The Best Carrot Cake Ever!

Looking for the best homemade Carrot Cake Recipe?  Look no further!  This is one of the BEST carrot cake recipes I have ever tried.

I consider myself a carrot cake connoisseur.  How’s that for alliteration?!  It is, after all, my favorite classic dessert recipe.  If it’s on the dessert menu, there is no question.  It’s what I’m ordering.

Over the years, I’ve sampled many-a-carrot-cake.  I’ve had good carrot cake.  I’ve had bad carrot cake.  I’ve had dry carrot cake and I’ve had bland carrot cake.

But this recipe…this recipe is the best carrot cake you will ever have.  Some (like me) might even go so far as to call it extraordinary.

It is three layers of delectable cake, chocked full of carrots, and soaked in a warm buttermilk glaze.  If that’s not enough to send you over the edge, the entire cake is enveloped in a layer of luscious cream cheese frosting.  Oooh, that just gave me chills!  It is rich and decadent and indulgent and moist and…now I need to stop drooling.

A word of caution though.  This recipe is not for the calorie conscious.  All of this divine goodness comes with a price.  My advice to you is don’t think about it.  Take a forkful and close your eyes and be transported right to your happy place. Your happy place with carrot cake.  Does it get any better than that?

Go now.  Make this cake.  You can thank me later.  And, make sure you check my Carrot Cake Poke Cake recipe, too!  It’s so easy and so good!

More Easy Dessert Recipes

• Carrot Poke Cake
• Pumpkin Carrot Cake
• Carrot Cake Protein Balls

Looking for more?  Check out all of the easy no bake dessert recipes on It Is a Keeper.

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The Best Carrot Cake Ever!

Prep Time30 mins

Cook Time30 mins

Total Time1 hr

Course: Dessert

Servings: 12 slices

Author: Christina Hitchcock

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

4.2 from 42 votes

Ingredients

Cake

• 2 cups flour
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 3 eggs
• 2 cups sugar
• 3/4 cup vegetable oil
• 3/4 cup buttermilk
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 2 cups grated carrot
• 1 8 ounce can crushed pineapple - drained
• 1 3.5 ounce can flaked coconut
• 1 cup pecans or walnuts - chopped

Buttermilk Glaze

• 1 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 1/2 cup butter or margarine
• 1 Tbsp light corn syrup
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Cream Cheese Frosting

• 1/2 cup butter - softened
• 1 8 oz package cream cheese - softened
• 1 16 oz package powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

• Line 3 (9-inch) round cake pans with wax paper; lightly grease and flour wax paper. Set pans aside.
• Stir together first 4 ingredients.
• 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 cake pans.
• Bake at 350° for 25 to 30 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.
• During the last 5 minutes of baking, begin making glaze.
• Bring first 5 ingredients to a boil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
• Boil, stirring often, 4 minutes.
• Remove from heat, and stir in vanilla.
• Drizzle Buttermilk Glaze evenly over layers; cool in pans on wire racks 15 minutes.
• Remove from pans, and cool completely on wire racks.
• To make the frosting, beat butter and cream cheese at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy.
• Gradually add powdered sugar, beating at low speed until blended; stir in vanilla.
• Spread frosting between layers and on top and sides of cake.
• This cake is best if you refrigerate it for at least 4-6 hours before serving. 

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Helpful Tips for All Recipes on It Is a Keeper

• Want to scale a recipe up or down? Simply type in a new serving amount and the recipe will automatically adjust! 
• When a recipe call for House Seasoning Blend, you can use this recipe or substitute salt and pepper to taste.  
• I always use unsalted butter in my recipes.
• I always use a meat thermometor to test for doneness when cooking meat.  This one is my favorite.  
• When a recipe is made in the oven, it should be pre-heated to the temperature in the recipe, unless otherwise noted.
• The nutritional information provided in this recipe is an estimate.  Learn more on how I calculate nutritional information for my recipes.