Mom's Super Moist Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
My mom's recipe for classic carrot cake is rich and incredibly moist, topped with gooey cream cheese frosting. It's the best recipe for carrot cake you'll ever make!
Preheat the oven to 350* and place a rack in the center of the oven. Butter and flour a 9 x 13” baking dish or a 9 x 9” square cake pan and set aside. Alternatively, line the cake pans with parchment paper.
Trim and peel the carrots, then finely grate using a box grater and set aside. Note: you can use a food processor to grate the carrots, but know that the finished cake will have a softer consistency with more moisture.
Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon into the bowl of a stand mixer. Add the sugar and whisk until incorporated. Switch to to the paddle attachment. Add the oil and mix on low speed until incorporated. With the motor running continuously on low, add the eggs, one at a time, pausing for a few seconds in between each egg. Turn off the motor and add the carrots, pineapple, and coconut to the bowl. Mix on low until just barely incorporated.
Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish or cake pans. If using a 9 x 13” pan, bake for 40 minutes, then check for doneness. If using a 9 x 9” pan, bake for 60 minutes, then check for doneness. To check for doneness, press the center of the cake with two fingers - it’s ready when it gently springs back. (Note: the pineapple will make the cake very moist, so depending on the humidity of your kitchen, cooking time may exceed one hour.) Remove from the oven, place on the counter and allow to cool in the pan for 25-30 minutes or until cool to the touch. It can then be further cooled at room temperature or transferred to the fridge.
While the cake is baking and/or cooling, make the frosting. In the bowl of a stand mixer, add the cream cheese and butter and beat at medium speed until smooth and incorporated. Add the vanilla and beat until incorporated. Switch to low speed and add the confectioners sugar, half a cup at a time, until you reach your preferred consistency. The frosting may be used as-is and will be soft and gooey. If you prefer a firm consistency, chill the frosting at least 1 hour. When you are ready to frost, whip the frosting with a rubber spatula to warm it up a bit, then frost the cake.
This cake serves 16 and can be kept covered at room temperature for up to 48 hours, or chilled in the fridge for up to a week.