Carrot Cake with Coconut and Macadamia Nuts

A metal spatula being used to lift up a large three-layered coconut cake with cream cheese icing and topped with toasted coconut flakes.

Carrot Cake with Coconut and Macadamia Nuts

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Dessert

Keyword: Carrot Cake, Cupcakes

Prep Time: 30

Cook Time: 35

Cooling time: 1

Total Time: 2 5

Servings:

Calories: 631kcal

Author: Kris Longwell

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.

Print Recipe

US Customary - Metric

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

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