Pineapple Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

If you’re looking for the best carrot cake recipe, you’ve gotta try this Pineapple Carrot Cake! It’s moist, just the right amount of sweet and perfect for spring!

Let’s just get this out of the way.

My favorite cake is carrot cake. I’ll take it any day of the week over birthday cake or even double chocolate cake. Gasp!!

There’s something about the spice of the cinnamon, the earthy sweetness of the carrots and the lightness of the pineapple in this recipe that evoke all the right feels, you know???

And I’ve gotta give my Mom props for sharing this recipe with me. When my Dad heard I was making it, he knew what was coming down the pipeline and he promptly put in an order for a piece.

I was happy to deliver! 🙂

I made this carrot cake in a 9×13 pan for a few reasons. First, it’s easy to frost and to serve. And second, it’s easier to transport for special occasions.

You know, like Thursdays.

But you can certainly make this in to a fancy layer cake if you’d like.

PIN THIS FOR LATER!

How to make Pineapple Carrot Cake:

First, preheat the oven and grease your pan. Pretty basic stuff, right?

Then, in either your stand mixer or your handheld mixer, combine eggs, sugar & oil.

In a separate bowl, combine your dry ingredients.

Tip: This is a good time to set out your cream cheese and butter to soften, because it takes a while.

Add dry ingredients to your egg mixture and mix well to incorporate. Then, a cup or two at a time, add your pineapple, nuts and carrots. Mix it up and then pour it into your pan.

That’s it! Feel free to sniff the pan before you put it in the oven. There’s something about the spices that smells SOOOO GOOD!

When it’s done cooking, let it cool completely before you try to frost it. Melted frosting is not a good look.

How to make Cream Cheese Frosting:

I’ll warn you, this takes a pound of powdered sugar. Yep, you heard me right, a pound. But in the defense of powdered sugar, it does dissolve into practically nothing. Once you taste it, your worries will go right out the window!

Mix the cream cheese and butter until combined, then gradually add the powdered sugar and vanilla.

Tip: Don’t dump in all at once unless you’re a fan of major kitchen cleanup.

Beat the ingredients until it’s smooth and easy to spread.

Be sure to take a teaspoon of two as a sample, just for quality control. You never can be too careful….

Recipe variations & tips for you:

• Add additional chopped walnuts to the top of the frosted cake, if desired.
• Add about 1/2 cup raisins to batter if you’d like.
• Substitute pecans for the walnuts
• Make the cake recipe into carrot cake cupcakes.
• When you cut the cake, drag the knife all the way through. This will keep crumbs from popping up and adhering to your frosting.

This pineapple carrot cake makes 15 generous sized servings.

As seen on The Country Cook

If you like this recipe, you’ll also love my Mom’s Apple Slab Pie, Mandarin Orange Cake and Scotcheroo Bars!

Note: I may use referral or affiliate links for the products I love.

What’s your favorite all time dessert? Tell me in the comments!

Print Recipe

5 from 5 votes

Pineapple Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

If you want the best carrot cake recipe, you’ve gotta try this Pineapple Carrot Cake! It’s moist, just the right amount of sweet and perfect for spring!

Prep Time20 mins

Cook Time1 hr

Total Time1 hr 20 mins

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: carrot cake, dessert

Servings: 15 servings

Calories: 591kcal

Author: Deanne Frieders, This Farm Girl Cooks

Ingredients

Pineapple Carrot Cake:

• 3 eggs
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 2 cups shredded carrot about 2 large
• 1 cup crushed pineapple drained
• 1 cup chopped walnuts

Cream Cheese Frosting:

• 8 ounces cream cheese softened
• 1/2 cup butter, softened (1 stick)
• 1 pound powdered sugar
• 2 tsp vanilla

Instructions

Pineapple Carrot Cake

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9 x 13 pan.
• In a large mixer, combine the eggs, sugar and oil.
• Combine dry ingredients in a separate bowl.
• Add dry ingredient to egg mixture and mix well.
• Gradually add carrots, pineapple and nuts and mix well. Pour into pan.
• Bake for 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool completely before frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting:

• In a large mixer, mix cream cheese and butter until smooth. Add vanilla and powdered sugar, gradually. Beat until smooth and creamy and a good spreading consistency. 
• Frost cake and enjoy!

Notes

Variations & Tips:
Add additional chopped walnuts to the top of the frosted cake, if desired.

Add about 1/2 cup raisins to batter if you’d like.

Substitute pecans for the walnuts

Make the cake recipe into carrot cake cupcakes.

When you cut the cake, drag the knife all the way through. This will keep crumbs from popping up and adhering to your frosting.

Servings: 15

Calories 591 | Total Fat 31.9g | Saturated Fat 10.7g | Cholesterol 66mg |
Sodium 352mg | Total Carbohydrate 73.9g | Dietary Fiber 1.6g | Total Sugars 58.4g | Protein 6.2g

Recipe added to Meal Plan Monday