This Amazing Carrot Cake is perfect for Easter or year round! Made incredibly delicious and moist with fresh carrots, pineapple, a blend of warm spices and a homemade brown butter cream cheese frosting, this Carrot Cake Recipe is truly the BEST dessert EVER!
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They’re Lovin’ It! Here’s what They’re Sayin’:
“The one, and only, recipe for carrot cake in my house.
Brown butter frosting is a revelation and the cake is so flavorful.”
—PAM
The Lowdown on The Best Carrot Cake
Big mama made fantastic carrot cakes. They were so wonderful to enjoy during the Spring. Her mix of fresh shredded carrots with hints of pineapple, spices, and roasted nuts with a smearing of creamy cream cheese frosting is absolutely perfect!
I added a slight remix by browning the butter to make that frosting pop even more, and let me tell ya, it’s an absolute hit!
Ingredients you’ll need to make Southern Carrot Cake
- Self-Rising Flour: To avoid a super dense cake, I use a self-rising flour which has baking powder. The additional leavening prevents the development of too much gluten so it stays nice and tender boos. Thank you to Mama Dip for this amazing tip!
- Spices: Cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and allspice are all in the mix. They layer in warmth, a sweetly pungent aroma and peppery overtones.
- Vegetable Oil: Oil keeps this cake super moist y’all.
- Grated Carrots: I personally prefer to freshly grate my own carrots because there’s a cleaner, more prominent earthy and sweet flavor.
- Roasted Walnuts: They add a smoky, nutty essence with a hint of texture.
- Crushed Pineapples: This gives us a lil’ extra fruity sweetness with a hint of texture. I also like the extra moisture it gives.
- Cream Cheese: If your carrot cake ain’t got tangy, smooth and rich cream cheese frosting, I don’t want it!
- Butter: I brown it to let that nuttiness add some depth to the frosting making it unlike anything you have ever tasted boos.
How to make Carrot Cake
1
Sift
flour, spices, and baking soda.
2
In
a stand mixer, combine sugar, oil, and vanilla.
3
Next,
add eggs, one at a time, blending after each addition.
4
Next
slow down the mixer to lowest speed and add flour mixture in increments.
5
Fold
in carrots, crushed pineapple if desired and walnuts if desired.
6
Evenly
pour batter into cake pans.
7
Bake
for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
8
In
a small saucepan, add butter and melt over medium heat.
9
Brown
until it turns a nice amber color then pop in the fridge to get solid again.
10
Add
cooled brown butter and cream cheese to the bowl of your mixer and beat on high speed until thick and fluffy.
11
Slow
down mixer and carefully add in confectioner’s sugar. Once all sugar has incorporated, turn mixer back to high to continue whipping.
12
Add
salt and vanilla extract and continue whipping until it is smooth.
13
Add
frosting to each layer and stack on each other.
14
Frost
the top of the cake then.
15
Then
finally frost the sides of the cake and get ready for the best carrot cake of your life. Sprinkle with nuts for a decorative touch.
What to serve with this carrot cake recipe
- Southern Comfort: Get into these beef tips, baked macaroni and cheese, candied yams and Southern green beans. They are the perfect start before you diving into your carrot cake.
- Sunday Supper: Smothered pork chops, sour cream mashed potatoes, turnip greens and Jiffy cornbread make the perfect dinner to serve along with your cake.
- Spring Entertaining: Impress your guests with some crab stuffed salmon, creamed spinach and Jollof rice.
Deviled eggs
are the ultimate start to your Easter dinner.
Honey glazed ham
is a fan fave for Easter for a reason, and this one is the best you will try.
Honey glazed carrots
are a nice nod to the carrot cake you will enjoy later.
These yeast rolls
are just magical pillows that taste amazing!
Recipe Substitutions
- Walnuts: Swap out the nuts completely if you don’t like them or replace with pecans or almonds.
- Spices: Keep the spice needs down by swapping in a tablespoon of apple pie spice or pumpkin pie spice instead.
- Granulated sugar: You can replace with some homemade brown sugar to add a bit more depth.
- Crushed Pineapple: You can play around with apple sauce which will keep the cake moist and fruity as well.
Recipe Variations and Additions
- Gluten-Free: Swap in a good gluten-free self-rising flour so your gluten intolerant boos can enjoy this.
- Add Citrus: Tossing in some orange zest or lime zest will really make the flavors pop with brightness.
- Add Coconut: Add a 1/2 cup of shredded coconut to the mix for some island vibes.
Expert Tips and Tricks for making the best carrot cake recipe
- Don’t Drain ALL the Pineapple: You want to keep that juice. It adds moisture and more flavor.
- Toast the Nuts Boos!: It really brings out more texture and richer flavors.
- Grate Finely: A food processor is a great tool to use to get those carrots small so they blend perfectly into the batter.
- Don’t Overmix: Overmixing makes a super tough and overly dense cake.
How to store carrot cake
Keep your freshly baked Carrot Cake in a dry, cool area and cover with foil or plastic wrap to keep from drying out. At room temperature, the cake will last for 1-2 days.
How long will it last in the fridge?
It will last up to a week in the fridge.
Can I freeze carrot cake?
Absolutely boos, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap then place it in a heavy-duty freezer bag. The quality will stay great for 4-6 months.
Frequently asked questions
Can I make this carrot cake ahead of time?
Absolutely boos! Bake the layers and wrap in plastic wrap tightly. You can keep them at room temp for about 2 days before frosting and serving up.
Help! My frosting is too thin/thick?
If your cream cheese frosting is too thin, add in more powdered sugar a tablespoon at a time until you reach the consistency. If it’s too thick, add a teaspoon of milk until it thins out to be spreadable.
This seriously is the best carrot cake eva! I wouldn’t lie to ya. The flavors are earthy, fruity, spiced and nuanced. Super moist, tender and melt in your mouth, it is the ultimate cake. And that brown butter cream cheese frosting is everything! Get into it.
More Carrot Recipes
Carrot Cake Recipe
This Amazing Carrot Cake is perfect for Easter or year round! Made incredibly delicious and moist with fresh carrots, pineapple, a blend of warm spices and a homemade brown butter cream cheese frosting, this Carrot Cake Recipe is truly the BEST dessert EVER!
Want to Save This Recipe, Boo?
I’ll email this recipe to you, so you can come back to it later!
Servings: 16 servings
Ingredients
For the Cake
- 2 1/2 cups self rising flour self rising flour usually has salt in it which is why it was omitted here but if you want a bit more you can add 1/4 tsp of salt as well
- 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp ground cloves
- 1/4 tsp ground allspice
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 1/4 cups vegetable oil
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- 4 large eggs
- 3 cups grated carrots finely
- 1/2 cup crushed pineapple with juice
- 1 cup chopped roasted walnuts optional
For the Frosting
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 16 oz cream cheese somewhat softened but still a little stiff/ 16 oz is 2 (8 oz) packages
- 3 1/2 cups confectioner's sugar if you want the frosting more stiff, add another 1/2 cup going up to 4 cups total
- pinch of salt
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
For the Cake
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Sift together flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, allspice and baking soda and set aside.
- Next line the bottoms of 3 9” inch round cake pans with parchment paper and lightly grease.
- In the bowl of your stand mixer, beat sugar, oil and vanilla together at medium speed. Next add eggs, one at a time, blending after each incorporation.
- Next slow down the mixer to lowest speed and add flour mixture in increments.
- Fold in carrots, crushed pineapple if desired and walnuts if desired.
- Evenly pour batter into cake pans.
- Bake for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool cake layers in pans for 10 minutes then flip cakes onto cooling racks to cool completely.
For the Frosting
- In a small saucepan, add butter and melt over medium heat. Once the butter has fully melted, a white foam will begin to appear over the top of the butter.
- Watch carefully as the butter’s color changes to brown and the smell of the butter becomes somewhat nutty.
- As soon as the butter is an amber brown color, remove from heat and cool in the refrigerator until it the butter has become solid again (can take about an hour or so).
- Add cooled brown butter and cream cheese to the bowl of your mixer and beat on high speed until it begins to thicken and fluff.
- Next slow down mixer and carefully add in confectioner’s sugar. Once all sugar has incorporated, turn mixer back to high to continue whipping.
- Add salt and vanilla extract and continue whipping until it is smooth.
- Spread frosting between layers and around cake and serve.
Notes
How to store carrot cake
Keep your freshly baked Carrot Cake in a dry, cool area and cover with foil or plastic wrap to keep from drying out. At room temperature, the cake will last for 1-2 days.How long will it last in the fridge?
It will last up to a week in the fridge.Can I freeze carrot cake?
Absolutely boos, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap then place it in a heavy-duty freezer bag. The quality will stay great for 4-6 months.Nutrition
Calories: 511kcal | Carbohydrates: 71g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Cholesterol: 87mg | Sodium: 194mg | Potassium: 192mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 54g | Vitamin A: 4631IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 57mg | Iron: 1mg
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Should we be adding baking soda if the self-rising flour has baking soda?
The recipe is an award winning recipe. I say make it exactly as is.
Can you taste the pineapples while eating this cake? Or is it there is moisture only?
They are not a big flavor profile in this cake. They add moisture and a tiny bit of texture.
Hey I don’t have a mixer can I just use my hand instead or will this affect the outcome? Any tips xx
You can definitely whisk this by hand and get a good workout in. Let me know how it turns out for you.
This is the most amazing carrot cake I have ever made and tasted! Today is the second time I have made this recipe. I make one and a quarter recipe so I can make two cakes. 1 1/4 recipe makes one three layer 8 inch cake and one 2 layer 6 inch cake. This cake hits all of your flavor buds right where you want it!! I wish I could share a photo of my cakes.
You can share them on IG with me!! So happy to hear that you like my carrot cake recipe!
FABULOUS!!!
Thank you so much!
Ok this cake was awesome! Thank you! I made two cakes (one exactly as your award winning recipe and the one with 1/2 raisins and 1/2 walnuts). Everyone LOVED! So many “best ever!” compliments! Thank you 🙂
Wow that’s quite the compliment. Thank you!
This looks like a nice recipe. Have you tried making it with Gluten free flour? Any suggestions? I usually use the king arther measure for measure gluten free flour
I have not, but if you try it let me know how it turns out, please!
Do I need to adjust anything if I’m omitting the nuts and pineapples?
The pineapple does add liquid, I would replace with applesauce to keep the moisture content.
For some reason mine turned out a little dry. Not sure what I may have done but the frosting was a game changer. I’m wondering for next time would it be ok to use 1 cup of suger and 1 cup of brown sugar to make the cake more moist?
Measure your flour by weighing it on a food scale. 120 grams = 1 cup AP flour
Hi! I am thinking of making a smaller version of this cake, in 6 inch tins. Would this be okay? What alterations would you recommend? Thanks!
Hi Anita, I haven’t tried to make this cake in 6 inch tins so don’t have any recommendations. But, I do want to hear how it turns out and if you have any tips please share them!
I love This cake it is the best I have tasted.
Thank you for sharing this lovley recipe.
5 stars
Awe, you’re too sweet!
This won over my carrot cake-loving family as the best EVAH! That pineapple makes it, and I’ll never tell them the magic secret to keeping it moist.
My icing ran short (I did four layers, cutting two pans because that’s all I have and didn’t want to wait to reuse one to bake a third once cooled), so I used extra juice (I squeezed fresh pineapple) to thin it out.
It was my first time browning butter, and I didn’t have enough powdered sugar, so I made that for the first time too.
Thanks for the experiences and THE WIN!