend to over think e-very-thang always! With having said that— do you think one cake layer would come out ‘dryer’ or a little over baked if I place all three cakes in the oven to bake at the same time? Like two on top and one on the bottom rack? Also, I read that you prefer not to ice the sides of the cake —so does your cream cheese frosting make enough icing just for between the layers and the top of the cake. Or do you think I’ll have enough to ice the entire cake with the recipe you listed? Like, did you have left over icing when you iced your cake how you show in the pictures above? Sorry too many questions. I was going to make this cake for Thanksgiving, and that didn’t happen because MIL bought a cake since it was her husbands birthday. I’ve been wanting to bake this cake for so long! It’s finally gonna happen. My boyfriend loves moist cakes and I really do hope he falls in love with this if all turns out well, which I am praying it will! Especially for such a big occasion, as Esmeraldas first birthday! Thank you! I’ll be back if I stumble upon other questions or concerns. And I’ve read your caution about the wet batter in previous comments and I am ready for it! Thank you✨✨
Hi Silvia,
No worries. I don’t mind answering questions at all. I always recommend baking on the same rack. If you can get all three on your center rack in your oven that is the best way to bake this cake. Otherwise I recommend doing two and then cooking the last one after. This way they will all be the same consistency. With regards to the frosting, it would be a little tight to try to get enough to do the entire cake so I would do one and a half of the cream cheese frosting. This will give you plenty. Doubled would be WAY to much but halving it again would give you enough “room to play”. I do have a little left over, but I’m not sure if it would be enough to cover the entire cake. Best of Luck…if you have any other questions email me at [email protected]. I tend to reply quicker and I don’t want to leave ya hanging if you have questions. I know your boyfriend will love this cake! It’s really good. I’m making today too on my Instagram stories later on. 😉
Have fun!
~Norine
Hi! Will be making this cake for my daughters first birthday this Sunday! I do not have a fancy stand mixer, would a hand held electric mixer work fine to make the batter? Or maybe just hand mix with a spatula?
I’d appreciate your help! Thank you!!
Hi Silvia!
You can mix this batter by hand if you want. I have done that many times and it turns out just as good. I always like to warn everyone that this is a very “wet” batter so don’t let that scare you. It turns out beautifully! Happy First Birthday to your sweet daughter! First birthdays are a big deal and I’m so flattered you want to make this cake for her special day!
Thanks for visiting!
Happy Easter!
~Norine
Not really a comment, but I was noticing in your recipe that there was no baking powder. Is this a mistake? I just wanted to know before I proceeded to make the cake. Thanks.
Hi Moria!
It is not a mistake! You are not the first to ask so it’s a perfectly normal question. There is baking soda in the cake but no baking powder. I will give you one warning that everyone always asks about…it is a very “wet” cake mix. Don’t let that scare you. This will truly be the best and most moist carrot cake you have ever made! Have a Wonderful Easter! Thanks so much for visiting my Nest!
~Norine
i found this recipe and I’m going to make the traditional bunny cake with it. you know the one with the two rounds one is the ears and bow tie. Have been making it since my son was little he 14 now and so we have left the chocolate cake and are upgrading it to carrot. I’ll let you know how it goes. a bit nervous because it has been stated its very moist. fingers crossed.
Hi Christine!
It is very moist but I think you can make it work. I LOVE the idea! Please send me a picture. I’d love to see it. 😉 Have a wonderful Easter with your family! Thank you so much for stopping by!
~Norine
Hi Norine, I’m going to try baking this for Easter this weekend… is the temperature listed for conventional or fan-forced oven? Thanks!
Hi Lily!
The temperature listed is for a conventional oven not a convection oven. I hope that helps you out. This is a GREAT Easter Dessert. I’m making it too! 😉 Happy Easter and thanks so much for stopping by my Nest!
~Norine
I don’t have buttermilk can I use something instead????
Hi Mary!
Yes you can substitute with milk with vinegar or lemon juice added. For one cup of milk add 1 Tablespoon of Lemon Juice or Vinegar.
Thanks so much for stopping by. You’ll love this cake!
Happy Nesting!
~Norine
Hello, I’m Susana. I love your recipe, I can do it today, Tuesday for a birthday on Thursday? or should I make it the day of the birthday?
Hi Susana!
I hope you got my email? You can make it today and save it for Thursday. This is one of those cakes that gets better when it sits for a day or so. This is a very wet batter so just know that in advance. It bakes beautifully though so no worries. Have a wonderful birthday party. I know everyone will love this cake. Be sure to keep it covered so it doesn’t dry out.
Happy Nesting!
~Norine