Classic Carrot Cake is moist and delicious and just screams, “Hello, Spring!” Packed with shredded carrots, crushed pineapple, flaked coconut and chopped pecans, this dreamy cake is simply out of this world. One of our all-time favorites! It is perfect to serve as an Easter dessert or for any spring celebration.
Serving this Classic Carrot Cake for Easter dessert has become an annual tradition in our home. Everyone asks in advance, “Are you making carrot cake?” Once you try this recipe, you’ll understand what the fuss is all about. So delicious!
Classic Carrot Cake
Ingredients:
- 2 cups carrots, finely chopped
- 2 cups flour
- 2 cups sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground allspice
- 4 eggs
- 1 cup canola oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup crushed pineapple, drained
- 1 1/2 cups sweetened flaked coconut, divided
- 1 cup walnuts or pecans, chopped
- small jelly beans for decorating, optional
How to make Classic Carrot Cake?
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a tube pan or Bundt cake pan by spraying with cooking spray and dusting lightly with flour.
- Chop the carrots in a mini food processor. My electric chopper is a million years old, but still works great. It only takes a minute to chop all of the carrots. Love my Mini Chopper! Set the carrots aside.
- Using a stand mixer, or a large bowl and a hand mixer, add the flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, ground allspice and cinnamon to the bowl. Mix on low speed until dry ingredients are combined.
- Add the eggs one at a time.
- Stir in the oil, pineapple, and vanilla. Make sure to drain the excess juice from the pineapple. Add the chopped carrots and mix until well blended, about two minutes.
- Using a spatula, stir in one cup of coconut and the chopped nuts. I used walnuts for this cake. Pecans also work very well. Reserve 1/2 cup coconut for decorating the cake later. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for about 55-60 minutes.
- Test the cake with a toothpick before removing it from the oven. The toothpick should be clean when pulled from the cake.
- Allow the cake to cool completely on a wire rack. Run a knife around the OUTSIDE of the pan and remove the cake from the outer pan. Then, run the knife around the INSIDE of the cake along the tube and along the bottom of the pan to separate it from the inside pan. Invert the cake onto a plate, then turn it right side up onto a serving platter.
Now you are ready to frost the cake.
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 8 ounces cream cheese
- 3 tablespoons of softened butter
- 2 1/2 cups of powdered sugar
How to make Cream Cheese Frosting?
- Mix the ingredients in a medium bowl with a hand mixer until blended well, about three minutes. You may need to add a bit more powdered sugar to get the frosting to the right consistency.
- Using a wide knife or a cake decorating spatula, frost the cake with cream cheese frosting. Begin on the top and work down to the sides. The cake may flake a bit, so be careful as you apply the frosting. Press gently as you spread the frosting and be sure to cover all sides and the center. It doesn’t have to be perfect.
- Sprinkle about 1/2 cup of coconut on the top of the cake. (You can toast it in the oven for a few minutes first if you wish. Just sprinkle the coconut on a cookie sheet and bake for about 4 minutes, keeping a close eye on it so it doesn’t burn.) We like the coconut untoasted.
- Add some brightly colored jelly beans along the bottom edges and a few on top, or decorate as desired, and you are done!
The cake is VERY moist and will tend to crumble as you cut it. So, I put the cake in the refrigerator for at least an hour before serving. This way it stays firm and is easier to cut into slices. I hope you enjoy this delicious Classic Carrot Cake with your family and friends. The recipe will make 12 yummy servings.