Go Back
5 from 1 vote

Buttermilk Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

This cake holds very well for a week or more in the refrigerator and makes a delightful snack for the mid-afternoon munchies! You can opt to make this cake as a 9x13 rectangular cake or as a layer cake using either two 9-inch pans or three 8-inch pans. One day my dad, who is the original ice cream junkie, actually asked for a piece of this in lieu of a hot fudge sundae. That took me by surprise because I’m not sure if he’d ever chosen cake over ice cream before in his life! That's how delicious this cake really is!

Ingredients

  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon cinnamon
  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • 3/4 cup canola oil
  • 3/4 cup buttermilk no substitute for this
  • 3 eggs
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla
  • 2 cups grated carrots can use the grater on a food processor or hand-held grater
  • 1 flat can 8 oz. crushed pineapple, drained
  • 2/3 cup walnuts or pecans quartered, not chopped
  • 6 ounces flaked coconut

Cream Cheese Frosting (for 9x13 or 2 9-inch layers)

  • 1 8- oz. package cream cheese softened to room temperature
  • 1/2 cube butter 2 oz., softened to room temperature
  • 4 cups powdered sugar sifted
  • 4 teaspoons vanilla

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease or spray 9x13 rectangular baking pan. (*Can also use three 8-inch or two 9-inch round pans)
  • Sift flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon and set aside.
    In a large mixing bowl, beat sugar with oil, buttermilk, and vanilla.
    Beat in eggs, one at a time.
    Add dries and mix well.
    Add pineapple, carrots, coconut, and nuts. Mix thoroughly.
    The batter will be very thick.
    Pour batter into prepared pans.
    Bake for approximately 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
    Cool completely before frosting.
  • *Reduce baking time for layer cake rounds by about 10 minutes.

Frosting

  • Beat butter and cream cheese until fluffy.
    Add vanilla and sugar and beat until smooth.
    Frost on top of cooled carrot cake.
  • *Frosting adjustments for layer cakes: 2 layers of 9” - use 1.5 times the recipe and for 3 layers of 8”- use 16 oz. cream cheese, 1 cube butter and 6 cups sifted powdered sugar.