Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe

Grandson's Favorite Cake

Before my oldest grandson was three, he decided the best cake in the world was carrot cake topped with cream cheese frosting. Each grandchild gets to choose what cake is baked or purchased for their birthdays. We all know when my grandson's birthday comes along, the recipe below will be on the menu!

Carrot cake is not only delicious, it provides fiber and protein, as well as vegetables and fruit to picky eaters. Even children who do not like vegetables will eat this cake. I hope you enjoy this homemade cake as much as we all do.

My Grandson's Favorite Cake!

2 cups sugar
1 ½ cups oil
3 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 cups flour
2 tsp. soda
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. salt
2 cups grated carrots
1 (8oz.) can crushed pineapple
2 cups chopped pecans
1 cup grated coconut, optional--I leave it out.

Combine sugar, oil, eggs, and vanilla in bowl; mix well. Stir in sifted dry ingredients. Add carrots, pineapple, pecans and coconut; mix well. Pour into prepared 8x13 inch baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 45-50 minutes or until cake tests done. Use buttermilk frosting or a cream cheese frosting.

The perfect cream cheese icing for your carrot cake!

1 8oz package of cream cheese
½ box powdered sugar
½ stick butter
2 tsp. vanilla

Mix ingredients stir until smooth, and spread over cake while hot. Sprinkle pecans and or coconut on top of icing. If desired for carrot cake, purchase orange and green icing in a tube and decorate cake with icing carrots.

Family Traditions
In our family, it is now traditional to have carrot cake with cream cheese icing at my oldest son's birthday bash. These kinds of traditions have helped strengthen families for generations. Whether it is carrot cake, your grandmother's banana pudding, or mom's yeast break, family food favorites can become traditional fare that provides memories for years to come. If you don't have family food favorites, consider starting your own family traditions with this cake recipe.

Photo Credit: Summer Woods


Both of these great carrot cookbooks are available on Kindle!