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!
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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!
How To Make Carrot Cake
Step 1
Shred the carrots with a fine grater. I used my hand crank shredder and it worked great!!! Drain some of the excess liquid. Set aside.
Step 2
Sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and all spice together. I like to sift on a piece of parchment so you can pick it up like a funnel to slowly pour into the mixer.
Step 3
Cream together the oil, eggs, and sugar together for about 2 minutes. Slowly add in the flour mixture.
Step 4
By hand stir in the shredded carrots, crushed pineapple (drained), raisins, and pecans. Also, optional coconut.
Step 5
Pour into prepared baking pan(s).
Step 6
Bake until set in the center (45-50 minutes for 9×13 pan, 30-35 minutes for 8 inch round).
Step 6
Mix the cream cheese icing, and spread on the completely cooled cake. An offset spatula can make this task easy!
3 Tips for Frosting
- 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.
Old Fashioned Cake & Bar Recipes
Grandma’s Carrot Cake with Pineapple & Cream Cheese Buttercream
Ingredients
Cake
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 teaspoon cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon allspice
- 2 cups sugar
- 1½ cups vegetable oil
- 4 large eggs
- 2 cups finely grated carrots - about 5-6 carrots, drain excess liquid
- 8 ounce can crushed pineapple - drained
- ½ cup nuts - chopped (I use pecans)
- ½ cup raisins
- ***Optional: 1 cup coconut
- non-stick spray
Cream Cheese Buttercream- if making the cake in (3) 8 inch rounds, double the frosting recipe
- 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.2 cups all purpose flour, 2 teaspoon baking powder, 1½ teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 2 teaspoon cinnamon, ⅛ teaspoon allspice
- Using a hand mixer or a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, cream together the sugar, oil, and eggs for about 2 minutes.2 cups sugar, 1½ cups vegetable oil, 4 large 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.2 cups finely grated carrots, 8 ounce can crushed pineapple, ½ cup nuts, ½ cup raisins, ***Optional: 1 cup coconut
- 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 10 minutes before trying to remove the cake from the pan.
- Cool the baked cakes completely.
- Frost the cooled cakes with the Cream Cheese Buttercream. An offset spatula is a great tool for frosting cakes!
Cream Cheese Buttercream
- FROSTING NOTE: If using (3) 8 inch round cakes, double the frosting recipe! If using a 9×13 pan you can follow the frosting recipe as written. BUT if you like a little extra frosting, make 1.5 recipes for the 9×13 pan.
- 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.½ cup butter, 8 ounce cream cheese, 3½ cups powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla
Michelle says
I give this recipe a 5 star!! It is the best carrot cake I’ve ever made or had! It is so moist and perfect! I used 2 cups of brown sugar though instead of white sugar. Next time I will use salted butter for the cream frosting, I used unsalted. I think it will help balance it and it won’t be so sweet. But it was still delicious!!
Bonnet says
Amazing delicious was a big hit at all of our gatherings
Joanne Heller says
In haven’t made it yet. My daughter wants a Carrot cake it’s Pineapple. She doesn’t want nuts or raisins or coconut. So my question is if I leave those things out. Should I change the oil or flour amount. Or you have any other recipe for it.
Thank you,
Joanne
Susie Weinrich says
It is definitely fine without the coconut and nuts. I haven’t made it without the raisins.
But my hunch is that the cake will be totally fine without them.
Sylvia Jones says
Did I make it? Yes ma’am! And I love it. You are my best friend! I have added this cake to my list of favorite desserts. It is perfect. Moist and not too sweet. Just marvelous! Make the cake people!
Marilyn says
It’s my Birthday tomorrow and I am going to make this cake. Sounds delish. Thanks for sharing!!
Marilyn
J. BELL says
This carrot cake recipe is “BOMB”.
So nice and moist!
Best carrot cake I’ve ever tasted.
Bonnie k says
Omg made this cake today it is amazing will definitely make one for thanksgiving dinner
Sylvia says
This carrot cake 🍰 is my favorite. This is my second time making it. It has now been added to my holiday cakes. Thanks for sharing!
Jill Hones says
I’ve been making carrot cake with cream cheese frosting for a long time, but I tried this one out, the cake was amazing enough to eat without frosting, I’ve never been able to say that before.
I made it for my family, it was gone within 2 days!
I’ll never make any other carrot cake recipe again!
Thanks to Susie’s grandma!
Lou says
Was very good, but I don’t know why it fell
Stacey says
Just made this in a 13×9 pan and wondering if I can freeze for a few days and then ice it before serving? Or would it be better to cover tightly and keep in the fridge? Made it for a birthday dinner but my weeks are crazy and need to save it for the next 4 days.
Susie Weinrich says
I would say pop it in the fridge, then pull it out the morning of your bday! HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!
Sylvia says
I made this delicious carrot cake. I will make it all year! I didn’t add coconut, but it was sooo moist and perfect. Gone in 2 days. 🙂Thanks for sharing.
Patty says
Best carrot cake ever. I will make this again!
Cheryl Fitzgerald says
Has anyone tried this in a bundt pan?
Susie Weinrich says
I think it would work in a Bundt pan….. but you might have enough batter for a Bundt and a small loaf pan.
Alexx says
Best cake ever, I switched one cup of white sugar for half brown sugar, since I added sweet coconut flakes and it was perfect. It looked so delicious we all forgot to take a picture. Definitely doing it again!!!
Sylvia Carlton Jones says
Best carrot cake recipe ever. I omitted coconut and added a little butter with oil. It was perfect. Soo moist!!
I used a glass 13×9 pan. I had a good amount of cream cheese icing to spread. Day 2 almost gone!!😋
Swarlie says
Made this for work and it was gone in a few hours! Will definitely save this recipe forever.
Delmarda says
Best moist carrot cake ever baked it a few times already and the comments got from my friends was that it’s the best carrot cake the have ever tasted.
Anita says
Can you make this recipe in a loaf pan?
Susie says
You would probably need to make it in a couple loaf pans. But it should work.
Bailey says
Can there be made into cupcakes?
Susie Weinrich says
You definitely should be able to bake these in muffin tins. (although I have not tested that… but I should and put a recipe up for it. Thanks for the idea) I think you will cut the time down to about 15-20 minutes.