This moist carrot cake is filled with pecans, coconut, pineapple - and of course, carrots. Rich, sweet cream cheese frosting makes it the best cake ever!
Sift the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Then set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer beat the eggs on high speed until light and fluffy (about 4 mins). Then add the white and brown sugar.
Continue beating on high speed for an additional 4-5 minutes as you add melted butter and vanilla.
Slow the speed down to medium-low and add the crushed pineapple.
Then slowly add the flour and spice mixture.
Lastly, add the shredded carrot (shred in a food proccesor) , chopped pecans, and coconut flakes. Mix on medium speed until all ingredients are well incorporated.
Line 2 (10 inch) round baking pans with parchment paper and spray them with nonstick spray. Then evenly divide the batter between the two prepared cake pans. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the center of the cake. Once they’re done, remove them from the oven and transfer them to cooling racks.
To make the frosting, in the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the softened cream cheese, butter, sweetened condensed milk, and powdered sugar using the whisk attachment. Start off on low speed so the powdered sugar doesn’t go flying everywhere. Then bring the speed to high and beat until the frosting becomes a smooth consistency.
Once the cake has cooled, slice each layer into halves so you will end up with 4 separate layers. Assemble the carrot cake by distributing the frosting amongst the 4 layers. Make sure to leave some for the outside of the cake.
Notes
Use room temperature ingredients. The best way to incorporate the ingredients is to have them all at room temperature. They mix better, resulting in a smoother frosting.
Use full fat cream cheese. Lowfat cream cheese can clump and it just lacks the smooth creaminess that you need to make the best frosting.
Grate your own carrots- When you grate the carrots fresh, they are moist and soft. Pre-grated carrots you buy are often dry and hard.
Refrigerate it if it's too runny. If your frosting is a little runny, place it in the refrigerator to thicken up. If you leave it in too long and it becomes too thick, just let it sit out for a few minutes and give it a stir.
You can make this easy carrot cake 1 day in advance. Go ahead and make the cakes, and once cooled, wrap them in plastic wrap. Then, when you're ready to assemble the carrot cake, cut it into 4 separate pieces, layer and frost.