Grandma’s Old Fashioned Carrot Cake is a deliciously classic recipe full of carrots, cinnamon, pecans, and raisins. It is sweetened with a little crushed pineapple, which also keeps the cake moist and tender.
The Cream Cheese Buttercream is my favorite. With only FOUR INGREDIENTS it is easy to whip up and is super delicious. It has the perfect balance of sweetness from the powdered sugar and tartness from the cream cheese. However, the sweetness is balanced and the tartness is calmed by adding a stick of butter.
Perfect Harmony!
Grandma’s Recipes
There are few things more precious in this world than recipes that are handed down from Mothers and Grandmothers. It is so much more than a recipe. It holds the ties to memories of family gatherings and holidays, of conversations and laughter from the kitchen to the table. Not to mention the flavors and smells that can flood your mind with sweet memories of your family and childhood. They are a treasure to behold!
Aren’t Grandma recipes the best?? They are uncomplicated and simply delicious. I love that they only include ingredients that are easy to find… because no one was using jackfruit or sorghum flour back in 1945.
You can always trust that Grandma recipes are tried and true!
Three Tips for Frosting Grandma’s Carrot Cake
If you choose to make this cake in a 9×13 pan, one recipe of the Cream Cheese Buttercream will be plenty. However, if you choose to make the cake in (3) 8 inch round pans I would recommend doubling the buttercream recipe. I find when I frost a layer cake it always takes a TON of frosting to get the job done.
Whether you make your cake one layer or three, I would definitely recommend frosting with ⅓ to ½ of the frosting first, in a “crumb layer”. That is professional baker speak for messy layer (BTW I am not a “professional baker”, just so we are all on the same page). That way if some crumbs roll up into that first layer of frosting you are not left with a hot mess. You can then go back with the remaining frosting and cover up the crumb layer. This is the pretty layer.
Dear ol’ Martha Stewart taught me this next tip. If you are frosting a layer cake put a few pieces of parchment or wax paper under the edges of the bottom layer, covering out to the edges of the cake plate. That way when you are done frosting you can pull the paper from under the edges and you are left with a clean and beautiful cake plate.
Hash-Tag, You’re It
Did you make this recipe and loved it so much you can’t keep it to yourself!? Let me know! Drop me a line or comment on the recipe! If you share a picture on social media tag me @momsdinnerinsta on Instagram or @momsdinner on Facebook. I’ll love ♥ you forever.
I hope you will give this recipe for Grandma’s Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Buttercream a try in your kitchen!
Love- Susie
Grandma’s Carrot Cake with Pineapple & Cream Cheese Buttercream
Ingredients
Cake
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1½ teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon allspice
- 2 cups sugar
- 1½ cups vegetable oil
- 4 eggs
- 2 cups finely grated carrots about 5-6 carrots
- 8 ounce can crushed pineapple drained
- ½ cup nuts chopped (I use pecans)
- ½ cup raisins
- ***Optional: 1 cup coconut
Cream Cheese Buttercream
- ½ cup butter at room temperature
- 8 ounce cream cheese at room temperature
- 3½ cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
Carrot Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350 and prepare your pans with baking spray. You can make this in a 9×13 pan or (3) 8 inch round pans.
- In a large bowl sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and allspice. Set aside.
- Using a hand mixer or a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, cream together the sugar, oil, and eggs.
- Add the flour mixture into the egg mixture, a little at a time, until it is well combined.
- By hand, stir in the carrots, drained pineapple, raisins, nuts, and coconut (if using) until it is evenly distributed.
- Pour the batter into your prepared baking pan(s): (3) – 8 inch rounds bake for 30-35 minutes, until the cake is cooked thru.9×13 glass pan bake for about 45 minutes, until the cake is cooked thru. If the top starts to darken lightly cover with foil for the last 5 minutes.9×13 dark metal pan bake for about 40 minutes, until the cake is cooked thru. If the top starts to darken lightly cover with foil for the last 5 minutes.
- If you use 8 inch round pans, once they come out of the oven wait 5-10 minutes before trying to remove the cake from the pan.
- The cakes should be completely cool to the touch before frosting.
Cream Cheese Buttercream
- Using a stand mixer with a paddle attachment or a hand mixer, blend together the butter, cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla until it is completely blended and smooth.
Notes:
If nutrition facts are provided they are calculated as an estimate to the best of our knowledge.
Saffia
I make this cake every year for my birthday…it’s the only birthday cake I ever want!!!..I make it in a bundt pan and I sub the pecans for walnuts…absolutely delicious..thank u for this deligtful recipe!
Sheila
I cooked my cake at 350 for 45 minutes but the middle is soupy what did I do wrong
Susie Weinrich
Hmm… I am not sure on this one. Sometimes if you oven skews high on temp, the outside will overcook before the inside can set up. Did you drain the pineapple well? I would love to help figure this out for you.
White_as_bread;3
It was very good and moist! It wasn’t over seasoned as a lot of these recipes tend to be, I will definitely make it again
RL
The best carrot cake I’ve ever made. My fiancée said it’s better than Magnolia Bakery and Whole Foods carrot cakes. My go to cake for company and out of town guests
Grace
Does it have to have raisins and nuts in the cake
Susie Weinrich
No, you can leave the nuts out. You can sub the raisins for craisins if you like.
Cheryl Nunes-Knitttel
One word… Phenomenal! So succulent. Do you have a conversion method for cupcakes?
Susie Weinrich
Thank you so much, Cheryl! I don’t have an exact conversion, but these Morning Glory Muffins are really similar!
LYNN
excellent and easy!
karen
Wow! Served for a birthday… and everyone LOVED! I found the 8 inch cake rounds at Michael’s… I needed to make a traditional to be FANCY! It paid off. I don’t think I have ever made a “cake” before… and with moms dinner.net… it was super easy!
Ray Ray
I love this recipe, very sipping and easy. The cake came out moist and fluffy.
Brenda
Made this for Easter and it was very good. Didn’t sink in the middle ( which mine have been known to do) it remained super moist. Definitely will be my go to recipe for carrot cake
Kyrsten
Such a delicious recipe, my absolute favorite for carrot cake! Thank you for sharing! 💛
Dianne Walthall
May I suggest a delicious frosting handed down to me for a carrot cake?…
It really is a versatile and amazing frosting…,
Frosting whipped cream style
This is so delicious
It WONT melt at room temperature like regular whipped cream!
It’s VERY stable.
Its wonderful used for frosting a cake or even dipping fruit in it!
This recipe makes 5 cups
1 (8 ounce) package reduced-fat cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
2 cups of heavy cream
I personally flip the extracts.. 1t almond and 1/2t vanilla. Yummo!
Combine the cream cheese, sugar, vanilla extract and almond extract in a large mixing bowl or the bowl of your mixer.
Once all in the bowl, mix on medium speed until smooth.
While the mixture is still whipping, slowly pour in the heavy cream.
Stop and scrape the bottom of the bowl a few times while you continue whipping until the cream can hold a stiff peak.
Not TOO sweet.
Susie Weinrich
Sounds delicious! I think my mom uses something similar on her pineapple cake. Yum!!
Wilma
I made 3 8″ cakes. Your recipe is how I have made my carrot cakes. It’s a fabulous recipe that gets great reviews from people. My boyfriend brags about my carrot cake. I love the icing.