Carrot cake gets a delightful tropical makeover with this Carrot Cake with Pineapple and Coconut recipe! This moist and flavorful cake features all the classic warming spices you love, alongside the juicy sweetness of pineapple and toasted coconut.
Frosted with cream cheese frosting, this cake is a taste of the tropics in every single bite.
Why You'll Love This Carrot Cake
This easy carrot cake tropical vacation in every bite. Moist carrot cake with pineapple, coconut, and a hint of cinnamon. Slathered with cool and tangy cream cheese frosting, that just melts in your mouth.
It's the perfect way to enjoy the classic flavors of carrot cake with a touch of unexpected sunshine!
- Moist & Flavorful: This cake is incredibly moist thanks to the use of vegetable oil and the addition of juicy pineapple.
- Tropical Twist: The combination of pineapple and toasted coconut adds a delightful tropical touch to the classic carrot cake flavor profile.
- Creamy Dream Cheese Frosting: The tangy cream cheese frosting perfectly complements the sweetness of the cake and adds a touch of luxury.
Ingredients Needed For This Cake
This recipe uses vegetable oil instead of butter, resulting in a lighter and moister cake crumb.
Crushed pineapple adds bursts of juicy sweetness and brightness to the cake, while sweetened coconut flakes brings a delightful textural contrast and a touch of the tropics.
The cream cheese frosting provides the perfect creamy and tangy counterpoint to the spiced cake, especially with toasted coconut sprinkled on the top of the finished cake.
Full ingredient amounts and preparation instructions are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
How To Make Pineapple Coconut Carrot Cake
This tropical twist on carrot cake is surprisingly simple to make! We'll start by whisking together the dry ingredients, then create a wet mixture with oil, sugar, and eggs.
Once combined, we'll gently fold in the star ingredients - shredded carrots, juicy pineapple chunks, and sweetened coconut flakes. The cake bakes until golden brown and is then cooled before being frosted with a rich and tangy cream cheese frosting.
For an extra decorative touch, you can sprinkle the top with toasted coconut flakes!
Make The Cake Batter
- Whisk the dry ingredients in a bowl then set it aside while you mix the wet ingredients together.
- Mix the eggs, sugar, and vanilla extract together then stir in the oil.
- Stir in the flour mixture until it is all blended together.
- Finally, stir in the carrots, pineapple, and coconut.
Bake and Frost The Three Cakes Layers
- Divide the batter equally between the three cake pans. Bake 30 to 38 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake, comes out clean or with just a few crumbs on the toothpick.
- Remove the cake from the oven and let it sit on a cooling rack for approximately 15 to 20 minutes. Remove cake from pans and place on the wire racks to finish cooling.
- Make sure the cake has completely cooled before you frost it. A warm cake will melt the frosting.
- While the cake is cooling, prepare the Cream Cheese Frosting.
- Frost the cake with the cream cheese frosting then sprinkle it with the toasted coconut flakes.
Substitutions and Variations
Here are a few delicious variations or substitutions when making this recipe.
- Not a fan of coconut or pineapple? Simply omit the either or both from the recipe.
- Chopped Nuts: Add some chopped pecans or chopped walnut to the carrot cake batter.
- Raisins: Some people prefer raisins in their carrot cake instead of pineapple. I'm on both teams!
Tips for Success
Here are a few tips for making this carrot cake:
- Don't overmix the batter: Once the dry ingredients are incorporated, stop mixing. Overmixing can lead to a tough cake.
- Grated vs. shredded carrots: Grated carrots will yield a denser cake, while shredded carrots will create a lighter texture. Choose based on your preference.
- Use room temperature cream cheese: This will ensure a smooth and creamy frosting.
Serving Suggestions
This Carrot Cake with pineapple and coconut is perfect for an Easter or Spring celebration with your family and friends. Serve it chilled or at room temperature for a delicious and satisfying dessert experience.
Related Recipes
Equipment
Equipment can have a big impact on how a recipe turns out. Below are some of my favorite pieces of equipment that I use when making this carrot cake recipe.
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- Chicago Metallic 8 inch Cake Pan (my favorite brand for cake pans)
Storage and Reheating
- Store leftover carrot cake in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- For longer storage, you can freeze the unfrosted or frosted cake. Wrap the cake tightly in plastic wrap and then again in foil to prevent freezer burn. Frozen cake will keep for up to 3 months.
- Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
In addition to the classic raisins and walnuts, you can experiment with chopped pecans, dried cranberries, chopped pineapple (like in this recipe!), or even a swirl of cinnamon streusel.
No, not at all. You can make this in two 9 inch pans, or in a single 9x13 cake pan. Just adjust the cooking time accordingly: You carrot cake batter will likely need to bake for about 30-35 minutes in two 9-inch cake pans or 35-40 minutes in a 9x13 inch pan.
More Five Star Desserts
Carrot Cake with Pineapple and Coconut
Equipment
- 3 8 inch Cake Pans
Ingredients
For The Carrot Cake
- 2 cup All-purpose flour 240 grams
- 2 teaspoon Baking powder
- 1¼ teaspoon Baking soda
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- ¾ teaspoon Ground cinnamon
- 4 Eggs
- 2 cup Sugar 400 grams
- 2 teaspoon Vanilla extract
- 1¼ cup Vegetable oil
- 2 cup Carrots grated, 3 to 4 raw carrots
- 20 oz Pineapple crushed, drained
- 1 cup Coconut shredded, sweetened coconut flakes
For Cream Cheese Frosting
- 20 oz Cream cheese room temperature
- 8 tablespoon Butter room temperature
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
- 4½ cup Powdered sugar
- ¼ teaspoon Salt
For Coconut Topping
- 1 cup Coconut, shredded toasted
Instructions
For The Carrot Cake
- Preheat oven to 350 F. Butter three 8-inch round cake pans. (You can also bake this recipe in two 9-inch cake pans). Line the bottom of the pans with parchment paper
- In a medium-size bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon set aside.2 cup All-purpose flour, 2 teaspoon Baking powder, 1¼ teaspoon Baking soda, 1 teaspoon Salt, ¾ teaspoon Ground cinnamon
- In the bowl of your electric mixer, add eggs, sugar, and vanilla. Beat on medium speed for 3 to 4 minutes until well blended. Add the oil and beat well.4 Eggs, 2 cup Sugar, 2 teaspoon Vanilla extract, 1¼ cup Vegetable oil
- Reduce the mixer speed to low and blend in the flour mixture, mixing just until incorporated.
- Using a wooden spoon or rubber spatula, fold in the grated carrots, drained pineapple, and coconut.2 cup Carrots, 20 oz Pineapple, 1 cup Coconut
- Divide the batter equally between the three cake pans. Bake 30 to 38 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake, comes out clean or with just a few crumbs on the toothpick.
- Remove the cake from the oven and let it sit on a cooling rack for approximately 15 to 20 minutes. Remove cake from pans and place on the wire racks to finish cooling.
- Make sure the cake has completely cooled before you frost it. A warm cake will melt the frosting.
- While the cake is cooling, prepare the Cream Cheese Frosting.
For The Cream Cheese Frosting
- In a bowl, combine cream cheese, butter, and vanilla until smooth. Add powdered sugar and the salt and beat until smooth and creamy.20 oz Cream cheese, 8 tablespoon Butter, 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract, ¼ teaspoon Salt, 4½ cup Powdered sugar
- Frost the cake with the cream cheese frosting then sprinkle it with the toasted coconut flakes.1 cup Coconut, shredded
Notes
- Lining the cake pans with parchment works best for this cake and helps it come out of the pans easily.
- Make sure you drain the canned pineapple before adding it to the cake batter.
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