Truly our best-ever carrot cake recipe, make this classic favorite for a crowd and you might not have any leftovers to bring home. For more flavor, try toasting the nuts and coconut before adding them to the batter. It's important to cool the cakes completely before frosting, otherwise the frosting will just melt right off. To expediate the cooling process, you can put the cakes on their wire racks in the freezer (don't worry, it's not cheating), checking until they're thoroughly cool. This is a cake you can bake for any occasion. We recommend this cake anytime from Easter to Christmas.

Best Carrot Cake

all-purpose flour

baking soda

salt

cinnamon

eggs

sugar

vegetable oil

buttermilk

vanilla extract

carrot

(8-ounce) can crushed pineapple, drained

coconut

pecans

Buttermilk Glaze

Cream Cheese Frosting

Line 3 (9-inch) round cakepans with wax paper; lightly grease and flour wax paper. Set pans aside.


Beat eggs and next 4 ingredients at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth. Add flour mixture, beating at low speed until blended. Fold in carrot and next 3 ingredients. Pour batter into prepared cakepans.


Bake at 350° for 25 to 30 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Drizzle Buttermilk Glaze evenly over layers; cool in pans on wire racks 15 minutes. Remove from pans, and cool completely on wire racks. Spread Cream Cheese Frosting between layers and on top and sides of cake.


Only thing I did not like about this recipe is the instructions.  Prefer the instructions showing the ingredients  Make sure you grease your pan very well.  My cake layers stuck to pan, but I mashed it all back into the pan and formed quite well.  Don't think anyone will know the difference.  It tastes REALLY good!

Question... can I use a bundt pan for this carrot cake...

How did you handle the glaze on the cupcakes?  That's my favorite part of the layer cake...

I read the other rave reviews and frankly discounted them a bit, thinking I was the cake queen and it couldn’t be that special.  Well, I was wrong!  This is absolutely delicious.  A friend asked if I could make one for her wedding cake!  Do NOT skip the glaze.  I don’t get the comments about the off-taste from the baking soda and can only think it wasn’t cooked long enough.  It’s like thin caramel and adds wonderful depth and moistness to the cake.  I did add it as directed when I took the cake layers out of the oven, while they were still in the pans, and I think it would be very messy if you took them out first.  To turn them out after the glaze had been absorbed, I cut a piece of plastic wrap and used it as a sort of glove to tip the sticky cake out, remove the parchment paper, and turn onto a cooling rack.Now for mods.  My husband does not like pineapple, so I left that out and put in 3 cups of carrots rather than 2.  Baked as directed.  Came out perfect.  And I followed another reviewer’s advice and used 2 - 8 oz packages of cream cheese, 1 cube of butter, and 2 cups of powdered sugar rather than 3 for the frosting.  Perfect, not too sweet, and good volume for the cake.

My daughter requested carrot cake for her 18th birthday and I'm about to make this recipe again for her 19th.  All the teenagers (and the adults) thought this cake was fantastic.  I decorated with cream cheese frosting, with buttercream used for the succulents.  I doubled (or tripled?) the recipe for this 5 layer cake.

I was looking for a good recipe for a carrot cake to make as a surprise desert on the 1st day of easter for my family in law. Little nervous to give everyone a piece without me trying it first.But everyone was quiet.. and then the reactions were: This is so good!!! Wauw!!! Delicious!!!I don't think I will try another version of this cake since this was such a big hit! Moisty, full of flavour and very delicious. My grandmothrr in law was in shock when i said there were carrots in it. She never heard of carrot used in cake but she found it delicious!! Little heavy on the stomach after a festive Easter dinner. only thing I changed was the icing recipe. I used 2/3 of the amount of sugar and added a big squeeze of lemon juice. For the cream cheese I used MonChou.My advice: You want to give it a go!Greetings from GuillaumineUtrecht, the Netherlands (Europe)

 I have never written a recipe review until now.  This cake is so rich, moist and most of all DELICIOUS I just had to write one.  Just follow the recipe exactly and you will be fine. Getting the cakes out of the pans is a bit tricky. I found if you let them cool completely, then put them in the fridge for a bit, they come out the easiest.  I also increased the icing recipe by 25% because I like to ice the sides as well.  When done, this cake weighs 6 pounds! 

I love this recipe. The best and easy to make.

  I just finished baking the cake and can't wait to try it. I made a lot of modifications: didn't use pineapple or coconut but I used raisins instead and I did only 1 layer because I cooked in my toaster oven. I hope that using one layer of glaze and frosting will not take away the richness of the cake. I wonder if anyone else's is relate to mine and how theirs came out. I wish I could have done it exactly as the recipe but I did not have some ingredients. I did not skimp on the glaze and the cream cheese frosting was a bit too much so I only used 1/4 lb. butter and 8oz cream cheese and about 1/2 cup of powdered sugar, I really liked that it was very creamy and not very sweet. I hope it comes out as everyone else! Update: Mines is tasty but texture is a bit off. It's not fluffy. The flavor is good though! 

Just made this cake and it is awesome!! This cake is moist, flavorful and very easy to make.  I chose to use cream cheese frosting and the recipe provided was also very tasty.  This cake will be made again and again!!

I will have to revamp this recipe due to way too much sugar.  I have diabetics, insulin injected, in my family, so I have to be very careful.

The only thing that would make this better is to add a few raisins (if you are a raisin lover!) I made this for my birthday and it was devoured. SO RICH, I was full before my peice of cake was gone. But a friend of ours BEGGED for a second peice. Worth every effort it takes to make this!

 This cake is well decorated and looking very attractive, The recipe of
this cake that you given  is also very
simple and easy to bake it. Today we will make it.

Last time i made such beautiful cakes from :

http://www.cakengifts.in/birthday-cakes

http://www.cakengifts.in/anniversary-cakes

http://www.cakengifts.in/cake-delivery-in-delhihttp://www.cakengifts.in/cake-delivery-in-laxmi-nagar-delhihttp://www.cakengifts.in/cake-delivery-in-dwarka-delhihttp://www.cakengifts.in/cake-delivery-in-connaught-place-delhihttp://www.cakengifts.in/cake-delivery-in-defence-colony-delhi 

I soaked rains in spiced rum before  mixing in.  Also, freeze cake pans for half hour before removing onto cake plate, they wiggle out with use of silicon spatula 

This was my first time to make a carrot cake and I am a cook but not a baker, so I was very nervous.  I added a little All Spice and Nutmeg in addition to the Cinnamon -- I like spice in my Carrot Cake. I also included the pineapple and coconut.  I could not find the canned coconut and used the sweetened which worked, but next time I will chop the sweetened coconut into smaller pieces. I added walnuts instead of pecans.  First, it is very important to prepare the pans correctly.  I used Crisco and flour on bottoms of three 9 inch pans and then added parchment paper with Crisco and flour.  Three nine inch layers cooked perfectly in 25 minutes with the toothpick coming out clean.  I started the Buttermilk Glaze about five to ten minutes after I put the cake batter into the oven to bake.  The only change I made to the Buttermilk Glaze was reducing the baking soda to from 1 1/2 teaspoons to 1/2 teaspoon.  It was delicious and definitely helps keep the cake moist and delicious.  I poured the glaze on after I pulled the cake layers out of the oven while still very warm in the pans.  The glaze should be warm when it is poured on the cake too.  I DID NOT try to take the cake layers out of the pan 15 minutes later.  I waited over two-three hours until the cake and pans were completely cooled.  The top of the cake layers will be sticky, so I used a parchment paper covered pizza pan and gently shook the layer out of the pan.  Then I peeled off the parchment paper from the cake layer and flipped it to a wire rack(or you cook use a cookie sheet) covered with parchment paper.  Do this carefully with each layer.  Then I let the cake layers sit for another 30 minutes - hour and made the frosting.  The cream cheese frosting was delicious.  After reading reviews, I reduced the butter (must use butter not margerine) from 3/4 cup to 1/2 cup, and followed the rest of the recipe exactly.  It was awesome.  The tricky part was getting my layers on the glass cake platter - I slowly worked my hand between the cake layer and parchment paper and had my husband assist in slowly pulling the parchment paper out.  The cake is super moist, but each layer looked and tasted awesome and none of them broke or fell apart. I was concerned that I would not have enough icing, but I had just enough.  Next time I will make 1 1/2 times the frosting.  The cake just fit under my glass cake dome.  I made it the day before Easter.  It was a huge hit!  The key to making this cake is to be patient and not try to make it all at once in a two hour time frame.  Definitely becoming the new regular Easter dessert!

I have been making this cake for my family for the past 6-7 years and it is always wonderful. Glaze comes perfect every time and is amazing. Tip: If you have any glaze left over, save it and use it on ice cream like a caramel sauce!

 Absolutely the best carrot cake recipe!I usually make it without salt or the last 3 ingredients, I don't use the buttermilk glaze and I half the quantity of each of the cream-cheese frosting ingredients. It tastes absolutely incredible: its moist, juicy and flavourful! 

I really want to make this cake as I am a huge fan of carrot cake but not a big fan of coconut or pineapple.  I can live with coconut but can I substitute pineapple for anything else or do you need it/ even taste it?

Hi Ritchie 1025, mine almost turned into a pud too.  I don't understand why, coz I have also been baking for years....  I drained the pineapple and instead of buttermilk, I used the same amount of yoghurt, which I have found to be the substitute commonly used instead of buttermilk.  Other than that, I followed the recipe to the T!

This is my first carrot cake! And it's simply fantastic. My family loved it!

I've had what I thought was "the most moist delicious carrot cake ever" It was moist &amp; delicious but compared to this one it wasn't near as moist and had almost no flavor! Thank you for the best ever carrot cake! My daughter is a professional chef and she will go wild over this cake. I used another woman's suggestion and spread the glaze on each layer, I also used the icing between layers after the glaze had thoroughly set. You will have to wave a magic wand to top this one!missingtx78

Carm, you DID something wrong....I've now made this cake "literally" 12-13 Times. Came out perfect Every time!

I'm planning on making this for Thanksgiving and I was wondering if anyone has ever made this ahead if time? And if so, how early can I make this and still have it be delicious?

I'm wondering the same thing, only because I want to make a Thanksgiving Harvest type Carrot Cake with apple's (applesauce) and a little more spice versus the traditional pineapple and coconut. I am also interested however in using Coconut oil... 

I have made this many times.  People love it!!  I have even made it ahead and froze the layers separately.  Still turned out fabulous.

1/4 cup of apple sauce is what they say when googled.

Adding to what others said, run a knife around the pan (between cake and pan) to loosen. After cooling give the pan bottom a good whack with your hand.  Along with greasing and flouring the pan before adding batter, this may help.  I have the pans you used, no problem baking cakes or quick breads.  Hope this helps. 

This carrot cake was delicious and I will be making it again. I did as some else did and cut the sugar by 1/2 c. and added 3/4 c. dark brown sugar and 3/4 c. white sugar. I like brown sugar better than white and glad I made this change. I also forgot to add the flaked coconut and it was still delicious. I only did two layers so I didn't need all the glaze but saved it to put on ice cream it was so delicious. I can't understand how anyone could have a soupy cake unless they forgot to drain the pineapple.

I always use parchment paper, greased and floured. Works perfectly.

It's great it you follow the recipe, The Glaze is what makes the cake 😊

The best carrot cake ever. I thought my old one was great this one far exceeds my old one. I will be making this number one on my list.

I started baking this cake the year it came out in the Southern Living annual many many years ago. I recently moved and accidentally got rid of the cookbook!! I thought I was a goner, but here it is!!!The Buttermilk Glaze it MAGICAL. It adds a caramelly sweetness that is just the right compliment to the exquisite perfection of the cake, and cream cheese frosting is always a wonderful thing.THANK YOU, SOUTHERN LIVING!

Why did mine turn into Pudding? I am not a new baker. Been baking for years

this cake was simply amazing! Just a question though. Can I add baking powder as it didn't rise very well. Thanks

  This cake has ruined all other cakes for me. I have never made/tasted a cake so incredible in my life. As my title states: this cake unseated our favorite chocolate cake recipe (Ghirardelli Chocolate Eagle Cake) which says a lot. I followed the cake instructions to a T (although I did use bagged, unsweetened coconut) and was able to make two 9 inch round cakes. Regrettably, I had to omit the buttermilk glaze -could not shake the flavor of baking soda- but that did not change how I felt/feel about the recipe (I assume the cake only gets better with the glaze!?). I knocked the cakes out of their pans before they had completely cooled (because I am impatient) and the icing I spread between the two layers melted and created a glaze like substance that soaked into both layers. I then iced the top of the cake with the remaining icing. After the cake was finished I could not stop eating it so I cut it up and stuck individual pieces into the freezer. The reheated slices are just as incredible. This cake is filled with an array of textures -nuts, coconut, pineapple and carrots all add to the cake's diverse smorgasbord of texture. The crumb is light and moist without being greasy. Somehow all the spices, fruits and carrots all work together to create honestly THE BEST CAKE I HAVE EVER TASTED. If you are on the fence (between making this cake and another one) make this cake. I am not kidding, you will not regret it and you will regret making the other cake. We need to spread the word. Happy baking!  

Someone brought this cake to our potluck and it tasted amazing! I really want to try making it myself because I love to bake but I am really pondering whether people have been using sweetened or unsweetened coconut flakes. I am thinking everyone used the Bakers brand sweetened coconut flakes since that is what is readily available at the grocery store. From looking at the video, that's what it looks like the person is throwing in the batter. Please help!

I made this cake as a double layer. I was nervous because by mistake I put 4 eggs instead of 3, and the batter was a little loose but it  came out amazing. Its a moist cake cake , unlike some carrot cakes that are a little dry. I will definitely make this cake again. Also using 4 eggs was a good mistake because I don't think it would have been as moist and soft if I used just 3 eggs as the recipe stated.

I am having trouble finding canned flaked coconut? Where can I find this? Or is there a substitute I could use?

If I want to make it eggless, what do I substitute the eggs with? Any hints?

This recipe is fantastic.  My husband loves carrot cake, but I haven't been able to find a memorable recipe.  I tried all the greats--Betty Crocker, Martha Stewart, etc.-and they were just ok.  I saw all the 5 star reviews for this one, and decided to test it out for Father's Day.  I followed the directions exactly, just substituted 2 9-inch pans for the 3 8-inch ones, and increased the baking time about 5 minutes.  Everyone loved it!  Do not skip the glaze!  Frosting is wonderful, too.  The search is over!

 This cake is simply fantastic!!! However, I tweaked the recipe a little bit. I reduced the sugar by 1/2 cup and used 3/4 cup brown sugar &amp; 3/4 cup white sugar instead. I also added 1/4 tsp nutmeg and zest of one orange,.. just to give it a little something extra (glad I did!!). I skipped the glaze entirely because I just find it too laborious to make it. As for the cream cheese, I used 250gm cream cheese + 100gm unsalted butter + 1 cup icing sugar + 1/2 tsp vanilla + zest of 1 orange. It came out bursting with flavours and the sweetness level is just perfect!  

I made this for a birthday party.  Note to self:  don't try new recipes when there's a time crunch!  I've been baking since the 1960's so I'm no pup here.  The cake turned out OK, I would increase the cinnamon to 1 Tbl. and it made 2 - 8" rounds and 3 cupcakes so I do see where you could squeeze a 3rd 8" out of it.  Then came that most horrid Buttermilk glaze!  After reading previous reviews, I cut the baking soda to 1 t. and it still tasted yuck.  Rather than waste my perfectly good icing, I pitched the cake and reverted back to my standard recipe of more oil/no milk and that was a winner.  Now let's see if the possums will even eat the reject tonight!

I made this for Mother's Day.   It's every bit as good as it sounds.  I was worried as it was first time making a layer cake, but the cakes removed from the pan easily and the buttermilk glaze was very easy to make- I stirred for four minutes constantly with a whisk and it changes before your eyes.   I used 1/2 cup less sugar in the cake, and opted for a less-sweet frosting (2 8 oz pkgs of cream cheese and about 1.5 cups of SIFTED powdered sugar, not packed. plus 1/2 cup butter and vanilla to taste) and it was really lovely- more sugar would have been fine but this allowed the glaze to be the star.   The cake is wonderful on its own, but please guys, make the glaze.  The name doesn't do it justice, it's a buttery, toothsome, caramelly, butterscotchy nectar from the Gods.  I can't wait to make a vanilla sponge with the glaze.   Also, I used a toothpick to pick holes all over the cake layers, briefly reheated the glaze to make it liquidy (thickens as it cools) and slowly added it to the cake so it really oozed into the layers.   When I took the cakes out of the pans (and plastic wrap helps from your workspace getting all sticky) there was a bit of extra glaze- I used this for the top/decoration.   Nice hint of what was inside, and so good on the not-so-sweet cream cheese frosting.   This cake was enough for our family gathering of 12 with leftovers.   The only thing I may do next time is make more frosting, as I like more frosting between the layers.   A new family favorite! 

I followed directions to a tee. Even while baking increased temp. It was like  a pudding. Just terrible taste and I made it for my son's birthday. Too bad.

What is your frosting recipei need one really bad

Made and looks and smells awesome, Yet to taste it since I am surprising my wife with it as it is her favorite cake ever. How do you store it after you make it? Fridge? Counter?

 Both!  Let set for the glaze to absorb, then frost.  I tried the sheetcake version, which was a bit easier (and I halved the glaze and frosting):  http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/best-carrot-sheet-cake 

I made this for the first time for Easter 2016. It was probably one of the best cakes I've ever made. I will definitely make this one again! 

This literally was one of the best cakes I've ever made. Take everyone else's advice and please DO NOT SKIP THE GLAZE!!!! I even live at high altitude Nd had no problems with this recipe "as is". I did add a pinch of clove and nutmeg, but otherwise honestly moist flavorful beautiful cake. Thanks!

For this cake, if you bake it in one large pan (only one cake) about 30 cm diameter you'll need about 1 h to 1h15 min of baking time. I bake it till 50 minutes and even the cake Is amazing it need more baking time to dry a little bit more since with all the sugar and humid ingredients the cake will stay soft.I use fresh pineapple, dry coconut flakes no nuts and it was amazing! Measurements are correct and balance although 1/4 cup of sugar could be cut down.You don't need to make The glaze or frosting , the cake is so rich flavorful that leaving it hat way is perfect. Sometimes cake are eaten too sweet too much frosting or buttercream when actually he only thing you taste is sugar and fat! So start enjoying sweet like we pastry chef do! For those who messed there cake don't expect to be perfect if you have never bake a cake, if you don't have experience in the kitchen! Stop blaming the recipe and start thinking about what you did and how you correct it! With 250 reviews maybe it wasn't the recipe maybe it was you! Other wise before making any recipe found on the web try reading several recipes before choosing!

I love this recipe but totally disagree with the amount of sugar suggests.  After man try, best for our family and friends is cut down sugar to only 3/4 cup!  Yes, not 3 cups, 3/4 cup is plenty sweet.  Same for cream cheese icing, only 1 cube of 8 ounce cream cheese &amp; yes, 3/4 cup powder sugar (I grind my own from normal sugar, don't like store bought powder sugar).  Otherwise followed recipe and its moist and so good.

Use a lighter color pan, such as a heavy aluminum pan. Dark pans tend to overheat and bake faster and unevenly. Bake on center rack of oven and use an oven thermometer if you suspect your oven does not heat evenly. Also, loaf pans run deeper than traditional cake pans and will not heat as evenly as a traditional 9"x13" cake pan does. I don't use parchment paper in my cake recipes, and I simply spray cooking spray, such as Pam, and never have any issues.  Also, silicone pans heat very evenly as well, especially for cupcake pans; plus the cakes just pop out of these pans if you let them cool in the pans before releasing them. Also, clay pans, such as Pampered Chef, probably bake the best. I have baked for about 55 years, and really have never turned out a bad cake, except when I have used the dark colored pans. I have also used every kind of cake pan material out there over these years. When baking cakes, I also put a mini bread pan filled with water in the oven next to or under the cake pan to add moisture to the cake.  I hope this helps.

I've been baking for a good 18 years now. And have never found the perfect carrot cake. (Or made one) and I like to think I know my way around a mixer. Recently someone made one for me that absolutely blew my mind. She too is a baker (it's her business) so to ask her for the recipe would be a little cheeky. So I cornered her one day about the Ingredients. Everything I thought was in it (to make it be that moist) she said "no" to, so after many hours on Google, baking sites, and Pinterest I kept coming back to  this one. Reading pages and pages of reviews 99% good ones, I came across some very disappointed bakers. My cake has just come out the oven and it LOOKS wonderful. I had to bake it for double the time (but that's my oven's fault, as I've experienced this before) and I wanted to say, to the people that weren't pleased with the outcome. 99% of the people on here had a 100% success rate, with baking this cake and with those who ate it. OBVIOUSLY you did something wrong along the way. This cake is full proof! From ingredients to outcome. Don't hate on a cake because it was flop! This cake has 14.5k shares on it. It's not the cake. It's you who didn't follow the recipe properly. Or even worse,  you've got a terrible relationship with your oven and you don't know him/her at all. Sincerely, A Very satisfied customer :)

I am a beginner baker and I must say, this cake was phenomenal. I followed the recipe to a tee and couldn't have been more pleased. Thank you. I look forward to making this again..

WOW this looks amazing - you did a great job for your coworker

 You could use loaf pans, but you have get close to the same size as a 9in round pan. I use the following chart to substitute pans.  http://www.joyofbaking.com/PanSizes.html 

The cake was a huge success with my family.  I substituted coconut oil for the vegetable oil. 

Tried to edit but not possible.  Continue.....  After baking under 350 degree for 30 minutes, the cake was still running inside like a float on water.   So I baked another 15 minutes.

I made this once as the recipe stated and once without the bells and whistles for a picky friend. This cake is perfect! It looks and taste like heaven and the consistency was spot on.

I made my sister a carrot cake for her birthday using a recipe ive used for years and it was great. Then i came across this recipe and decided to try it for my sons birthday after reading all the great reviews. I was expecting a bomb a** carrot cake but was  somewhat disappointed. The cake wasnt terrible in fact it was good but it wasnt much different than the one i usually make and to to be honest, i actually like my recipe better. I thought the buttermilk glaze was gonna make the difference but after you put the cream cheese frosting on it, i coulndnt really taste the buttermilk glaze. i will in fact use this glaze for other cakes because it was wonderful but i will be sticking to my original recipe for carrot cake.

Wonderful recipe. Thanks for sharing. This is definitely a show stopper. Everyone loved it, including your picky husband. I think it's the glaze, which leads me to my next question...Does anyone have an opinion as to whether the glaze would be good on a chocolate cake, or would it make it fall apart?

I've used the same carrot cake recipe for years and years, and decided to try something new. This.cake.is.AMAZING...truly the BEST I've ever baked. I did cut the sugar in half, with no noticeable effect on texture or taste. Thank you for my new "go to" Carrot Cake recipe!

Carrot cake is my husbands favorite cake, so I've had quite a few over the years. This cake blew all the rest out the water! I did reduce the sugar by 1/2c because some people said it was too sweet. DO NOT skip the buttermilk glaze, that stuff is like crack and is absolutely necessary. I brought 1/2 the cake to work because my husband was afraid he'd eat it all, and they destroyed it. lol 

I love carrot cake but have never made one.  The directions were easy to follow and it came out GREAT!  Very dense and very moist.  I will definitely be making this cake for our family get-together at Thanksgiving.

I followed the recipe and measurements exactly and created the best carrot cake I've had in my life. Everyone I shared it with said the same thing. The only thing I'll do different from now on is make it with two layers instead of three because it was too tall for the type of cake it was. Taste wise, it was perfect. Thank you for sharing this recipe - it was my first time using this site but I will definitely continue.

I made the carrot cake recipe as written exactly but unfortunately it all went wrong ! Too much Suger not enough flour it became something weird after I was done baking I found that the recipe doesn't make sense 2 cups flour 2 cups sugar ..I was so disappointed to have used up all my ingredients for nothing I threw it in the trash .. I will delete this recipe because I searched for different ones and the recipes made more sense than this one .. Thanks for nothing .. So disappointed !

An absolute 5 star!  I didn't have any coconut, so I used coconut oil for the vegetable oil to get that coconut influence.  It turned out amazing both times (last month and last night!). I used extra shredded carrots.  Not related to your question:  I used brown sugar instead of white sugar.  Delish! 

I just had this cake at a fish fry over the weekend and there is not one bad thing to say about it! It is the most moist cake I've ever had and the taste was heavenly!! Simply the best! Can't wait to make it for my mother-in-law, she loves Carrot Cake.

The glaze made the cake so mushy that the layers all fell apart when I tried to get them out of the pan. I'm a baker so I don't know what went terribly wrong  with my cake but this was my biggest baking disaster ever! 

This recipe says to glaze it and then frost it when cooled. Am i supposed to do both or choose one or the other?

I have to admit that I broke all the rules of baking while making this cake, and it was still the best carrot cake I've ever tasted (and I've tried many).  If you like a very moist, dense carrot cake with a lot going on in it, then you'll love it.  Don't let the runny batter fool you into thinking you need more flour -- it's supposed to be that way.  I doubled the recipe and made 4 dozen cupcakes for a party.  I added about 2/3 cup of mixed raisins and since I had an 18 ounce can of pineapple, I used the whole thing.  I was going to skip the glaze, and frankly I'm not sure it really added a lot in the end, but I'm sure it locked in some moisture.  I modified the frosting since the cake is so sweet -- 2 blocks of cream cheese, 2 sticks of salted butter, 2 cups of powdered sugar and 2 tsp vanilla.  Simply fabulous!!!

This was actually the first cake I've ever made. I made it for my dad's birthday and everyone was floored with how good it was. The glaze is a hit because it makes the cake really moist and delicious. My parents said it rivaled their wedding cake (which was also carrot cake). I made a couple modifications because looking at the recipe, this is a VERY sweet cake. I added more cinnamon than it called for and also threw in a good amount of cardamom. Instead of the recommended frosting, I made my own batch with 2.5 packages of cream cheese, 12 tbsp of butter and powdered sugar to taste. I was left with a ton of leftover frosting, but I kept it less sweet and focused on making it extra tangy. It contrasts the cake really well. The frosting itself I tasted alone and I was like no, this is awful, way too tangy, but I tried it with the cake and it's perfect.Another note is the amount of batter. There was barely enough to spread between 3 pans, and I ended up baking them for 20 minutes. They came out beautifully.

I think it will be a great cake. I made it Friday will be serving on Sunday ... Should I refrigerate or leave at room temp?

 This is the best carrot cake I have ever tasted and very simple to make.  It definitely did not last long in my house.  My family loved it!!

This was really good! I got a little nervous when I saw how runny the batter was, then again when I poured on the glaze. It just seemed like a lot! But everything was perfect :) very moist and everybody loved it.

absolutely fabulous..Carrot cake is my fiance's fav cake..he said he has never had a homemade carrot cake this good...I made one regular and one gluten free and they both came out great.  The only thing I did differently was cut down the walnuts by half and sprinkled the rest on the top of the frosting. I used the glaze in the middle of each layer and put the cream cheese frosting on the top.Make sure to let the glaze cool a bit before placing on the cake...and place the cake in the fridge for a bit to let the glaze harden before applying the frosting...It was a huge hit and my niece and nephew had them the next day for breakfast and said it was the best cake ever! Everyone loved the pineapple addition..for the gluten free recipe i used king arthur GF flour cup for cup and added xanthan gum 1/2 tsp per cup of flour..

I made this carrot cake for a co workers retirement party and it was amazing and I'm not a big fan of carrot cake. This recipe had the perfect texture and consistency. I followed everything on the instructions except for the glaze part. It came out runny so instead of pouring it on to the cake I brushed it on with a pastry brush. It was such a big hit that this will definitely be my go to recipe.

My husband's favorite cake recipe is carrot, but every time we ordered it in a restaurant we thought it was dry.  I promised him I would make one, so I found this recipe, among others, and it looked like it would be moist.  It was a hit with him and the family, but I did have to make some adjustments because of the massive amount of sugar called for in the cake, glaze, and frosting recipes.  I used the recipes that were linked to the cake recipe.1.  Rather than use all sugar, in the cake I used half sugar and half Splenda.  Recipes with Splenda tend to be very sweet, anyway, but I did not notice a difference in the consistency of the cake batter prior to or after baking.  I would consider using all Splenda; however, it is an expensive cake to make to give to the back porch kitties.2.  I used the buttermilk glaze recipe as written, and there is no doubt that it helped with the moisture or flavor.3.  I used half confectioners sugar and half Splenda in the Butter Cream Frosting recipe, which was a mistake. It tasted good enough, but the frosting was not stiff and I had to keep the frosted cake in the refrigerator, without covering it.   It lasted a good while without drying out, but it froze really well and tasted great semi-frozen.  Had I used all Splenda, I would have had to refrigerate the cake and go grocery shopping the next day for the frosting ingredients.  Next time I will not substitute Splenda in the frosting recipe.So, it would have been fabulous if I had not played with the sugar, but I learned that refrigerating and freezing actually enhanced the flavor of this cake.

I made it for Christmas last year and everyone loooved it! The little piece that was left stood on top of the fridge uncovered for a few days and didnt even dry out :) i made it again tonight for a family event tomorrow and its looking great. I only make 2 layers and bake it a bit longer, i also use 2 cups of cream cheese and only 2 cups of sugar to have a less sweet and more cream cheesy icing - delicious! Thank you for a great recipe.

I was requested to bake something delicious for my family's Easter celebration, and this sounded like the perfect recipe.  It definitely was!  This cake did not last long, and people were going back for seconds and thirds.  I have my own favorite frosting recipe, so I can't vouch for the glaze or frosting recipe above. 

Carrot cake is my Husbands favorite. I made this for last eve and this recipe is now his all time FAV!!! My family went on and on !! Was kinda shocked with the 1 1/4 c oil....  This is a very moist cake, I will be maken it for some time. Truly is a keeper!

 Recipe calls for three 9 inch pans but was only enough to fill 2 pans half way. They rose to the top and gave me a good sized cake though. Batter was way too runny but putting cake in the fridge uncovered  for 24hrs after cutting it seemed to help it dry up a bit and give better density. Cake is super moist that way but way too wet when it comes out. Solid 4.5 overall though. I couldnt believe I made a cake this good lol. Thanks for the recipe!!! Oh and go light on the baking soda in the glaze mix. No need for all that and u risk ruining the flavor. Amazing overall though. Next time I will use a little less milk for the batter, or maybe use more flour. I was satisfied with 2 pans vs. 3. You wont find a carrot cake at any supermarket that beats this 

This is my first time ever making a carrot cake. I made this cake and followed all of the directions carefully. After reading all of the comments, I was a little skeptical about the buttermilk glaze, I cooked the glaze until it began to boil and I continued stirring it until it became a caramel brown. It came out excellent, and it tasted great. My mother was so happy that I surprised her with the cake for her birthday. This is my new recipe for carrot cake. Yum, Yum. I have an extremely large family so when we have our next family gathering, I will make the best carrot cake Ever!!! I rate this cake at the highest standard.

I made this cake for My best friend who is extremely gluten sensitive. She really wanted carrot cake for her BD. I used "cup for cup"Flour and followed the recipe exactly.  It didn't raise quite as high as with regular flour but the cake was perfect, delicious and great texture. This cake is the best ever even GF!  When in doubt do yourself a favor and use the glaze.

I've been making this cake since the 90's when I found it in Southern Living magazine.  I never bothered with the glaze because it was already so good, I feared the glaze would make it too sweet.  When I found the recipe on this website and read the reviews, I decided to try it with the glaze.  I took the cake to work, and a fight almost broke out over who would get the last slice!  The glaze took it from a great cake to an unbelievable treat!

Just leave it out. No other modification needed.

I'm usually the one to make the desserts for all the events with the family gatherings, I do believe I found my new FAVORITE! A little time consuming but, WELL WORTH IT

sounds like a 5 star but I only have a question, if I want to leave out the coconut how do I adapt the recipe

Truly our best-ever carrot cake recipe, make this classic favorite for a crowd and you might not have any leftovers to bring home. For more flavor, try toasting the nuts and coconut before adding them to the batter. 

best carrot cake

Servings: 5

Cost: $7.71 /serving

Author : MyRecipes

Ingredients

Instructions

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