Best Carrot Cake

Name: Best Carrot Cake
Yield: 1 (9-inch) cake
Ingredients: 2 cups all-purpose flour; 2 teaspoons baking soda; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon; 3 large eggs; 2 cups sugar; 3/4 cup vegetable oil; 3/4 cup buttermilk; 2 teaspoons vanilla extract; 2 cups grated carrot; 1 (8-ounce) can crushed pineapple, drained; 1 (3 1/2-ounce) can flaked coconut; 1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts; Buttermilk Glaze; Cream Cheese Frosting

6 Ratings
6 Reviews

Truly our best-ever carrot cake recipe, make this classic favorite for a crowd and you might not have any leftovers to bring home. We even tested our recipe against the Queen of England's carrot cake, and the Southern version won by a landslide. For more flavor, try toasting the nuts and coconut before adding them to the batter. It's important to cool the cakes completely before frosting, otherwise the frosting will just melt right off. To expedite the cooling process, you can put the cakes on their wire racks in the freezer (don't worry, it's not cheating), checking until they're thoroughly cool. This is a cake you can bake for any occasion. We recommend this cake anytime from Easter to Christmas.

By Southern Living Editors

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Read the full recipe after the video.

Recipe Summary

Yield:

1 (9-inch) cake

Directions

Step 1
Line 3 (9-inch) round cakepans with wax paper; lightly grease and flour wax paper. Set pans aside.

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Step 2
Stir together first 4 ingredients.
Step 3
Beat eggs and next 4 ingredients at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth. Add flour mixture, beating at low speed until blended. Fold in carrot and next 3 ingredients. Pour batter into prepared cakepans.
Step 4
Bake at 350° for 25 to 30 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Drizzle Buttermilk Glaze evenly over layers; cool in pans on wire racks 15 minutes. Remove from pans, and cool completely on wire racks. Spread Cream Cheese Frosting between layers and on top and sides of cake.

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Jamie Lynn Patton

06/02/2022

This is everyone’s favorite cake! Young or old, it matters not! Half of my family requests this for their birthday, so I make it at least every other month. No one gets tired of it.

Kris Kouba

04/24/2022

I have made this many times now, and I can safely say it is my family's favorite. Delicious balance of cake and sweetness, sponge isn't too heavy, the glaze takes it from "okay" to "AMAZING" and the basic cream cheese frosting is easy to whip up. We omit the coconut and I don't add the whole amount of powdered sugar in the frosting. I like that it lends itself to cupcakes, sheet cake, or 9x13.

snapcook

04/15/2022

The best carrot cake! I make this every Easter, with 3 layers or a 9x13 pan. It’s great either way! Rave reviews every time. The only thing I do different is no coconut because my family prefers it that way. Thank you, for another great recipe!

Southern Living Member

04/04/2022

The title of this is an understatement ! One of the most amazing cakes hands down . The last time I omitted the buttermilk glaze and it was perfect !

Margie Carlin

03/24/2022

I make this every year for my sister's birthday! This cake is delicious and disappears quickly.
Does anyone know if you use unsweetened coconut or sweetened? It is not in the recipe which to use and actually I forget what I used the last time I made it. Thank you.

Southern Living Member

11/14/2020

Made this several times. Always gets rave reviews. It is a bit of work but worth every moment!

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Best Carrot Cake

Gallery

Recipe Summary

Ingredients

Directions

Reviews (6)

All Reviews for Best Carrot Cake

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Best Carrot Cake

Gallery

Recipe Summary

Ingredients

Directions

Reviews (6)

All Reviews for Best Carrot Cake