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
Debra Lowther says
I haven’t made a carrot cake in years because my husband is diabetic but decided to make one for our family Easter dinner this year. I didn’t have a recipe so I found this one online ( along with hundreds of other ones!) . So happy I chose this one because it was EXCELLENT! My family loved it so now it will be included in all our celebrations throughout the year! Thank you SO MUCH ❤
Vanessa says
This is absolutely the best carrot cake I have ever had! It is so moist and flavourful. I ended up using 1 cup of white sugar & 1 cup of brown to add additional flavour. I included the pecans, raisins and coconut (because I love all three and it gives the cake a nice texture). I also added 1 teaspoon of lemon juice in the frosting because it cuts the sweetness a bit and adds a great flavour. The first time I made it, I had to cook it for an additional 20 minutes because the centre was really moist so the second time I used a strainer and squeezed as much moisture out of the shredded carrots & pineapple as possible which reduced the cooking time to only 10 additional minutes. Thank you for this delicious recipe, my entire family loves it!
Jennifer says
Best carrot cake ever! My family just loves it, I will never make a boxed cake again.
Saffia says
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 says
I cooked my cake at 350 for 45 minutes but the middle is soupy what did I do wrong
Susie Weinrich says
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 says
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 says
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 says
Does it have to have raisins and nuts in the cake
Susie Weinrich says
No, you can leave the nuts out. You can sub the raisins for craisins if you like.
Cheryl Nunes-Knitttel says
One word… Phenomenal! So succulent. Do you have a conversion method for cupcakes?
Susie Weinrich says
Thank you so much, Cheryl! I don’t have an exact conversion, but these Morning Glory Muffins are really similar!
LYNN says
excellent and easy!
karen says
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 says
I love this recipe, very sipping and easy. The cake came out moist and fluffy.
Brenda says
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 says
Such a delicious recipe, my absolute favorite for carrot cake! Thank you for sharing! 💛
Dianne Walthall says
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 says
Sounds delicious! I think my mom uses something similar on her pineapple cake. Yum!!
Wilma says
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.