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!
Can I substiture baking powder for baking soda?
Hi Mary!
Yes BUT…remember that baking soda has 3 times the power of baking powder so 1/4 teaspoon baking soda is equivalent to 1 teaspoon baking powder. So you’d have to add a lot more to get it to work as well as baking soda. So for 1 teaspoon of baking soda you’d need 3 teaspoons baking powder.
Hope this helps.
Norine
Norine
I am only making this recipe in the hope that by eating my veggies I will obtain a Wonderful personality like yours.
Thank you.
Will try it tomorrow.
Fruit n veggies all the way!
Hi Charlene!
You made my day with that kind compliment! Thank you! I’m sure that focusing on eating more veggies, you’ll far surpass my personality! You already have with this awesome comment! I’m going to do my best to create more veggie focused dishes so we can chat again! We obviously both have a deeper understanding of the food pyramid than most!
Have a Great Week and enjoy those veggies! Come back soon!
Norine
I made This cake yesterday and let me just say that it was AMAZINGLY SCRUMPTIOUS!! It is like old school carrot cake. Like it used to be. It’s even better cold from the refrigerator. Thanks for making my week better.
Hi Yvonne!
First of all…you are so welcome. I’m so glad you found this recipe. I 100% agree that this cake is even better cold. I thought I was the only one that enjoyed it that way. I want to thank you for making my week better!! I love when fellow bakers and foodie friends take the time to leave a comment at my Nest and visit with me. I hope you have a great weekend and stop back by soon.
Happy Nesting!
Norine
One of the recipes that actually works. Thank you. Came out perfect.
Hi Alexandra!
You are so welcome. This cake always turns out perfectly for me. It’s just one of the many reasons I love it. Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment. I hope you’ll come back again soon. Have a great weekend.
Happy Nesting,
Norine
I’m about to try your rexipe and I’m so excited! If I may ask, can I bake this on 1 10-inch round pan? If so, how long should I bake it? Thank you! ❤️
Hi Bernadette!
Sorry for the delayed response. I was sick the past few days and just getting back to work. You can bake this in 10-inch round pans. I would reduce the cooking time by about 5-7 minutes, but check it. I always suggest checking the baking time of the cake as it can tend to cook more quickly for some than it does for others. Not sure why? The top will be slightly sticky but should still spring back when touched.
Thanks for stopping by. Enjoy the cake.
Norine
My family loved this!! I actually made a 2-layer cake without the nuts and coconut and made a 6″ with nuts and raisins for my husband . Anyway, my family said it’s the best I’ve ever made. It was super moist and yummy! I put a bit of cinnamon in the frosting. I will definitely make this again! Thanks for sharing your recipe!
Hi Shelley!
Thanks so much for stopping by and sharing with me. Love the addition of cinnamon to the frosting! I’m so glad you family enjoyed this recipe. It always brings me happiness to know that others are making my recipes and enjoying them. Hope you have a great week!
Stop by again soon!
~Norine
Hiii! This riciepe look insane ande delicious, but I have a doubt. Can I use mashed bananas instead of crushed pineapple?
Hi Romee!
Great question. My only concern in using mashed banana’s instead of pineapple is that you will over power the taste of the carrot cake and have more of a banana cake. I would suggest using apple sauce in place of the pineapple. It will add the moisture and not over power the cake with a banana flavor.
Hope this helps. Enjoy this recipe. It is really one of my all time favorite cakes!
Come back soon!
Norine
Love This , and everybody loves them too! Will definitely make some more…
This was a big hit my family and friends loved it. Awesome cake recipe, easy to follow truly a delicious cake. The recipe for icing was the same I used for other cakes! I punched wholes in top of each cake with at tooth picks; and added a home made simple syrup which was made from the left over pineapple juice and vodka after it cooled prior to icing to lock in the moisture of the cake. I made the cake on a Saturday and it on Thursday the cake is still moist and delicious ❤️❤️❤️❤️
Love your additions with the simple syrup! Awesome!!! Thanks so much for sharing and I hope you’ll come back again soon. Sure wish I had a slice of your cake!
Happy Nesting!
Norine
This is hands down such a crowd pleaser of a carrot cake and it never fails! Absolutely love!
Hi Akira!
First…LOVE your name! Second, thank you so much for the sweet compliments on this recipe! I love this cake recipe so much. I feel like it’s a good friend who never lets you down! Have a great week and stop by again soon!
Happy Nesting!
~Norine