Carrot cake is one of the most delicious cakes ever. This carrot cake with orange cream cheese frosting is just that, delish! It’s an extremely moist carrot cake. The flavor is fantastic and the buttermilk glaze and orange cream cheese frosting are to die for! If you are looking for a moist carrot cake, this is the recipe you’ll want to try.
Carrot Cake with Pineapple
Loaded with freshly grated carrots, crushed pineapple and flaked coconut, this is a super yummy carrot cake that is a family favorite. Crushed pineapple is one of the main ingredients in this carrot cake with orange cream cheese frosting.
The Best Carrot Cake
Most importantly, having a delicious cream cheese frosting is a must for carrot cake. This orange cream cheese frosting is simply one of the best cream cheese frosting ever! Definitely one of the best homemade carrot cakes we’ve ever tasted.
This recipe is adapted from my friend, Jennifer and her carrot cake bites which were posted on the blog a couple of years ago. I decided to share this two tier cake using the same recipe because the bites were such a hit.
Carrot Cake From Scratch
Making a carrot cake from scratch is not difficult and the finished product is well worth the time it takes to make. We love carrot cake and to make it at home, from scratch, makes it even more delicious.
Carrot Cake Ingredients
The main ingredients in carrot cake are the carrots. Along with the carrots, pineapple and coconut play a major role in this delicious cake. Walnuts, cinnamon, orange zest and buttermilk are also delicious ingredients that make this cake to die for. Check out the recipe below for all the ingredients that make this delicious cake one of the best carrot cakes.
Try This Moist Carrot Cake Today
Here are a few more delicious cake recipes that can be found on the blog:
- Cream Cheese Lemonade Poke Cake
- Chocolate Lover’s Zucchini Cake
- Banana Poke Cake
- Strawberry Lemonade Cream Cheese Poke Cake
- Chocolate Brownie Pudding Cake, plus many more.
Carrot Cake with Orange Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
For the Carrot Cake
- 2 cups All-purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 3 eggs, slightly beaten
- ¾ cup vegetable oil
- ¾ cup buttermilk
- 2 cups sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 20 oz can crushed pineapple, drained
- 3½ cups carrots, grated
- 1½ cup coconut, flaked
- 1 tsp orange peel, grated (to garnish the top of the cake)
- 1 cup walnuts, chopped (optional for adding to the sides of the frosted cake)
For the Buttermilk Glaze
- ½ cup sugar
- ¼ tsp baking soda
- ¼ cup buttermilk
- ¼ cup butter
- 1½ tsp light corn syrup
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
For the Orange Cream Cheese Frosting
- ½ cup butter, softened
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 2 tsp grated orange peel
- 2 tsp fresh orange juice
Instructions
- Preheat over to 350°.
- Lightly grease and flour two 8 inch cake pans.
For the Carrot Cake
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon.
- In a large mixing bowl, combined eggs, oil, buttermilk, sugar and vanilla. Beat on low-speed until well combined.
- Stir in flour mixture with a wooden spoon.
- Fold in grated carrots, flaked coconut, and crushed pineapple until combined.
- Pour into prepared cake pans and bake for 30-35 minutes or until tooth pick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Remove from oven and poke little holes all over the cake.
- Immediately pour the buttermilk glaze over both cakes.
- Let cool in cake pans for 15 minutes.
- Remove cakes and let cool completely on a wire rack.
For the Buttermilk Glaze
- In a small saucepan, combine sugar, baking soda, buttermilk, butter and corn syrup. Bring to a boil.
- Cook for 5 minutes, stirring often.
- Remove from heat. Add vanilla. Stir until combined.
For the Orange Cream Cheese Frosting
- In a medium mixing bowl, beat butter and cream cheese until light and fluffy.
- Add vanilla, powdered sugar, grated orange peel, and fresh orange juice.
- Beat until smooth.
- Frost cake once cooled completely.
- Optional: Garnish sides of cake with chopped walnuts and add orange peel to the top and center of cake.
- Store in refrigerator.
Notes
Nutrition
Here are a few pics that are the perfect size for pinning to Pinterest.
Enjoy, Terri
Copyright © Great Grub, Delicious Treats. All content and images are copyright protected. Do not use any images without prior permission.
If you want to republish this recipe, make sure to re-write the recipe in your own words and only list ingredients making sure to link back to this post for the original recipe and directions.
This carrot cake looks wonderful and I can’t wait to try it. My question is in regard to the coconut. Could I omit it without messing up the cake? It’s such a moist cake that I wonder if I would need to replace the coconut with something dry to keep the right texture. Thanks for your advice.
Susan
Hi Susan, I’m not sure what to use in this cake as a replacement for the coconut. I know that nuts can be a replacement for coconut, like macadamia or brazil nuts, but I haven’t ever tried using nuts. I’m sorry I’m not a big help with this question.
This cake can also be baked in a quarter sheet pan, 9″ by 13″, left in the pan, and frosted.
I’ve been making this cake for over 45 years now, and I call it “Tropical Carrot Cake”. I came across the recipe in a Garnishing Book, and have been making it ever since. the only differences are: I use pecans, double the glaze amounts, make the glaze in a large glass bowl in the microwave, and do not poke holes in the cake. It is one of my signature cakes, and I’ve had orders to make it for 600 people at the St. Barbara’s Day Ball at Fort Drum Army Base.
I make a totally unique Mock Whip Frosting when everyone orders over any buttercream frosting. On a wedding cake, when a carrot cake tier has to match the other frosted tiers, I either put an Orange Rum Mock Whip or a Pina Colada Mock Whip on it. If the bride has her heart set on a cream cheese frosting, we put the carrot cakes out in the kitchen. The cream cheese frosting would not match the other tiers, and is difficult to decorate with.
This truly is a Blue Ribbon Cake, as was the name in the book I found it in.