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The BEST Carrot Cake

With its amazing spice batter with additions of pineapple & coconut, melt in your mouth buttermilk glaze, and decadent cream cheese frosting this is truly the best carrot cake.
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Prep Time 40 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 3 hours
Servings: 16 servings
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

Carrot Cake
  • 2 cups (260g) all-purpose flour
  • 2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 tbsp cinnamon
  • 3 eggs
  • 1½ cups (300g) granulated sugar
  • ½ cup (100g) brown sugar
  • ¾ cup (170 ml) vegetable oil
  • 2 tsp vanilla
  • ¾ cup (170 ml) buttermilk
  • 2 ½ cups (200g) grated carrots
  • 1/2 cup (30g) flaked coconut
  • 1 8 ounce can crushed pineapple drained
  • 1 cup (123g) chopped pecans divided
Glaze
  • ½ cup (113 g) salted butter
  • 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
  • ½ cup (118 ml) buttermilk
  • 1½ tsp vanilla
Cream Cheese Frosting
  • 16 ounces (453g) cream cheese room temperature
  • ½ cup (113g) salted butter room temperature
  • 3½ cups (223g) powdered sugar
  • 2 tsp vanilla

Method
 

For the Cake:
  1. Preheat oven to 350°F, grease and flour three 8 inch cake pans and line with parchment paper; set aside.
  2. In a medium bowl whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon; set aside.
  3. In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or in a large bowl with a hand mixer beat eggs, granulated sugar, brown sugar, vegetable oil, and vanilla until creamy. (About one minute.)
  4. Alternate dry ingredients and buttermilk into the creamed mixture until all of the ingredients are incorporated.
  5. Next, fold in carrots, coconut, pineapple, and 1/2 cup of the pecans.
  6. Divide evenly among the three cake tins and bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean with a few crumbs.
For the Glaze:
  1. Place the butter, buttermilk, and sugar in a saucepan over medium high heat, stirring constantly and bring to a boil. Stir for 4 minutes and then poor directly over hot cakes right when they come out of the oven.
  2. Let the cakes cool completely.
For the Frosting:
  1. In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or in a large bowl with a hand mixer beat cream cheese and butter until smooth and creamy. Add in powdered sugar slowly and vanilla and beat until fluffy. Refrigerate until ready to assemble the cake.
  2. Place the first cake layer down onto a cake stand or board and top with a thin layer of frosting, then top with the second layer of cake along with a thin layer of frosting, lastly top with the third layer and coat entire cake with remaining frosting. Top and decorate cake with remaining pecans.