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!
I have made this cake for our monthly birthday cake at our quilting group. Needless to say, it was a big hit. This past Sunday was Missions Sunday at our church, and a week or so ago I got a call from the Missions committee to see if I would make this cake for a silent auction I was honoured to make it, took it in on Sunday and after a roast beef dinner all the bids went in and I was so pleased someone paid $30.00 for it. Of course I put cream cheese icing on it and pecans around the top and some in the middle. It truly is the best Carrot Cake in the world!
Hi Jean!
That’s AWESOME! I loved reading this story and hearing that your carrot cake received such a high bid. All for a good cause. Thank you so much for sharing with me. It truly made my day!
Happy Nesting,
Norine
AMAZZZZZZZINGGGGGG!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hi Anna!
This made my day! I’m so glad you enjoyed it. Thanks so much for stopping by. Have a GREAT week!
Happy Nesting!
~Norine
Hi Norine,
This carrot cake looks exactly like the carrot cake I want to make- it’s dark, moist and looks super delicious. Thank you so much for sharing it. One question though, can I reduce the sugar in the frosting?
Hi Anne!
Thanks so much for stopping by my Nest! You can reduce the sugar in this recipe and it should be just fine. You may want to reduce the vanilla a tad. I would taste test as you are mixing and see. You may also want to reduce the amount of butter. I’m a little concerned you will end up with a frosting that isn’t as sustainable as this normally is. If that makes sense? It really is a great cake and a delicious frosting! I know you’ll love it.
Thanks again for visiting.
~Norine
Hello Norine? Is there any way to substitute the oil with apple ? sauce?
I have seen that in some other recipes.
Just wondering if that might work just as well?
It sounds like such an amazing recipe and I really want to impress my family.
Thanks for sharing☺️
Hi Michelle!
To answer your question, I have not done that with this recipe. However, I have done it with others and I think it would work okay with this recipe. That said…I think I would do half and half. Most cakes call for some type of oil or “fat”. Just to be safe, I would do half applesauce and half oil. You could try doing all applesauce, but I little concerned about totally omitting the fat content out of this cake.
I promise if you make this cake you will MORE than impress your family! I don’t think I’ve ever had anyone tell me that this cake disappointed. It’s just one of those classic no-fail recipes.
Thank you so much for stopping by. Let me know how it goes! I’ll be cheering ya on from the side lines!
Have a GREAT week.
Happy Nesting!
~Norine
This was hands down the best carrot cake that I have ever made. Thank you Norine for such a lovely contribution. I made it for Easter for my family and it was devoured quickly. I have made many carrot cakes, but this was the best by far.
Hi Gail!
Thanks so much. You are so sweet. I’m so glad your family enjoyed this cake for Easter. I made it for Easter too and we gobbled it all up! Thanks so much for stopping by and visiting me. Ya made my day.
Happy Nesting!
~Norine
This is so good my husband cant stop talking about it to everyone!!! I have always loved Carrot cake and had several pinned, I had to go into my saved pins and delete all but this one so I didn’t accidentally make the wrong one. Seriously the best, thank you!!!
Hi Erlene!
Thanks so much for stopping back by and sharing with me. I love hearing that people have enjoyed this carrot cake. It’s one of my favorite desserts! I hope you have a wonderful week and I hope you’ll visit with me again.
Happy Nesting!
~Norine
Hi Norine,
I was searching for a carrot cake to make for Easter and made your recipe. This is absolutely the most delicious carrot cake ever! My family loved it and can hardly wait for me to make it again. There are some raisin lovers in the group and asked if I would add them in the next time too. If I did that, what quantity do you think I should use? Thanks so much for posting this fantastic recipe.
Hi Pam!
I’m so glad that everyone loved this cake! For your “raisin lovers” I suggest golden raisins and I would use 1/2 cup. Maybe a little more. Thank you so much for stopping by and sharing with me. I love hearing from friend who actually make my recipes. It makes my day! Have a GREAT week!
Happy Nesting!
~Norine
Hey there, Your cake was a huge hit at my house for Easter. My dad took a few slices home and I gave the rest to neighbors. One that came for dinner came to see if there was any left and he was so bummed when I told him no. He then offered to pay for the stuff to make another. I made it in 2 layers and added a half tsp of allspice for a little kick. Thanks for posting this. It was amazing.
Hi Stacy!
Oh my goodness! That is awesome. Why has no one ever offered to have me make another one? lol I’m so glad that everyone enjoyed this cake. Thank you so much for stopping by and sharing with me. I truly love hearing from friends who have made my recipes! It brightens my day!
Have a great week!
Happy Nesting!
~Norine
This cake really was phenomenal! And easy to make! My 4-yr-old granddaughter and I made it together for Easter dinner?. Wonderful memory!
Hi Paula!
Thanks so much for sharing with me. I love that you made memories with your 4 year old granddaughter making this cake. That just warms my heart. Have a wonderful week and keep making memories! She’ll cherish them forever.
Happy Nesting!
~Norine