Carrot cake and Easter go hand in hand. I often make my non-traditional Brazilian Carrot Cake recipe for the holiday, but this cake here is one for classic celebrations (Easter or otherwise!) Layers of sweet carrot cake are drizzled with a caramelly buttermilk glaze and topped with a rich cream cheese frosting. It can also be made in a simple 9×13 pan. If you love a great classic carrot cake, this one’s for you!
Ingredients Needed
- Baking Basics – flour, sugar, salt, baking soda, vegetable oil, eggs, vanilla, cinnamon
- Buttermilk
- Carrots
- Crushed Pineapple
- Pecans (optional)
- Coconut
- Cream Cheese
- Butter
- Powdered Sugar
- Cream Cheese Frosting – It wouldn’t be carrot cake without the cream cheese frosting! Don’t cut corners here- full fat cream cheese and real butter are a must!
How to Make Carrot Cake Supreme
This is simply a brief overview, for full directions continue scrolling for the printable recipe!
- Preheat your oven to 350. Grease and flour 2 9″ round pans (or a 9×13) and set aside. For best results, cut two circles of parchment paper and place at the bottom of your pans. Secure to pan by spraying non-stick spray both under and over the paper layers.
- Combine dry ingredients in a bowl and whisk.
- Combine eggs, oil, buttermilk, sugar, and vanilla in a large bowl and beat until smooth.
- Add the flour mixture and then fold in shredded carrots, crushed pineapple, coconut, and pecans if using.
- Divide batter into prepared pans and bake.
- While cakes are baking you’ll cook a buttermilk caramel syrup on the stovetop and pour it over the finished cakes while they’re still warm.
- After the cakes have cooled, you’ll whip up your cream cheese frosting and ice!
Frequently Asked Questions
This cake is drizzled with a sweet buttermilk glaze before it’s frosted, producing a rich, tender texture. The glaze recipe makes just under 1 1/2 cups of glaze. As it is written, the recipe calls for this to be split amongst the cakes. It is quite rich and decadent, so feel free to put a little less, or save some for drizzling over the top of the finished cake. If you’d like to skip that step, the cake is still delicious without it!
Yes! This cake has many steps and can be overwhelming to make all at once. The cake layers can be made in advance and refrigerated or frozen before icing the cake.
This pan is equally great simply baked in a 9×13 pan. When doing this, I find that 1/2 the frosting recipe is a good amount to top the cake. You can also add the buttermilk syrup to taste, saving some to drizzle on top if you like.
Tip: Making a 9×13 Carrot Cake
Most often, I make this cake in a 9×13 out of ease! Because this glaze recipe is so sweet, I usually use half of it to glaze on the cake itself and serve the other half on the side for drizzling. I’ve also skipped the glazing all together and the cake is equally delicious, so consider that step optional if you wish! I also cut the frosting recipe in half, which is the amount you see here in this photo and I think it’s great.
Carrot Cake Supreme
Equipment
Ingredients
Cake
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- ½ teaspoons table salt
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 3 large eggs
- 2 cups sugar
- ¾ cup vegetable oil
- ¾ cup buttermilk
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cup grated carrot
- 8 ounce can crushed pineapple drained
- ⅔ cup coconut
- 1 cup chopped pecans toasted (optional)
Buttermilk Glaze
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ cup buttermilk
- ½ cup butter
- 1 tablespoon light corn syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 16 ounces cream cheese softened
- ½ cup butter softened
- 1 pound powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350℉. Lightly grease and flour two 9-inch cake pans. (This cake can also be made in a 9×13, see notes below). For best results, cut a circle of parchment to place in the bottom of each pan. Set aside.
- Combine the flour, salt, baking soda, and cinnamon in a medium bowl. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, beat the eggs, sugar, oil, buttermilk, and vanilla on high speed until smooth. Add the dry ingredients and beat on low speed until combined. Fold in the carrots. Fold in the pineapple, coconut, and pecans (if using). Divide the batter evenly among the pans and bake for 25-30 minutes or until a pick inserted into the center of the cakes comes out with only moist crumbs attached.
- While the cakes are baking, prepare the buttermilk glaze. Combine sugar, baking soda, buttermilk, butter, corn syrup, and vanilla in a large pot (think soup pot or Dutch oven- it will expand!) and bring to a boil over medium heat. Boil, stirring constantly, until the syrup is caramelly and golden, about 5-8 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in vanilla, and set aside.
- When the cakes are done baking, drizzle the glaze over the warm cakes (still in the pans). You'll want to do it slowly and let it soak in just a bit at at time. Note: This is quite rich and decadent, so feel free to put on a little less glaze, or save some for drizzling over the top of the finished cake. It's flexible! Your cakes do not need to be swimming in glaze 🙂 Cool completely on a wire rack. When the cakes are cool, remove them from pans. Yes they will be a little sticky so just be gentle!
- When cakes are completely cool, prepare the cream cheese frosting. Beat cream cheese and butter until smooth and creamy. Add cream cheese and vanilla and whip until smooth.
- If making a layer cake, tear four thin strips of parchment or wax paper or aluminum foil and make an overlapping square on the serving plate. This is to protect the serving plate from frosting. Place one layer on top of the square with the parchment strips sticking out. Spread some frosting on the bottom layer of the cake. Place other layer on top of the frosted layer. Frost the entire cake with cream cheese frosting and decorate with coconut and chopped pecans if desired. Pull out the parchment strips for clean presentation.
- Store in refrigerator. When ready to serve, leave at room temp for about 30 minutes before serving.
Notes
- This cake has many steps and can be overwhelming to make all at once. The cake layers can be made in advance and refrigerated or frozen before icing the cake.
- The glaze recipe makes just under 1 1/2 cups of glaze. As it is written, the recipe calls for this to be split amongst the cakes. It is quite rich and decadent, so feel free to put a little less, or save some for drizzling over the top of the finished cake. If you’d like to skip that step, the cake is still delicious without it!
- You may also bake this cake in a 9×13 pan. It will most likely take 30-40 minutes. Watch for it to be set and have only moist crumbs attached when poked with a toothpick. When making a 9×13 size, I find that 1/2 the frosting recipe is the perfect amount for me. I also do not use all of the glaze on the cake. I’ve skipped it entirely, or used about half for glazing and half for optional drizzles on top.
Questions & Reviews
Ugh, disregard I just saw your response to Brianna above about the cupcakes. Sorry!
Can I use this recipe to make cupcakes? If so, how long should I cook them for? Thank you!
I’m sorry if this question has already been asked-
I’m throwing a cupcake baby shower for a friend, and she’s requested carrot cake cup cakes, could these be adapted to cupcakes? Should I just cut the cook time in half (or more) or should I reduce the temperature too? I’ve been looking on pinterest for carrot cupcake recipes, but they don’t look as yummy as your cake!
Hmmm…I’ve never tried making this into cupcakes. I’d keep the temp the same and then when it comes to time, you’re just going to have to keep an eye on them. Let us know how it goes!
The MOST DIVINE carrot cake I’ve ever had! With bushels of carrots from my garden on hand I decided to
try out a few different recipes, this is by far the best. Only a few slight changes, additions I picked up from other recipes: I used a 1/4 teaspoon each of allspice, nutmeg, and ginger and an extra 1/2 tsp. each of cinnamon and vanilla. I also added 1 cup of raisins; use the juice from your canned pineapple to cover the raisins in a bowl, microwave for 3 minutes and let them soak till ready to use, drain and fold into batter at the end. This will make your raisins plump and soft, you can add a tablespoon or two of the juice to the batter. I also prefer to substitute walnuts for pecans, as I prefer them. Thank you best bites!
I LOVE carrot cake and am still on the hunt for THE best carrot cake. I think I may have found it! I’m the only carrot cake eater in the house (the rest of them are crazy), does this recipe half well? Thanks!
I really like classic carrot cake, but these looks so interesting! It must be delicious to!
Wish I could post a picture!! Just made this for my Hubby who swore off sweets for Lent..he’s counting the minutes until midnight! One adjustment I made was to decrease the baking soda in the glaze..other than that, it was a joy to make!!
Like carrot cake …Used to make it with another recipe…but this one looks really delicious …will try it and tell you the result ..Thank you <3
Could I make these cakes ahead of time and freeze them? I have to make 3 cakes for Easter dinner lol
Yep, most definitely! 🙂
Re the amount of dough for a 9″ round pan vs 8″ square pan: 3 x 8 x 8 = 192 sq in
3 x pi x 9 x 9 / 4 = 190 sq in. Easy, see???? LOL . . . Nope, I don’t get it either; had to have my engineer son explain it to me.