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Old Fashioned Carrot Cake with pineapple slice with cream cheese icing

Old Fashioned Carrot Cake Recipe with Pineapple

Old Fashioned Carrot Cake is a true classic! Adding pineapple to this recipe adds more moisture and texture to create the perfect treat!
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 15
Calories 375 kcal

Equipment

  • Bowls
  • Spatula
  • 9x13 pan, 3 - 8 inch round pans, or cupcake pan and liners

Ingredients
 
 

For the Cake

  • 1 1/2 cups light brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 3/4 cup vegetable or canola oil
  • 4 eggs large, at room temperature
  • 1 cup unsweetened applesauce
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1 teaspoon cardamom
  • 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 2 cups grated carrots about 3 large
  • 1 can crushed pineapple 8 oz can, well drained

For the Icing

  • 8 ounce full fat cream cheese softened
  • 1 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 4 cups powdered sugar
  • Dash of salt

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven up to 350°F. Place cupcake wrappers in cupcake pan, two 8-inch cake pans, or spray 9x13 pan with nonstick spray. Set aside.
    Lining 8 inch cake pan with parchment paper
  • In a large bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, granulated sugar, oil, eggs, applesauce, and vanilla until combined. Set aside. In another large bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves together until combined. Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and fold together until just combined and no streaks of flour are left. Fold in the carrots and pineapple.
    Folding the dry ingredients in to the wet ingredients
  • Spoon the batter into the prepared pans or, using an ice cream scoop, scoop about ¼ cup batter into each cupcake wrapper. Bake 9x13 pan for 38-42 minutes, two 8-inch pans for 38-44 minutes or cupcakes for 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow to cool at least 10 minutes then remove from pans to cool on wire rack.
    Pour batter into prepared pans
  • Make the frosting: In the bowl of a stand mixer or using a handheld mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat the cream cheese, butter, vanilla, salt and 2 cups of the icing sugar together on medium speed until smooth, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the remaining icing sugar and beat for 2 minutes. If the icing is very soft, refrigerate it for about 30 minutes until is firmed up a bit and at a piping for frosting consistency.
  • You can either pipe or spread the icing on the cake or cupcakes once they are completely cool.
    Spread the icing on the carrot cake
  • Cover tightly and store at room temperature or in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. This cake is great to make the day before it is needed. Prepare the cake/cupcakes and the frosting 1 day in advance. Store cake at room temperature, covered tightly. Refrigerate prepared frosting in an airtight container until ready to use. Bring icing to room temperature then frost cake.
    Store air tight

Video

Notes

Mix-in ideas: Up to 1 cup of raisins, coconut, chopped pecans or walnuts, or dried cranberries.
 
Recipe adapted from Taste Of Home

Nutrition

Serving: 1pieceCalories: 375kcalCarbohydrates: 79gProtein: 4gFat: 14gSaturated Fat: 8gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 76mgSodium: 233mgPotassium: 91mgFiber: 1gSugar: 61gVitamin A: 447IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 69mgIron: 2mg
Keyword carrot cake, carrot cake cupcakes, cream cheese frosting, decorate carrot cake, easter cake, easter dessert, pineapple carrot cake
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