To Die For Carrot Cake

This To Die For Carrot Cake receives rave reviews for its unbelievable moistness and flavor! Truly the BEST CARROT CAKE you’ll ever try! So easy to make and as an added bonus, there’s no oil or butter! I know this cake will quickly become a family favorite!

Prep Time10 mins Cook Time 25 mins Total Time 35 mins  Servings: 16 slices Calories: 499kcal  Author: Trish – Mom On Timeout

Ingredients

Cake:

One

• 1 1/4 cups unsweetened applesauce or oil, this is what my Nana used (I prefer oil)
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 3 eggs room temperature

Two

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp cinnamon

Three

• 2 cups grated carrots
• 1 cup shredded sweetened coconut
• 1 cup chopped toasted pecans
• 1 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla paste
• 1 cup crushed undrained pineapple [use the pineapple in JUICE not syrup]

Cream Cheese Frosting:

• 1/2 cup butter softened
• 8 oz cream cheese softened
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 lb powdered sugar
• top with toasted pecans or coconut if desired

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Combine #1 ingredients. Add #2 ingredients. Stir in #3 ingredients.
• Pour into a lightly greased 9 x 13 , two 9-inch pans or three 8-inch pans. (The cake is very moist so cutting parchment for the bottom of your pans will ensure they don’t stick. I prefer to use the non-stick baking spray that has the flour in it for easy cake removal.)
• Bake for 35-40 minutes for the 9×13 and 9-inch pans and 25-30 minutes for the 8-inch pans. You’re looking for an inserted toothpick to come out clean.
• Let cakes cool for 10 minutes in the pan and then remove to a cooling rack and let cool completely.

For the frosting:

• Beat the butter and cream cheese until nice and fluffy. Add in the vanilla and powdered sugar and beat until nice and smooth.
• Invert the cake onto a cake plate or stand.
• Apply a generous dollop of frosting and spread…
• Gently place the second layer on top and continue frosting. Repeat with the third layer if you made three.
• Refrigerate for an hour before serving for best results.

Notes

The frosting recipe can be doubled if you are planning on piping a border and adding a lot of frosting decorations to the top of the cake.