Carrot Cake with Orange Cream Cheese Frosting

This Carrot Cake with Orange Cream Cheese Frosting is moist and delicious and it will absolutely “wow” your family and friends.  This easy to make carrot cake is guaranteed to become one of your go-to dessert recipes for all occasions.

This homemade carrot cake is deliciously light and moist and the orange cream cheese frosting is a game-changer.  It’s light and fluffy and decadently divine!   I personally think this is the best carrot cake your tastebuds will ever taste.  

This simple carrot cake is a great dessert to whip up when you’re running low on time and energy. Most carrot cakes are lavishly and painstakingly decorated, but this carrot cake is a nice rustic low-maintenance version. Just try to leave enough of the Orange Cream Cheese Frosting to actually serve with the cake!  It’s completely addictive!!

CARROT CAKE RECIPE FROM SCRATCH

Don’t be put off by the number of carrot cake ingredients.  This is a really quick and easy carrot cake recipe to pull together, and it is seriously the most moist carrot cake and best tasting carrot cake I’ve ever had!!

• 2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1-1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• ½ cup golden brown sugar
• 4 eggs
• 1-1/2 cup canola oil
• ¾ cup buttermilk
• 3 cups shredded carrots, peeled first
• Crushed pineapple with juice
• Chopped walnuts, roasted (see directions)
• Sweetened coconut, shredded and roasted (see directions)

HOW TO MAKE CARROT CAKE

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 13x9x2-inch metal baking pan. Line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper.
2. Place the walnuts on a baking sheet and bake until lightly browned. Bake for approximately 4-6 minutes and stir every couple of minutes to prevent from burning.
3. Sprinkle the coconut over a separate baking sheet. Bake for approximately 4-6 minutes and stir every couple of minutes to brown evenly and to prevent from burning. Set aside to cool.
4. In a medium size bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt and blend well. Set aside.
5. Whisk the granulated sugar, brown sugar and the eggs in a large bowl until well blended.
6. Slowly add the canola oil while still whisking until completely incorporated.
7. Stir in the flour mixture alternating with buttermilk.
8. Gently fold in the carrots, pineapple with juices, toasted walnuts and toasted coconut. Do not over mix. Pour the batter into the baking pan.
9. Bake for approximately 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.
10. Transfer the cake to a wire rack and cool in the pan for 20-30 minutes, then invert the cake onto the wire rack and remove the parchment paper.
11. Let cool for 45 minutes to 1 hour

CREAM CHEESE FROSTING RECIPE FOR CARROT CAKE

This is a classic cream cheese frosting recipe that’s spiffed up a bit by adding some fresh squeezed orange juice and zest.  It makes this carrot cake extra special!!

• 2 8-ounce packages cream cheese, room temperature
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup plus 3 tablespoons powdered sugar
• 3-4 tablespoons each fresh squeezed orange juice and zest

HOW TO MAKE HOMEMADE CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

1. Using an electric stand mixer on medium-high speed, beat the cream cheese and butter until smooth.
2. Add the vanilla, orange juice and orange zest and mix well.
3. Gradually add the powdered sugar and mix until smooth and creamy.
4. Either frost the top of the cake or cut the cake into squares and spoon a dollop of frosting on top of each piece.
5. Garnish the top of the frosting with a faint sprinkling of roasted coconut.
6. You can also use this batter to make cupcakes with.

DELICIOUS DESSERT RECIPES

• Healthy Berry Oatmeal Crumb Bars
• Oatmeal Cookie Crust Strawberry Tart
• Peach and Plum Galette
• Blueberry Cheesecake
• Berry Crostata
• Angel Food Cake Trifle

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Yield: Serves 6 - 8

Carrot Cake with Orange Cream Cheese Frosting

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes

Additional Time 1 hour

Total Time 1 hour 55 minutes

This Carrot Cake with Orange Cream Cheese Frosting is moist and delicious and it will absolutely “wow” your family and friends.

Ingredients

• 2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1-1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• ½ cup golden brown sugar
• 4 eggs
• 1-1/2 cup canola oil
• ¾ cup buttermilk
• 3 cups shredded carrots, peeled first
• 1 8-ounce can crushed pineapple with juice
• 1 cup chopped walnuts, roasted (see directions)
• 1 cup sweetened coconut, shredded and roasted (see directions)

For the Orange Cream Cheese Frosting

• 2 8-ounce packages cream cheese, room temperature
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup plus 3 tablespoons powdered sugar
• 3-4 tablespoons fresh squeezed orange juice
• 3-4 tablespoons orange zest

Instructions

For the Carrot Cake

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 13x9x2-inch metal baking pan. Line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper.
2. Place the walnuts on a baking sheet and bake until lightly browned. Bake for approximately 4-6 minutes and stir every couple of minutes to prevent from burning.
3. Sprinkle the coconut over a separate baking sheet. Bake for approximately 4-6 minutes and stir every couple of minutes to brown evenly and to prevent from burning. Set aside to cool.
4. In a medium size bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt and blend well. Set aside.
5. In a large bowl, whisk the granulated sugar, brown sugar and the eggs until well blended.
6. Slowly add the canola oil while still whisking until completely incorporated.
7. Stir in the flour mixture alternating with buttermilk.
8. Gently fold in the carrots, pineapple with juices, toasted walnuts and toasted coconut. Do not over mix. Pour the batter into the baking pan.
9. Bake for approximately 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.
10. Transfer the cake to a wire rack and cool in the pan for 20-30 minutes, then invert the cake onto the wire rack and remove the parchment paper.
11. Let cool for 45 minutes to 1 hour

For the Orange Cream Cheese Frosting

1. Using an electric stand mixer on medium-high speed, beat the cream cheese and butter until smooth.
2. Add the vanilla, orange juice and orange zest and mix well.
3. Gradually add the powdered sugar and mix until smooth and creamy.
4. Either frost the top of the cake or cut the cake into squares and spoon a dollop of frosting on top of each piece.
5. Garnish the top of the frosting with a faint sprinkling of roasted coconut.
6. You can also use this batter to make cupcakes with.