Magnolia Bakery Carrot Cake Recipe with Cream Cheese Frosting
There is just something about a bakery.
The small shops. The chalkboard signs. The display cases filled with cakes, cookies, and cupcakes. The smell when you walk through the door.
I've loved bakeries for as long as I can remember.
Years ago, I remember hearing Hoda Kotb say that you never see a mad person outside of a bakery. That observation stuck with me because I think she's right.
You can simply peer into a bakery window and smile.
My First Visit to Magnolia Bakery
New York City, to me, is a city full of bakeries.
I love walking around New York and visiting bakeries. I hold onto my favorites and revisit them over and over again, soaking in the atmosphere and gathering inspiration from the displays, décor, and menu.
I vividly remember my first trip to Magnolia Bakery.
I was around 15 years old and visiting New York with my family. We went to the original Magnolia Bakery location in the West Village.
I remember peeking through the side window and watching a man in a white apron spread white frosting over a tall, layered cake.
It's funny the little things you remember years later.
A few years after that, I may or may not have left New York with a Magnolia Bakery banana cupcake and carried it all the way to the Chicago airport, where I ate it during my layover.
Yes. Of course I would do this. :)
There has always been something special to me about a treat from Magnolia Bakery.
So when I received a copy of the Magnolia Bakery cookbook, I was thrilled to finally have some of their recipes in my own kitchen.
And naturally, I needed to make a cake.
Magnolia Bakery Carrot Cake
I originally made this carrot cake for my niece's second birthday party.
I wanted to make a tall, three-layer carrot cake with cream cheese frosting, and this recipe immediately caught my attention.
The carrot cake is filled with shredded carrots, crushed pineapple, coconut, toasted pecans, and cinnamon.
There is so much texture and flavor packed into every slice!
The original recipe makes two 9-inch round cake layers. Since I wanted a three-layer cake for the party, I made extra batter and divided it between three 9-inch cake pans.
And yes, I used the leftover batter to make myself a small cake.
You know... just to make sure it tasted okay before serving it to a party full of guests. ;)
This is such a good carrot cake recipe. It's moist, full of flavor, and topped with a classic cream cheese frosting.
Why You'll Love This Carrot Cake
Moist and flavorful
Filled with shredded carrots and crushed pineapple
Toasted pecans add the perfect crunch
Coconut adds texture and sweetness
Topped with homemade cream cheese frosting
Perfect for birthdays, Easter, or special gatherings
A Few Carrot Cake Tips
Toast the Pecans
Don't skip this step! Toasting the pecans brings out their flavor and adds an extra layer of nuttiness to the cake.
Use Crushed Pineapple with the Juice
The crushed pineapple and its juice help add moisture to the carrot cake.
Let the Cake Cool Completely
Make sure your cake layers are completely cool before adding the cream cheese frosting.
Chill the Cream Cheese Frosting
The frosting needs time to thicken before you frost the cake. I recommend refrigerating it for 2–3 hours before using.
Magnolia Bakery Carrot Cake Recipe
This carrot cake recipe is from the Magnolia Bakery cookbook.
Carrot Cake Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup vegetable oil
1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
3 large eggs, at room temperature
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 cups lightly packed shredded carrots
1 (8-ounce) can crushed pineapple in its own juice
3/4 cup sweetened shredded coconut
1 cup coarsely chopped toasted pecans
Carrot Cake Instructions
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
Grease and lightly flour two 9 x 2-inch round cake pans. Line the bottoms with parchment paper.
To toast the pecans, place the chopped pecans on a baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees F for about 15 minutes, or until lightly browned and fragrant. Set aside to cool.
In a small bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside.
In a large bowl, using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the oil and sugar together.
Add the eggs one at a time and beat until the mixture is light and thick, about 2 minutes.
Add the vanilla and mix well.
Gradually add the dry ingredients and mix until incorporated.
Stir in the shredded carrots, crushed pineapple with its juice, toasted pecans, and coconut.
Divide the batter evenly between the prepared cake pans.
Bake for 40–50 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean.
Allow the cake layers to cool in the pans for about 1 hour. Remove the cakes from the pans and allow them to cool completely on a wire rack before frosting.
Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened and cut into small pieces
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
5 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
Instructions
In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and butter together on medium speed until smooth, about 3 minutes.
Add the vanilla and mix well.
Gradually add the confectioners' sugar, 1 cup at a time, beating until smooth and creamy.
Cover and refrigerate the frosting for 2–3 hours to thicken before frosting the cake.
The Magic of a Bakery
The next time you visit a local bakery, stop for a second and look around. Take it all in. Notice the display cases. The smell of something baking. The people picking out cupcakes or grabbing a cookie to take home.
Buy a cookie for a friend.
And when you walk out, stop and notice how you feel.
I have a feeling you might be a little happier.
That, my friend, is the magic of a bakery.
Happy baking!
xx,
Anna