Carrot Cake Recipe

Alright, this Luby’s Carrot Cake recipe? It’s everything you’d want from a classic carrot cake. It’s soft, warmly spiced, and loaded with real stuff like grated carrots and pineapple — not too sweet, not too dry, just… right. Bonus? It’s surprisingly simple and doesn’t break the bank

Jump to Recipe

Quick Summary

• Prep time: 20 mins
• Cook time: 25–30 mins
• Flavor: Soft, cinnamon-y, little tang from the frosting
• Great for: birthdays, potlucks, fridge raids

Why I Like This Recipe

I made this on a weekday when I really didn’t wanna cook. Just needed something sweet — not boxed, not fancy. Pulled this together half-distracted, and it turned out so dang good I ended up slicing off “just one more piece” like… 4 times. You get me.

Ingredients

For the cake:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 1 tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• ½ tsp ground nutmeg
• ½ tsp ground ginger
• ½ cup vegetable oil
• 4 large eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 cups grated carrots (about 4 medium ones)
• ½ cup crushed pineapple, drained
• ½ cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)

For the cream cheese frosting:

• 8 oz cream cheese, softened
• ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
• 4 cups powdered sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

How To Make Carrot Cake

1. Mix the dry stuff: Flour, sugar, baking powder, soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger — toss ’em together in a bowl.
2. Whisk the wet stuff: Oil, eggs, vanilla — beat until smooth. Doesn’t have to be perfect.
3. Combine and fold: Add the wet to the dry, stir just until it looks like cake batter. Fold in carrots, pineapple, and nuts (if you’re using).
4. Bake it: Pour into two greased 9-inch pans. Bake at 350°F for 25–30 mins. Toothpick test = clean? Done.
5. Cool down: Let the cakes chill for 10 mins in the pans, then pop them onto a rack. Don’t frost hot cake unless you want a meltdown.
6. Make frosting: Cream cheese + butter = beat till smooth. Add sugar slowly, then vanilla. Done when it’s fluffy.
7. Assemble: Frost the first layer, stack the second, frost the whole thing. Use a spoon or butter knife, no one’s judging.

Tips for Success

• Don’t skip draining the pineapple. Too much juice = soggy cake middle.
• You can shred carrots ahead, but fresh is softer.
• No nuts? Sub in raisins, or leave ’em out.
• Let the cake cool all the way or the frosting’s gonna slip.
• Want cleaner edges? Chill it a bit before slicing.

Storage and Reheating

• Fridge: Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days. It actually gets better after a day — no idea why, but it does.
• Freezer: Yes, you can freeze this! Just wrap slices individually in plastic wrap, then foil. Thaw overnight in the fridge.
• Microwave (kinda optional): If you like warm carrot cake (no shame), nuke it for 10-15 seconds. Not too long — it’s not lava cake.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Can I make it ahead of time?
  Totally. Bake the layers, wrap ’em, frost the next day.
• Do I have to use pineapple?
  Not really… but it adds moisture. Applesauce works in a pinch.
• Cream cheese frosting too sweet?
  You can cut back on the powdered sugar or add a little lemon juice to balance it.
• Can I make this gluten-free?
  Yup — use a 1:1 gluten-free flour mix. Almond flour’s trickier, though.
• What if I only have one cake pan?
  Bake in batches, or make it a sheet cake and just frost the top.

Common Mistakes and How to Dodge Them

• Overmixing the batter: You want it combined, not whipped to death. Too much stirring = dense cake.
• Not cooling the cake before frosting: It’ll slide right off, promise. Be patient or regret it.
• Grating the carrots too chunky: Sounds silly, but it makes the texture weird. Go medium-fine for that classic bite.
• Skipping the pineapple (and not subbing): You need some kind of moisture — yogurt, applesauce, or even mashed banana helps if you’re skipping the fruit.
• Going too heavy on nutmeg/cloves: A little goes a long way. Cinnamon’s your bestie here, the others are just backup singers.

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)

• Calories: 350 kcal
• Total Fat: 16g
• Saturated Fat: 6g
• Cholesterol: 60mg
• Sodium: 280mg
• Potassium: 170mg
• Total Carbohydrate: 47g
• Dietary Fiber: 2g
• Sugars: 33g
• Protein: 4g