The Best Ever Carrot Cake with Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting

This is one of our top recipes and it is perfect for Easter that is right around the corner. We get so many requests for this cake, so I wanted to put out our recipe for you all. Our carrot cake is super moist with a light and refreshing lemon cream cheese frosting. The flavors in this recipe blend so beautifully together that when you take a bite, it is like a hug in your stomach:)

We make this cake for Easter of course, but because of its popularity with our clients, we also make it year around for birthdays and special events. We hope you enjoy this recipe with your family and friends just as much as we do!

Serves 12-24 depending on how you cut it.

Ingredients

2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

2 cups granulated sugar

2 teaspoons baking soda

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1-cup canola oil or vegetable oil

3 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups pureed cooked carrots (make sure it’s chilled before adding it to the batter)

1 cup chopped toasted walnuts

1 cup shredded sweetened coconut plus ½ cup toasted coconut for the topping.

¾ cup canned crushed pineapple, drained

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 13×9 cake pan.
2. Sift the flour, baking soda, and cinnamon together in a bowl.
3. In a large bowl whisk together the oil, sugar, eggs, vanilla, and beat well. Then mix in the sifted flour mixture into the batter.
4. Finally add in the pureed carrots, toasted walnuts, coconut, and pineapple mix together until incorporated.
5. Now pour the batter into the pan. Place the pan in the middle rack of the oven and bake for about 40 to 45min until the edges pull away from the sides of the pan and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool the cake for about an hour. Then frost the whole top of the cake and garnish with toasted coconut. Cut into either 12 large pieces or 24 smaller pieces.

Frosting

8 ounces cream cheese, at room temp.

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temp.

2 ½ to 3 cups confectioners’ sugar depending how sweet you want it.

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

1 Tbsp. grated lemon zest

Juice of ½ lemon

Directions

1. Cream the cream cheese and butter together in a mixing bowl with a paddle attachment.
2. Slowly sift the confectioners’ sugar, and continue beating until fully incorporated and smooth.
3. Then add in vanilla, lemon zest and lemon juice.