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
MAN is this cake good. ???? Just made it as a belated Easter dessert (plus we had quarantine carrots that were starting to go bad – hey-o!) and I think it might be one of the yummiest cakes I’ve made yet. All the steps are totally WORTH IT. My old man just had a slice & asked if I could make more cakes and stuff ‘em in the freezer so we could always have it ready to go at a moments notice. ???? Sounds like a winning recipe to me!! Also, I made my frosting not too sweet (as per Kate’s recommendation), and I think that’s the way to go. Total 10/10!
Looks so yummy! I only have 8inch rounds…will there be a lot bake mix left over? How full you suggest I fill the pans since they are smaller. Sorry for all the questions I am new to baking. Thank you!
Fill them about 2/3-3/4 full. If you have a little extra, you can always put it in a muffin tin an make a few cupcakes!
You could…or you could cut it in half. It really helps keep the cake moist.
This cake has become a favorite in our family since I started making it a few years ago – it’s a bit of work but so worth it. My mom always requests it for her birthday now she loves it so much.
Hi! I make this cake for special occasions and everyone loves it! Can you tell me what using buttermilk does (for the cake and the sauce) as opposed to using another type of milk? Partly just super curious and partly because I want to know if I can use another milk. Thanks for your time!
It adds flavor and the acid in the buttermilk also makes the cake moist and flavorful. 🙂
I make this cake every year for my hubby and son who almost share a birthday, and every year it’s a hit. But every year I have the same conundrum — am I supposed to remove the cakes from the pans before I pour the glaze on them? I never can remember what I did the year before, but I’d love to know what you did.
I am so excited to make this for my husbands birthday, but that’s 2 days from now and I don’t have much time to make it. Do you think it would still be tasty if I refrigerated it for more than just overnight?
Yep!! It holds up really well!
Quick question: when do you take the cakes out of the pans here? Do you pour the buttermilk glaze on while still in the pans or after taking them out, when they’re on the wire racks (in which case I imagine you’d want to put something underneath them to catch excess drippage)?
This was AMAZING! I was worried the glaze would make the cake soggy and mushy but trusted you guys and I’m so glad I did. It was the best carrot cake I’ve ever had. I’ll definitely be making this every Easter! <3
Made this for our Easter family lunch. AWESOME. BEST CARROT CAKE EVER!!! Thanks ladies!