This To Die For Carrot Cake recipe receives rave reviews for it’s unbelievable moistness and delicious flavor! Truly the BEST Carrot Cake you’ll ever try! So easy to make and as an added bonus, there’s no oil or butter. I know this cake will quickly become a family favorite! Looking for a layered cake alternative? Check out these Carrot Cake Bars!
 Carrot Cake
There is nothing like a cake to transform an ordinary party into a celebration. There’s something so festive about cakes that scream it’s time to PARTY! Today I’m sharing a cake recipe with you all that’s a family heirloom. I can’t believe I’ve waited this long to share this recipe with you!
This is my Nana’s recipe – slightly modified –Â and it is sooo amazing! I get requests several times a year for this To Die For Carrot Cake and made it just last week for my sister’s birthday. I love this recipe because it’s a one-two-three recipe and that makes it so easy! It also is a one-bowl wonder which I love.
I have made this recipe hundreds of times and all my friends and family love this cake so much so that I get asked to bring it to parties, holidays, potlucks, and BBQs all year long. I just love that it’s SO easy to make and completely foolproof!
Best Carrot Cake Recipe
This carrot cake with pineapple makes it so moist and the addition of coconut adds a sweet, delicate flavor that you’re going to love!
I have many carrot cake recipes on my site – like these Carrot Cake Bars – but they are all variations of this one. There isn’t another recipe that I’ve ever tried that even comes close to this carrot cake recipe for flavor, moistness, and texture. It’s hands down the best carrot cake I’ve ever had. Period.
What’s In Carrot Cake
This easy carrot cake recipe with cream cheese frosting stands out from the rest for two important reasons: I use both applesauce (instead of oil) and pineapple for extra moistness. The rest of the ingredients are typical cake ingredients that you most likely already have on hand,.
- unsweetened applesauce or oil (my Nana used oil, I use applesauce)
- granulated sugar
- eggs
- all-purpose flour
- baking soda
- baking powder
- salt
- cinnamon
- carrots
- shredded sweetened coconut
- chopped nuts optional
- vanilla
- crushed pineapple
Does Carrot Cake Have Raisins?
This is totally up to you. I don’t include it in my recipe because so many in my family don’t like raisins. If you’d like to add raisins to this recipe, add half a cup of raisins in with the shredded carrot in Step 3. Golden raisins are especially delicious in this recipe!
Carrot Cake Frosting
My Nana’s recipe is super simple (as easy as 1-2-3) and tastes incredible but what’s a carrot cake without cream cheese frosting??
Cream cheese frosting is the standard when it comes to carrot cake and with good reason. Soft and gooey with a hint of tang from the cream cheese – it’s the perfect complement!
How To Decorate!
You can decorate the cake however you want and I do it differently every time. You really can’t do this wrong!
- After the cakes have finished cooling, invert one of the cakes onto a cake plate or stand. Apply a generous dollop of frosting and spread to cover. An offset spatula will make quick work of this. Gently place the second cake on top and continue frosting.
- For this carrot cake recipe, I chose to decorate with the nuts. I chopped up some toasted pecans and then inverted a bowl onto the cake.
- Gently spread the pecans around the bowl and you’ll end up with a nice clean circle on the center of the cake. Watch the video below to see how I did it!
- I could have left it like this but my family loves coconut so I filled in the center with shredded coconut. Turned out really pretty!
What a cake!! I’d love for you to give this from scratch carrot cake recipe a try – it really will blow your mind! I like to use light cream cheese frosting and then subbing the applesauce for the oil, well, obviously you can now have two pieces of cake!
Do you have family recipes that the whole family just LOVES like this cake recipe?? I’m so thankful that I was able to get so many fabulous recipes from my Nana. Every time we eat this cake, I think of her and all the yummy times we had together.
Tips for the Best Carrot Cake
- Toasting the pecans (if you’re using them) adds even more amazing flavor to this recipe.
- DO NOT use pre-shredded carrots. Buy standard carrots, peel and grate by hand for the best results. You want the fresh flavor in this cake – it’s what makes it so outstanding!
- I used three 8-inch cake pans in the video. I really like the size of the cake with three layers. These are the pans I used – they’re amazing!
- These cakes are SUPER moist – amazingly so. Make sure to adequately grease your pans before adding the cake batter. My little brother likes to grease his pans, and line them with a piece of parchment before baking. I’m far too lazy for that. Using the pans above, and some baking spray that has the flour added in (like Baker’s Joy or Pam with flour), I have never, ever had any sticking issues.
- I’ve had several requests from people wanting to know where I got my cake serving set from… Amazon, of course!
How To Make Carrot Cupcakes
This recipe can easily be converted into a cupcake recipe. I do recommend that you use parchment liners because this cake is very moist and could stick to regular paper liners.
To make carrot cupcakes:
- Follow instructions 1 and 2 below.
- Place liners in muffin pan and fill two-thirds full.
- Bake at 350F for 18 to 22 minutes.
- Let carrot cupcakes cool before frosting.
Try these cake recipes!
- Orange Creamsicle Cake
- Lemon Zucchini Cake
- Best Ever Texas Sheet Cake
- Strawberry Shortcake Roulade
- Zucchini Spice Cake
How To Make Carrot Cake
To Die For Carrot Cake
Ingredients
Cake:
One
- 1 ¼ cups unsweetened applesauce or oil, this is what my Nana used
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 3 eggs room temperature
Two
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
Three
- 2 cups grated carrots
- 1 cup shredded sweetened coconut
- 1 cup chopped nuts optional
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 cup Dole crushed pineapple not drained! {use the pineapple in JUICE not syrup}
Cream Cheese Frosting:
- ½ cup butter softened
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 pound powdered sugar
- top with toasted pecans or coconut if desired
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Combine #1 ingredients. Add #2 ingredients. Stir in #3 ingredients.
- Pour into a lightly greased 9 x 13 , two 9-inch pans or three 8-inch pans. (The cake is very moist so cutting parchment for the bottom of your pans will ensure they don't stick. I prefer to use the non-stick baking spray that has the flour in it for easy cake removal.)
- Bake for 35-40 minutes for the 9x13 and 9-inch pans and 25-30 minutes for the 8-inch pans. You're looking for an inserted toothpick to come out clean.
- Let cakes cool for 10 minutes in the pan and then remove to a cooling rack and let cool completely.
For the frosting:
- Beat the butter and cream cheese until nice and fluffy. Add in the vanilla and powdered sugar and beat until nice and smooth.
- Invert the cake onto a cake plate or stand.
- Apply a generous dollop of frosting and spread...
- Gently place the second cake on top and continue frosting. Repeat with the third cake if you made three.
- Refrigerate for an hour before serving for best results.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Original post published August 18, 2012. Updated February 27, 2018.
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Claudia L Edwards says
Awesome…. This is my third attempt at this carrot cake and it gets better at each attempt. Moist, crunchy with a great presentation of colors. It’s a hit for all of my family and guests. It took awhile to get the frosting right. The first attempt it was too thin. I learned that to thicken it, just add more powered sugar.
This recipe is definitely a keeper.
Thanks for sharing.
Alicia Brown says
Best carrot cake ever. Easy to make and so moist. The icing was so good.
Tia Nguyen says
I just made your carrot cake recipe and it’s just the recipe I have been looking for. My family likes bare cakes so no icing for us. Love love this! Thanks for sharing!
Martha says
I am going to make this for Easter (gave it 5 stars because I am sure it is going to be delicious. I am wondering about how many carrots I need to make the 2 cups of grated? Thanks so much.
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
I’d grab 5 or so!
Coco in the Kitchen says
No butter or oil! This looks amazing!
Shery Sullivan says
Trish, I did make this for my 2 layer 11 x 15 cake. I doubled the recipe for each layer. Tripled the frosting recipe. It was perfect. I have never received as many compliments in my cake making career. Since 1976. My husband said it’s the best cake I’ve ever made. My friend, who was very surprised at his 90th surprise party loved it. Even my friend whos’s gluten free, had a small piece. She said if it makes her sick, it’s well worth it. I wish I could send you the picture.
I can’t wait to tri it again.
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
This has to be the BEST comment I’ve ever gotten. Thank you so, so much Shery!!
Natalie says
This carrot cake looks absolutely scrumptious! Can’t wait to try this recipe ♥
Sally Lame says
I’ve never made carrot cake before but decided to make this recipe as I had an overabundance of carrots and homemade applesauce. I skipped the nuts and it turned out awesome! I made it into cupcakes instead of a 3 layer cake, baked for 25 min. The cake came out super moist and the really tasty. The pineapple gave it a nice tart note, and the coconut added flavor and texture. Will for sure make it again! Thanks!
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
So glad you gave it a try Sally! Thank you so much!
Jackie says
My husbands favorite is carrot cake. I’d never made one from scratch. I tried this recipe and am definitely going to keep this recipe for life. It came out perfect on the first try. I even screwed up and did 3 of the 9inch cake pans on accident. Cooked for 28 minutes and it was so moist and delicious. I added raisins cuz my husband loves them but other than that I stuck to the recipe. Even the apple sauce instead of oil and it was awesome. I never have luck with cream cheese icing and this was no different. I just never find it to be thick enough. I use one cream cheese and maybe two cups of powdered sugar. And I add starch to thicken but just one tablespoon. I don’t like too much powdered sugar cuz it kills the cream cheese flavor. Other than thickness of the icing (which I know is cuz I don’t use enough powdered sugar) it all came out great.
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
Thanks so much Jackie! I’m glad you gave this a try!
Shery Sullivan says
Trish, this is the 3rd time I’m commenting but still didn’t see it posted or your response. Now I’m up to 40 people that I need to make this cake for. I have an 11 x 15 pan. I plan on making 2 layers. Do you think if I double the recipe, I’ll be ok?
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
Hi Shery! Super backed up over here, obviously. It’s just a one-woman show so please keep that in mind 🙂 My Nana used to make this recipe in a 9×13 and it was nice and thick. You should be absolutely fine! Enjoy!
Shery Sullivan says
Thanks. Now I’m up to 48 people. Think I’ll still go with doubling the recipe for 2, 11×15 pans. Debating on cutting thru them and having 4 layers. I don’t want it crumbling when I do it.
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
Oh my goodness! That’s a lot! Okay, so this cake is VERY moist, not a whole lot of crumbling so you should be okay. And if you have time to chill the cake layers before assembling and cutting and all that, it will help even more. Best of luck Shery!
Velvet says
I made this last night, followed the recipe to the T and I must say that this is the best carrot cake I’ve ever had. I used walnuts, instead of pecans. That cream cheese frosting is absolutely amazing. Omg. I highly recommendventyou haven’t tried this to do it IMMEDIATELY!!!
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
Thank you SO much Velvet! Hope you have a fabulous week!
Theresa says
Second time I am making this. It is my eldest son’s favorite sooooo. Happy Birthday to him! My kitchen smells absolutely delicious when I bake this cake! The frosting is to die for. My daughter-in-law hated carrot cake until she tasted this recipe. Now she is a fan!! I truly love this easy 1-2-3 recipe . Thank you for sharing your nana’s Recipe!!
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
Oh Happy Birthday to your son! I’m so glad you are enjoying this recipe 🙂 Makes my heart happy!
Carrie McClinton says
I never leave reviews…figure I’m one in a million. But have to say, this WAS to die for. Wow. I used some candied nuts someone gave me for christmas and it created these little toffee like crispy bites in the cake. It was BOMB!! Thank you for posting and sharing. Couldnt believe the applesauce worked so well. My timing took a bit longer in 2 9″ rounds, but I just kept checking with toothpick and took out when ready to rock and roll. I had to give 1/4 of the cake to my neighbor because I couldnt stop eating it myself. 🙂
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
Yassssss! Thank you Carrie! I always make this when I’m having guests because otherwise I could eat the whole thing lol!
The Machine says
I have made this cake several times now (I add raisins, too). It is AMAZING!!! Everybody just loves it. It’s also a great recipe to turn into cupcakes. Thanks ever so much for publishing this one. It is my all time FAVORITE carrot cake recipe.
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
Thank you so SO much!
Danelle Aviles says
I’m scared! This is not husband’s birthday cake for tomorrow…I did a 9×13 pan and it’s taking way over 40 minutes to bake. Still jiggly in the middle but brown everywhere else. Why do I suck at baking??
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
You do not suck. It sounds like the oven temp may be a tad high which could cause it too brown too quickly. Any time that is happening, just put foil over the parts that are browning – similar to what you would do with a pie crust to keep the edges from browning. You might also want to get an oven thermometer and check to see if it runs hot. That happens all the time. Oven temp calibration really can help with baking!