My Favorite Carrot Cake - Recipe!

I love a good piece of carrot cake almost anytime, but especially at an Easter celebration. This recipe is super moist with a tender crumb, but still loaded with crunchy goodies like coconut, grated carrots and chopped pecans. I like to make this cake in three layers, rather thin, so the frosting is almost as thick as the cake.

The decadent frosting is extra buttery with a smooth cream cheese finish. When the cake is complete you can decorate it with fresh mini carrots, chocolate Easter eggs or even jelly beans. Trust me — this carrot cake is superb.

Cake Ingredients

2 cups all purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

3/4 teaspoon kosher salt

2 teaspoons cinnamon

3 large eggs

2 cups of sugar

3/4 cups vegetable oil

3/4 cups buttermilk

2 teaspoons vanilla

2 cups grated carrots

1 – 8 ounce can crushed pineapple

1 cup sweetened coconut

1 cup pecans, toasted and chopped

Frosting Ingredients

2 sticks butter, room temperature

2 – 8 ounces packages cream cheese, room temperature

3 cups confectioners sugar, sifted

To Prepare:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease, flour and line pans with parchment or wax paper. In a large bowl whisk together flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon.

2. In a stand mixer, beat on medium speed for 3 minutes eggs, sugar, oil, buttermilk and vanilla.

3. Next, add the flour mixture to the egg mixture and mix until smooth.

4. Add the nuts, coconut, carrots and pineapple to the batter and stir until just combined. Do not over mix.

5. Pour the batter into the prepared pans and place them in the oven to bake for 18-20 minutes or until lightly brown on top.

6. When cakes are done, remove them from the oven and let them cool for 30 minutes. Remove the cakes from the pans and place them on a wax paper lined plate to cool for at least 1 hour or store overnight covered in plastic wrap.