Our Best Carrot Cake

Our top carrot cake recipe, brimming with raisins, walnuts, carrots, and crushed pineapple then slathered in cream cheese frosting, is as timeless as it is flavorful.

5.0 from 3 reviews
Carrot Cake
 
Makes 1 (9-inch) cake
Ingredients
  • 3⅓ cups (417 grams) all-purpose flour
  • 2⅓ cups (467 grams) granulated sugar
  • 1 cup (128 grams) golden raisins
  • ¾ cup (85 grams) chopped walnuts
  • 1 tablespoon (6 grams) ground cinnamon
  • 2 teaspoons (10 grams) baking soda
  • 2 teaspoons (10 grams) baking powder
  • 1½ teaspoons (4.5 grams) kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon (2 grams) ground ginger
  • 1 teaspoon (2 grams) ground nutmeg
  • 4 cups finely grated carrot
  • 2 (8-ounce) cans crushed pineapple, drained
  • 4 large eggs, lightly beaten
  • 1 cup (224 grams) canola oil
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • Cream Cheese Frosting (recipe follows)
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray 3 (9-inch) round cake pans with baking spray with flour. Line bottom of pans with parchment paper, and spray pans again.
  2. In a large bowl, stir together flour, sugar, raisins, walnuts, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, salt, ginger, and nutmeg. Add carrot, pineapple, eggs, oil, and vanilla, stirring until well combined. Divide batter among prepared pans.
  3. Bake until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Let cool in pans for 10 minutes. Remove from pans, and let cool completely on wire racks. Spread Cream Cheese Frosting between layers and on top and sides of cake. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

5.0 from 3 reviews
Cream Cheese Frosting
 
Makes 6 cups
Ingredients
  • 2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
  • 1 cup (227 grams) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 1 (2-pound) package (910 grams) confectioners’ sugar
Instructions
  1. In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and butter with a mixer at medium speed until smooth. Beat in vanilla. Gradually add confectioners’ sugar, beating until creamy, 4 to 5 minutes.

 

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22 COMMENTS

    • Hi Sharon,

      thank you for reaching out! We have never tried to tier this cake before. It is a very moist cake so it might not be as sturdy. We recommend baking one cake first and testing for yourself. We will say, it is mighty delicious! Happy Baking!

    • Hi Kiki! Yes, you can use a different pan for this recipe, but please keep in mind that we developed this cake specifically for the 9-inch cake pans. We cannot guarantee the results if baked in another pan. This would effect the cooking time so be sure to keep an eye on it. Thank you and happy baking!

    • Hi Eboni!

      Thank you so much for reaching out! We have not yet tested this recipe for cupcakes, but we would approximate that this recipe will make 24 to 36 cupcakes.

  1. One tablespoon of cinnamon seems like a lot when other recipes call for 1 1/2 teaspoons. Would you please verify this is correct? I’m planning to make this recipe for Easter this weekend. Thank you!

  2. Just checking the amount of pineapple that is required.
    Is it 2 cans at 8 ounces each, so 16 ounces of crushed pineapple altogether?
    Or
    8 ounces of crushed pineapple in total?

    • Hi Teresa,

      Thank you for your question! The recipe will use 2 (8 ounce) cans, so 16 ounces total.

      Hope this helps, and happy baking!

  3. Hands down, this recipe is the best carrot cake I have ever made. I have made so many recipes through the years, Martha Stewart, Cook’s Illustrated, Pioneer Woman, etc., but this one is over the top delicious. It is 3-layer, and bakes even layers if you measure each baking pan on a digital scale. The only change I made was using a can of the 15 oz pineapple instead of buying 2 8oz cans. I am going to see how I can cut recipe to make in a 9×13 pan, it is that good of a carrot cake.

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