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World’s Best Carrot Cake

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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.

World's best carrot cake on cake stand with a slice on a plate in front

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.

wet ingredients in mixing bowl of mixer

Next add your dry ingredients and mix.

Cry ingredients for Carrot Cake

Then add your carrots, pineapple, coconuts and lastly the nuts and mix again. (Nuts are optional)

carrots, nuts, pineapple, and coconut

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.

carrot-cake-batter

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!

cakes cooking on rack

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.

carrot-cake-4

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)

carrot-cake-5

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.)

cake on cake stand

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)

Slice of carrot cake on plate

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

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’!

Photo of Norine and her signature.
Yield: 16 servings

World’s Best Carrot Cake

World's best carrot cake on cake stand with a slice on a plate in front

This recipe makes a fabulous and moist carrot cake. Five stars all the way! I always get rave reviews whenever I serve this cake! It makes amazing cupcakes too!

Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 1 hour

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

  1. 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.
  2. In your mixer bowl, combine eggs, buttermilk, oil, sugar and vanilla. mix well.
  3. Add in your flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Mix till well blended.
  4. Next add your carrots, coconut, crushed pineapple with juice and chopped walnuts. Mix till just blended.
  5. 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.
  6. Allow to cool in cake pans. Invert onto cake plate and frost each layer.

Cream Cheese Frosting

  1. 1/2 cup butter (softened)
  2. 8 oz. cream cheese (softened)
  3. 1 tsp vanilla extract
  4. 1 lb. powdered sugar
  5. 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 Information:

Yield:

16

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 328Total Fat: 18gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 14gCholesterol: 35mgSodium: 251mgCarbohydrates: 39gFiber: 2gSugar: 24gProtein: 5g

Meet The Author

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Carolyn Herrera

Sunday 3rd of November 2024

Would it bake ok as a sheet cake and tripling the recipe? I’ve made this several times as a layered cake but want to serve this at a baby shower for40 guest

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Monday 4th of November 2024

Hi Carolyn! Yes! It works beautifully! I've made this as a sheet cake, cupcakes, and a bundt cake. They all work marvelously well. Just watch your cook times. Thanks for stopping by! Hope you have a wonderful baby shower! Norine

Brenda

Monday 28th of October 2024

Hi Norine. I made a carrot cake out of spice cake mix. Let’s just say it was OK but not great. The carrots were still crunchy. My friend and our Bible Study loves carrot cake! I’m going to make this for her and I will let you know how it turns out. Reading the other comments I know it’s going to be yummy! I’ll let you know.

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Monday 4th of November 2024

Hi Brenda! I'm curious how your friend liked this cake? So sweet of you to make her, her favorite cake for her birthday! Norine

Jennifer Wright

Wednesday 21st of August 2024

Can you make this in three 9 inch pans, Thankyou

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Tuesday 27th of August 2024

Hi Jennifer! Yes you can. Just reduce your cook time to adjust for the thinner layers. Hope this helps. Norine

Karolina

Sunday 19th of May 2024

This carrot cake is always a crowd pleaser. I have used this recipe for many many years and never left a review and it deserves one very much. It's moist, flavourful and everyone loves it.

Thank you for such a great recipe!

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Friday 24th of May 2024

Hi Karolina! Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a review. We love hearing that others love this carrot cake as much as we do!! It's a classic no fail recipe, and my husbands favorite cake. Have a wonderful weekend. Thanks for stopping by. Happy Nesting! Norine

Karen

Tuesday 26th of March 2024

Can you make into cupcakes

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Thursday 28th of March 2024

Hi Karen! Absolutely! I've done it many times. Be prepared it will make about 30-36 cupcakes in my experience. Be careful not to over fill the cups so they don't run over during baking. Bake for 15 minutes and check for doneness. Enjoy! Norine

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