Carrot Pineapple Cake – A deliciously moist cake loaded with freshly grated carrots and crushed pineapple, topped off with a silky-smooth cream cheese icing. Toasted coconut flakes look oh-so-pretty and add a little crunch for the perfect balance of textures and flavor.
Seriously, this cake makes for a decadent finale to just about any meal, and I am super excited to share it with you. I’ve tried so many carrot cakes over the years, but this variation with pineapple is my all-time favorite. It’s moist and flavorful, with toasted coconut adding a tropical flair that is to die for – my mouth is watering just thinking about it. 🤤
Oh, and how could I forget!!! This recipe is perfect for a decadent finale to your Easter meal. One time when I had invited friends over, I asked what they wanted for dessert. Would you like cheesecake or carrot cake? The quick and definite answer was carrot cake. Yum!!!
What Makes Carrot Pineapple Cake Special?
I love carrot cake, but I’ll be the first to admit that not everyone does. It’s usually one of those love-it-or-hate-it desserts. That said, the unique flavors in this carrot cake are moist and tropical, and I’ve found that even the most die-hard carrot cake “haters” will down a slice of it with a smile on their faces. Go ahead and test it out on the picky eaters in your family; you’ll see. 😉
Recipe Ingredients
- All-Purpose Flour – This pantry staple lays the foundation for this carrot cake. You can use a gluten-free flour substitute if you like but take note that they may affect the flavor and texture of the cake.
- Cinnamon, Allspice, and Nutmeg – These three spices give this carrot pineapple cake that traditional, warm spiced carrot cake flavor. My homemade pumpkin spice blend is another winner.
- Eggs and Butter – These guys make for a decadent, buttery cake. The eggs give it a good rise, and the butter makes it ultra-moist.
- Crushed Pineapple – This juicy tropical fruit takes carrot cake to a new level. Crushed pineapple has lots of juice, which keeps the cake moist and distributes well throughout.
- Carrots – This root veggie is super healthy and has a slightly sweet flavor that is delicious IMO, but subtle when combined with the rest of the ingredients in this recipe.
- Cream Cheese – This soft, rich cheese makes the base for our frosting and gives the perfect amount of tang to complement the fresh flavors of this cake.
- Toasted Coconut – This ingredient is optional, but I highly recommend adding toasted coconut for an added tropical flavor and the extra crunch. It’s sooooo delicious! 😋
How to Make Carrot Pineapple Cake
Prepare to Bake
- Preheat the oven to 160°C/325°F.
- Grease a 10-inch pan generously with cooking spray and set aside.
Make the Cake Batter
- Dry Ingredients – Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, and salt and set aside.
- Beat Eggs – Using an electric mixer or stand mixer, beat the eggs until they are creamy and light – this may take about 2 minutes.
- Add Sugar – Gradually add the light brown and granulated sugar and continue beating for about 3 minutes.
- Cream Butter – Next, add butter, sour cream, oil, grated orange zest, and vanilla and mix well. Scrape down the sides of the pan.
- Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients – Dump the flour mixture into the egg mixture and continue mixing.
- Add the Good Stuff – Stir in crushed pineapple, carrots, and raisins.
Bake the Cake
- Fill the Cake Pan – Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
- Bake for about 45-55 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and a tester toothpick or knife inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
- Chill – Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Then, invert it onto a wire rack and let it cool completely.
Make the Frosting
- Cream Butter and Cream Cheese – Beat the butter and cream cheese with an electric mixer in a large bowl.
- Sugar – Add powdered sugar a cup at a time until the frosting is smooth and creamy.
- Final Touch – Beat in vanilla extract. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Frost the Cake
- Frost – Wait until your carrot pineapple cake is completely cool to spread the frosting over the top and sides.
- Sprinkle Coconut– Once you are done frosting, sprinkle toasted coconut on top and around the edges of the cake.
Recipe Variations
- Nutty Difference – Add toasted pecans or walnuts to the batter and topping right along with the toasted coconut.
- Carrot Pineapple Bread – Half the sugar and make a healthy quick bread for the perfect snack.
- Carrot Peach Cake – Oh my! Replace the pineapple with canned peaches. Dice them and squeeze the extra juice out with the same process as the pineapple for a spring celebration.
Tips and Tricks
- Select the smaller holes on a cheese grater and grate the carrots carefully. Alternatively, you can “grate” your carrots with a food processor.
- To get the perfect amount of moisture in this cake without going overboard, squeeze out as much liquid from the carrots as possible after grating them. Wrap the grated pieces in a clean dish towel or paper towels and squeeze with your hands. The cake might not cook through if you skip this step, giving you dry edges and a soggy, undercooked center.
- You can crush a fresh pineapple or use store-bought crushed pineapple for this recipe. Be sure to squeeze the juice from the pineapple, just like you did with the carrots.
Make-Ahead Instructions
You can make this cake 24 hours ahead of time before you frost it. Simply follow the recipe instructions and then refrigerate the cake after it’s cooled. When you are ready to serve it, frost it right out of the fridge, then slice and serve it!
Serving and Storage Instructions
As I’ve already mentioned, be sure to cool the cake completely before you frost it; otherwise, you’ll be dealing with a melty frosting mess. That said, as soon as your cake is frosted, it’s ready to be sliced and served. 🍰
Store leftover carrot cake in the fridge for 3-5 days in an airtight container. It tastes just as delicious (if not even more delicious) served cool as it does at room temperature. If you prefer room temperature, though, you can keep this cake on your countertop. Just know that it won’t stay good for very long left out – only 1-2 days max.
FAQs
Not all carrot cakes feature pineapple in their ingredient list, but I think it adds something extraordinary. The extra sugar in crushed pineapple gives this carrot cake that traditional level of sweetness you’d expect in a cake, plus a tropical twist. That’s part of the reason this carrot cake is so popular – even with people who aren’t usually carrot cake fans.
If you really aren’t a fan of pineapple or are allergic to it, replace this ingredient with applesauce. If you make this swap, your cake may need some extra minutes in the oven, so watch it as your cooking time comes to an end.
That’s easy; you’ll just need to do a little slicing and dicing. Use my guide on how to cut pineapple to peel and dice yours. Then, as a final step, use the flat side of your knife to squash the diced pieces. Alternatively, you could crush the diced bits between two large cutting boards. Squeeze out the extra juice and add to the cake batter, just like you do with the canned kind.
What Goes with Carrot Pineapple Cake
This recipe is beautiful as is, but if you want to get a little more creative with your decorations, candied pecans, caramel sauce, and homemade whipped cream can really dress it up. They all taste great with this cake too. ✨
Depending on the weather and time of day, you might also want to serve this dessert with a delicious hot or cold beverage. I love to have a slice with ginger tea or a chai tea latte, but even passion fruit juice pairs well with carrot pineapple cake.
More Cake Recipes to Try
Conclusion
This carrot pineapple cake is easy to whip up, delicious, and unique, too. So go ahead and give it a try! You may just turn a carrot cake hater into a carrot cake lover in the process. 😁 Which one is your favorite carrot cake recipe? Let me know in the comments.
Watch How to Make It
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This blog post was first published in April 2017 and has been updated with an additional write-up, new photos, and a video.
This was blog post was last published in April 2017 and has been updated with additional tips, new photos, and a video.
Carrot Pineapple Cake
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Ingredients
Carrot Pineapple Cake
- 2¼ cups all purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon, ground
- 1 teaspoon allspice
- 1 teaspoon nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 4 large eggs
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ¾ cup light brown sugar
- 4 ounces butter, melted
- ¼ cup sour cream, or Greek yogurt
- ½ cup canola oil
- 1 tablespoon orange zest, grated
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ⅔ cup crushed pineapple
- 2 cups carrots, grated and squeezed
- ½ cup raisins, optional
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 4 ounces unsalted butter, softened
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 4-6 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1-1½ cup toasted coconut, optional garnish
Instructions
Carrot Pineapple Cake
- Preheat the oven to 160°C/325°F.
- Grease a 10-inch pan generously with cooking spray and set aside.
- Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, and salt and set aside.
- Using an electric mixer or stand mixer, beat the eggs until they are creamy and light – this may take about 2 minutes.
- Gradually add the light brown and granulated sugar and continue beating for about 3 minutes.
- Next, add butter, sour cream, oil, grated orange zest, and vanilla and mix well. Scrape down the sides of the pan.
- Dump the flour mixture into the egg mixture and continue mixing.
- Stir in crushed pineapple, carrots, and raisins.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
- Bake for about 45-55 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and a tester toothpick or knife inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
- Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Then, invert it onto a wire rack and let it cool completely.
Cream Cheese Frosting
- Beat the butter and cream cheese with an electric mixer in a large bowl.
- Add powdered sugar a cup at a time until the frosting is smooth and creamy.
- Beat in vanilla extract. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Frost the Cake
- Wait until your carrot pineapple cake is completely cool to spread the frosting over the top and sides.
- Once you are done frosting, sprinkle toasted coconut on top and around the edges of the cake.
Tips & Notes:
- Select the smaller holes on a cheese grater and grate the carrots carefully. Alternatively, you can “grate” your carrots with a food processor.
- To get the perfect amount of moisture in this cake without going overboard, squeeze out as much liquid from the carrots as possible after grating them. Wrap the grated pieces in a clean dish towel or paper towels and squeeze with your hands. The cake might not cook through if you skip this step, giving you dry edges and a soggy, undercooked center.
- You can crush a fresh pineapple or use store-bought crushed pineapple for this recipe. Be sure to squeeze the juice from the pineapple, just like you did with the carrots.
- Please keep in mind that the nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary significantly based on the products used in the recipe.
Dawn Ivy-Rostick says
I do love this cake first time making it turned out great. I love the way you break down each ingredient and tell what it does it very helpful for other recipes. I also like making my own version out of 1 or more recipes.
Imma says
Amazing to hear that, very few people have the guts to remake the recipe in their own version. Let me know how it goes once you have yours:)