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    Home » Recipes » Cake and Cupcake Recipes

    The Best Carrot Cake

    Published: Jun 25, 2021 · Modified: Jan 11, 2025 by Emma Burton · This post may contain affiliate links · Leave a Comment

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    This is the Best Carrot Cake recipe you will ever make! The cake is incredibly moist, dense and packed full of flavor from the addition of roasted walnuts, spices and carrots. We top the carrot cake off with a cream cheese icing and decorated with more walnuts.

    Slice of the best carrot cake.

    This is the best moist carrot cake recipe you will ever need! The addition of crushed pineapple really helps the carrot cake stay moist and lightens up the dense cake. The cake is then paired with sweet and tangy cream cheese frosting which balances the warm spice flavor of the cake.

    Jump to:
    • Why You'll Love This Recipe
    • Ingredients
    • Carrot Cake Recipe with Pineapple Step-by-Step
    • Expert Tips
    • Recipe FAQs
    • Related Cake Recipes...
    • Carrot Cake

    Why You'll Love This Recipe

    • The Flavor: This simple carrot cake recipe has four different spices which results in an aromatic and rich cake! This carrot cake also contains crushed pineapple which elevates the flour of this cake and is reminiscent of the hummingbird cake. The cream cheese frosting balances all the spices but this is an optional add on.
    • The simplicity: This simple carrot cake with pineapple recipe is ridiculously easy. The cake comes together in one bowl with no need for electric beaters.
    • Quick to make: The batter for this cake comes together in one bowl and rather quickly. The cake will take time to cool before applying the frosting but this can be sped up by placing the cakes in the fridge for an hour.

    Ingredients

    Ingredients to make the best carrot cake recipe.
    • Crushed Pineapple: The crushed pineapple is not an optional add-in. This is a wet ingredient and the result is an incredibly moist carrot cake. The flavour of the pineapple is not overpowering in anyway.
    • Toasted Walnuts: The addition of the toasted walnuts (or any nut you prefer) is an optional addition. I personal love the nuttiness in my carrot cake but you can omit these if you wish.

    See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.

    Carrot Cake Recipe with Pineapple Step-by-Step

    Walnuts in a baking pan.
    Flour and spices in a mixing bowl.

    Step 1. Crush the walnuts into small pieces and roast them in the oven for 10 minutes and set aside.

    Step 2. Mix the dry ingredients together in a small bowl and also set this aside.

    Pineapple and wet ingredients in a mixing bowl.
    Grated carrot in carrot cake recipe batter in a mixing bowl.

    Step 3. Add the wet ingredients (oil, eggs, vanilla extract and crushed pineapple) and the sugars to a large bowl and mix together.

    Step 4. Add in the grated carrot and mix this through.

    Flour and dry ingredients added to wet ingredients to make the best carrot cake.
    Roasted walnuts in carrot cake batter in a mixing bowl.

    Step 5. Add in the dray ingredients and mix these through. Do not overmix!

    Step 6. Mix through the roasted walnuts and stir those through.

    Carrot Cake with pinapple batter in cake pans.
    Baked carrot cake with pineapple in cake pans.

    Step 7. Pour the batter into 2x 9" round cake pans and bake at 180°C (350°F) for around 45 minutes.

    Step 8. Allow the cakes to cool to room temperature before decorating with cream cheese icing.

    Carrot cake with pineapple on a plate.

    I have a post on how to make the perfect cream cheese icing.

    See this Paleo Carrot Cake recipe on my website if you want a gluten free, dairy free and refined sugar free version of a carrot cake.

    Expert Tips

    • Do not overmix the cake batter. You want to just incorporate the flour into the wet ingredients.
    • Keep it simple. I always struggle with decorating cakes. The best advice for decorating this carrot cake is to keep it simple and rustic.

    Recipe FAQs

    Can I use fresh pineapple in my carrot cake?

    I recommend only using the tinned crushed pineapple in juice. Depending the time of year and the pineapple, the amount of juice the pineapple produces varies so we use tinned crushed pineapple to ensure your cake comes out perfect every time.

    How long does homemade carrot cake last?

    Homemade carrot cake can last for 2 to 3 days in an airtight container at room temperature, 5 to 7 days in an airtight container the refrigerator, and up to 3 to 4 months properly stored in the freezer.

    Why is my carrot cake soggy in the middle?

    When the cake is wet in the middle and the top and sides are starting to turn a dark brown, the edges have started to cook faster than the middle of the cake. One way to avoid this is to adjust the cooking times and temperatures to suit your oven. Everyone’s oven is different so if your cake has a soggy middle, the first thing to try is bringing the temperature down a little and baking for slightly longer. Start by reducing the temperature by 15 degrees and increasing the baking time for 5 minutes. 

    The best carrot cake slices on a plate.

    Related Cake Recipes...

    • Hummingbird Cake is a super moist pineapple, banana and walnut cake topped and filled with cream cheese icing. #hummingbirdcake #bananacake #hummingbirdcakerecipe #vegancake #creamcheeseicing #bananacakerecipe
      Hummingbird Cake
    • Gingerbread cake slice on a plate.
      Gingerbread Cake
    • Raspberry Banana Cake Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Icing close up of the cupcakes with the yellow cupcake case
      Raspberry Banana Cake Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Icing
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      Gingerbread Cupcakes

    Did you make this recipe? If so, show me your creation! Tag me on Instagram @lightscamerabake and #lightscamerabake to be featured.

    Also don't forget to subscribe to my YouTube Channel or TikTok for more fun baking videos.

    Carrot cake with pineapple on a plate.
    Print Recipe
    4.50 from 4 votes

    Carrot Cake

    This is the Best Carrot Cake recipe you will ever make! The cake is incredibly moist, dense and packed full of flavour from the addition of roasted walnuts, spices, pineapple and carrots. We top the carrot cake off with a cream cheese icing and decorated with more walnuts.
    Prep Time40 minutes mins
    Cook Time40 minutes mins
    Total Time1 hour hr 20 minutes mins
    Course: Dessert, Snack
    Cuisine: American
    Servings: 16 Slices
    Calories: 487kcal
    Author: Emma Burton

    Ingredients

    Carrot Cake

    • 1 Cup Vegetable Oil (250ml)
    • 1 and ½ Cups Brown Sugar (250g)
    • ¾ Cup Sugar (150g)
    • 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
    • 3 Large Eggs
    • 432 g Tin Crushed Pineapple
    • 3 and ¼ Cups All Purpose Flour (410g)
    • 2 teaspoon Baking Powder
    • 2 teaspoon Baking Soda
    • 2 and ½ teaspoon Cinnamon
    • ½ teaspoon Cloves
    • ¼ teaspoon Nutmeg
    • ¼ teaspoon Ground Ginger
    • ¼ teaspoon Salt
    • 3 Cups Carrots, Grated (Around 3-4 carrots) (300g)
    • 1 Cup Walnuts (or pecans, pistachios, almonds) (120g)

    Cream Cheese Icing;

    • 1 Cup Cream Cheese, Room temperature (250g)
    • ½ Cup Butter, Softened (110g)
    • 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
    • 2 and ½ - 3 Cups Icing Sugar (320g-380g)

    Decorating;

    • ½ Cup Almonds or Walnuts (Optional) (60g)
    Metric - US Conventional

    Instructions

    Carrot Cake;

    • Heat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Chop the walnuts (or whatever nuts you use) into small pieces and place in the oven to roast for around 10 minutes.
    • Remove from heat and carry on with the recipe.
    • Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F) and grease and line two 24cm or 9" round spring form cake pans and set aside. (Or 3 20cm or 8" round cake pans).
    • Combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, ginger and salt in a bowl and stir together.
    • Add the oil, brown sugar, sugar, eggs, vanilla and tinned pineapple to a bowl and beat together.
    • Grate the carrots and add them to the cake batter.
    • Add in the dry ingredients and fold together until just combined.
    • Finally fold through the roasted walnuts and then pour the batter into the two cake pans evenly.
    • Place in the oven to bake for 35-45 minutes. A skewer inserted into the middle of the cakes should come out clean.
    • Allow the cakes to cool in the cake pans for 10 minutes before removing and placing on a cooling rack to cool to room temperature while you make the cream cheese icing.

    Cream Cheese Icing;

    • Beat the butter until smooth.
    • Add in the cream cheese and beat together until smooth.
    • Add in the vanilla extract and slowly add the icing sugar until all combined.

    Putting it altogether;

    • Using ⅓-1/2 of the icing, fill the cake, you can pipe this or spread this. Then top the cake with the remaining icing. You can cover the sides, pipe like I have or however you like.
    • Then top the cake with the remaining icing. You can cover the sides, pipe like I have or however you like.
    • I like to use a little bit of icing to cover the top and sides of the cake and place it in the fridge for an hour or so to firm up (a crumb coat) so the icing looks cleaner.
    • Decorate however you like. I placed almonds on my cake but you can use any nut or none at all.

    Video

    Notes

    Ingredient notes:
      • Crushed Pineapple: The crushed pineapple is not an optional add-in. This is a wet ingredient and the result is an incredibly moist carrot cake. The flavour of the pineapple is not overpowering in anyway.
      • Toasted Walnuts: The addition of the toasted walnuts (or any nut you prefer) is an optional addition. I personal love the nuttiness in my carrot cake but you can omit these if you wish.
    Storage notes: 
    • The carrot cake can last for 2 to 3 days in an airtight container at room temperature, 5 to 7 days in an airtight container the refrigerator, and up to 3 to 4 months properly stored in the freezer.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1Slice | Calories: 487kcal | Carbohydrates: 50g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 31g | Saturated Fat: 19g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 66mg | Sodium: 341mg | Potassium: 167mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 33g | Vitamin A: 52IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 82mg | Iron: 2mg
    Tried this Recipe? Tag me Today!Mention @LightsCameraBake or tag #lightscamerabake!

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    Hi! I'm Emma, the the driving force Lights, Camera, Bake!. I develop the recipes, style the food and produce the accompanying photos and videos for you at home.

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