Description
This easy carrot cake recipe combines moist shredded carrots, crushed pineapple, and warm spices, creating a deliciously tender cake perfect for any occasion. With the addition of walnuts and coconut, it offers lovely texture and flavor in every bite. Simple to prepare and baked to perfection, this carrot cake is sure to delight family and friends.
Ingredients
Wet Ingredients
- 3 eggs
- ¾ cup vegetable oil
- ¾ cup buttermilk (or ¾ tablespoon vinegar with enough cream added to make ¾ cup — let sit 10 minutes)
- 2 cups sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste
Dry Ingredients
- 2 cups flour
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt
Add-Ins
- 8 ounce can crushed pineapple (with juice)
- 2 cups grated carrots
- 1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts
- ¾ cup shredded coconut
Instructions
- Preheat and prepare pans: Preheat your oven to 350˚F (175˚C). Grease two 9-inch round cake pans with butter or non-stick spray to prevent sticking.
- Mix wet ingredients: In a large bowl, beat together the eggs, vegetable oil, buttermilk, sugar, and vanilla bean paste until thoroughly blended and smooth.
- Combine dry ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Gradually add this mixture to the wet ingredients, stirring just until incorporated to avoid overmixing.
- Add the pineapple and carrots: Fold in the crushed pineapple (with juice), grated carrots, chopped walnuts, and shredded coconut, ensuring everything is evenly distributed throughout the batter.
- Pour and bake: Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans. Bake in the preheated oven for 35 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cakes comes out clean.
- Cool the cakes: Once baked, remove the cakes from the oven and allow them to cool in the pans for about 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting or serving.
Notes
- You can substitute buttermilk by combining ¾ tablespoon vinegar with cream or milk and letting it sit for 10 minutes.
- Make sure not to overmix the batter to keep the cake tender and moist.
- Adding pineapple juice adds moisture and sweetness but be sure to use the juice included in the can, not drained.
- For extra flavor, consider adding a tablespoon of freshly grated ginger or nutmeg.
- This cake pairs wonderfully with cream cheese frosting if desired.
