Carrot Cake with Coconut and Macadamia Nuts

This recipe takes the standard carrot cake and elevates it to incredible heights.

We have been making this cake for many years, for many reasons. First and foremost, it is hands-down one of the most delicious cakes we’ve ever made. And, it’s glorious in presentation. Perfect for a “special occasion” celebration, or anytime you’re just in the mood for homemade cake. The tropical notes put it over the top!

How To Make Carrot Cake with Coconut and Macadamia Nuts

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The Ingredients You Will Need

You’ll probably need to make a run to the supermarket to pick up some of the following items, but, none of them are too exotic and should be easy to find. Here’s what you’ll need to have on hand:

For the Cake

Flour – All-purpose.
Sweetened Coconut Flakes – Found in the baking section of most supermarkets.
Dry-Roasted Macadamia Nuts – These can often be found in the baking section or near the produce section of most supermarkets, or you can order them online.
Crystalized Ginger – These are often found in the produce section in the dried fruits area. You might ask the produce manager. If you can’t find them, you can order them online.
Cinnamon – Ground.
Leavening Agents – Baking Powder and baking soda.
Sugar – Granulated.
Oil – Vegetable oil is recommended. If desire, you can go with 1 cup (2 sticks) of softened unsalted butter.
Eggs – Room temperature is recommended, but will still work if chilled.
Vanilla extract
Carrots – Grated with your food processor attachment or with a box grater.
Crushed pineapple – With the juice.

For the Frosting

Cream cheese – You’ll need three 8 oz packages, at room temperature.
Butter – Unsalted, room temperature.
Powdered sugar – Also known as Confectioners’ Sugar.
Flavorings – Vanilla extract and coconut extract.
Sweetened Coconut Flakes – For added flavor and a beautiful presentation, toast them until they are just turning brown. But, watch them closely, they will burn quickly!

EXPERT TIP: To have flat cakes, without doming in the middle, create a cake strip. Simply tear out a 12-inch strip of aluminum foil and then place a folded damp paper towel in the center. Fold the foil over the damp towel, and then wrap it around the cake pans. See video for reference. This technique produces perfectly flat cake tops, which makes for a beautifully decorated cake.

Tips for Making Perfect Carrot Cake

Use Freshly Grated Carrots – For the best flavor and texture, use freshly grated carrots rather than pre-packaged shredded carrots. The natural moisture and sweetness of freshly grated carrots will enhance the overall quality of the cake.

Add a Touch of Texture – Chopped nuts, such as walnuts or pecans, to provide a delightful crunch and additional flavor dimension to your carrot cake. Be sure to chop the nuts, coconut, and ginger before adding to the batter.

Make a Cake Strip to Ensure Even Baking – Add a moist paper towel strip inside an aluminum foil strip and then wrap around each cake pan to help the cake cook evenly and without a dome. See the video for visual guidance.

Don’t Frost the Cake with Cold Icing – It’s okay to chill the icing if making it in advance, but, allow it to come to room temperature before applying to the cake. If the icing is too stiff, it will cause the cake to crumble into the icing.

How To Serve

Baking the cake in three pans makes for a dramatic (and tall) layered cake. However, if you prefer, you can go with simply two cake pans.

For a less attractive presentation, but still equally as delicious, you can bake the cake in a 9×13″ baking dish. Bake for about 35 to 45 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.

One of our favorite ways to serve this cake is in the form of cupcakes. Simply fill cupcake holder about two-thirds of the way up and then bake for about 20 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. If making cupcakes, cut the frosting ingredients in half.

When serving as a layered cake, get creative with how you decorate it. We love to toast the sweetened coconut flakes and then sprinkle on top. To create a “naked” look, after you’ve frosted the cake all over, run a straight-edge spatula along the sides of the cake, this will reveal some of the cake layers and adds elegance and intrigue to the appearance of the cake.

More Amazing Cakes and Cupcakes Recipes to try

Everyone loves a freshly made cake. And here is a collection of our favorite homemade cakes that you and your family will love!

Texas Chocolate Sheet Cake
Pineapple Upside Down Cake
Red Velvet Cupcakes
Chocolate Fudge Cupcakes with Marshmallow Filling
Coconut and Lemon Curd Cupcakes
Irish Apple Cake with Vanilla Custard Sauce
German Chocolate Cake
Coconut Cream Cake
Classic Mardi Gras Cake

These are classic and incredibly delicious in their own right. But, in the meantime, isn’t this stunning cake calling your name?

This is a beautiful cake. It’s perfect for spring and any kind of special occasion.

It’s stunning when it’s whole, and it’s gorgeous when sliced.

And the flavor profile is unlike any carrot cake you’ve ever tried. You can’t go wrong with this recipe!

Ready to make the most scrumptious cake in town? Go for it!

And when you do, be sure to take a photo of it, post it on Instagram, and tag @HowToFeedaLoon and hashtag #HowToFeedaLoon!

Carrot Cake with Coconut and Macadamia Nuts

This Carrot Cake has been an all-time favorite recipe of ours for many years. It's really that good. It's so moist and is layered with lots of classic carrot cake taste, plus a little tropical thrown in for an even bigger flavor boost. This is the good stuff.

5 from 3 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Dessert

Keyword: Carrot Cake, Cupcakes

Prep Time: 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 35 minutes minutes

Cooling time: 1 hour hour

Total Time: 2 hours hours 5 minutes minutes

Servings: 10

Calories: 631kcal

Author: Kris Longwell

Equipment

• 2 to 3 9-inch cake pans

Ingredients

For the Cake

• ▢ 2½ cups all-purpose flour
• ▢ 1 cup sweetened coconut flakes
• ▢ 1 cup dry-roasted macadamia nuts
• ▢ ¾ cup chopped crystallized ginger
• ▢ 3½ tsp ground cinnamon
• ▢ 2½ tsp baking powder
• ▢ 1 tsp salt
• ▢ ½ tsp baking soda
• ▢ 2 cups sugar
• ▢ 1 cup vegetable oil
• ▢ 4 large eggs
• ▢ 2 tsp vanilla extract
• ▢ 2 cups carrots finely grated
• ▢ 16 oz crushed pineapple undrained

For the Frosting

• ▢ 3 8 oz. packages cream cheese room temperature
• ▢ ¾ cup unsalted butter 1 & 1/2 sticks, room temperature
• ▢ 2½ cups powdered sugar
• ▢ 1 tsp vanilla extract
• ▢ ½ tsp coconut extract
• ▢ 1 cup sweetened coconut flakes toasted

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Make the Cake

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Butter three 9-inch cake pans and then line with parchment paper. Dust with flour. If desired, wrap each pan with cake strips (damp paper towels wrapped with foil and then affixed around each pan. See video for visual reference).
• Combine ½ cup of flour and then the next 3 ingredients in your food processor, and process until finely chopped.
  2½ cups all-purpose flour, 1 cup sweetened coconut flakes, 1 cup dry-roasted macadamia nuts, ¾ cup chopped crystallized ginger
• Whisk together the remaining 2 cups flour, cinnamon, baking powder, salt, and baking soda in a separate bowl.
  3½ tsp ground cinnamon, 2½ tsp baking powder, 1 tsp salt, ½ tsp baking soda
• Using an electric mixer, beat sugar and oil in a large bowl to blend.
  2 cups sugar, 1 cup vegetable oil
• Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Next, gradually add in the flour/cinnamon mixture.
  4 large eggs
• Beat in vanilla.
  2 tsp vanilla extract
• Beat in the coconut/ginger/nut mixture, then carrots and crushed pineapple (with juice).
  2 cups carrots, 16 oz crushed pineapple
• Pour into prepared pans.
• Bake until a toothpick inserted comes out clean, about 35 minutes.
• Cool in pans on a rack for about an hour.
• Run a knife around the edge of the pans to loosen the cakes. Turn out onto racks and allow them to cool completely before frosting them.

Make the Frosting

• Beat cream cheese and butter in a large bowl until smooth and creamy.
  3 8 oz. packages cream cheese, ¾ cup unsalted butter
• Beat in powdered sugar and both of the extracts.
  2½ cups powdered sugar, 1 tsp vanilla extract, ½ tsp coconut extract
• If making the frosting ahead of time, keep chilled in the fridge, but allow it to come to room temperature before frosting the cake.

Putting It All Together

• Place 1 cake layer, flat side up, on a cake platter.
• Spread about 1 cup of frosting over the top.
• Top with the next cake and repeat with another cup of icing.
• Top with the third cake and press lightly to adhere, and go ahead and lightly push the layers to make sure they are aligned evenly (you can even insert long wooden skewers throughout the cakes at this point, to hold the cake in place, while you continue icing). Ice the sides of the cake and then top with the toasted coconut flakes.
  1 cup sweetened coconut flakes

Notes

See the video near the top of the blog post for visual guidance. If you liked the video, please subscribe to our YouTube channel. 

If your frosting is too thick, thin it with a little milk. Remember if you chill the icing, it will harden somewhat. Let it come to room temperature before adding it to the cake.

If you are making the cake in two pans (instead of three), it may take a little longer to bake. Use the inserted toothpick test to ensure doneness. (If it comes out clean, it's ready). 

You can also use this recipe for cupcakes. They will only take about 20 to 25 minutes to bake but do the toothpick test to make sure they are done. You'll only need half of the frosting. 

Leftovers will keep covered on the counter for several days or refrigerated for 1 week. 

Nutrition

Calories: 631kcal | Carbohydrates: 106g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 111mg | Sodium: 387mg | Potassium: 316mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 77g | Vitamin A: 4816IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 82mg | Iron: 2mg

Tried this recipe? Take a Picture!Mention @HowToFeedALoon or tag #HowToFeedALoon!

POST UPDATE: This was originally published in November 2013, but was updated with improved tweaks to the recipe with new tips and photography and a fabulous new video in March 2024.