Carrot pineapple cake top with pineapple by little luxury list

In the Kitchen: The Best Tropical! Carrot Cake recipe (with hidden fruit!) and Target gift card winner

June 11, 2014

First congratulations to…

…Jennifer Messner Moyner who liked the Facebook page and is the Target gift card winner! Please contact me at cncliving {@} gmail.com with your preferred email address for using the gift card.

Thank you everyone for entering and don’t worry, there is another Target giveaway coming up soon! In the meantime, let’s get down to some great grub!

Carrot cake is one of those desserts I can’t get enough of…it’s the combination of cream cheese frosting, moist cake, and a mild warmth from a touch of cinnamon. I didn’t even realize this was my husband’s favorite cake until he requested it twice in two weeks!  I was looking for easy desserts and found this recipe here.  The additions of coconut and pineapple are definitely odd – it’s like a carrot cake piña colada!

But it really is the best carrot cake I’ve ever had.  It is healthier because there is no butter but also more moist because of the pineapple.  To top it off, it has the most interesting texture from the coconut.  I can’t go back to regular carrot cake again in my household. Carrot pineapple cake side by little luxury list I hope you get to try this tropical recipe during the sunny days ahead (but really, I can eat this carrot cake in any weather!) Carrot pineapple cake top with pineapple and frosting by little luxury list

Tropical Carrot Cake

Ingredients

Cake One

  • 1 1/4 cup applesauce (my homemade recipe here)
  • 1 cup white sugar
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 3 eggs
  • 2 tsp pineapple juice

Two

  • 2 cups flour
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp cinnamon

Three

  • 2 cups grated carrots
  • 1 cup coconut
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1 cup crushed pineapple (from fresh pineapple or pineapple packed in juice)
Cream Cheese Frosting:
  • 1/2 c butter (softened, at room temperature)
  • 8 oz cream cheese (softened, at room temperature)
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1/2 lb powdered sugar

Preparation

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Combine all ingredients in #2 and mix well.  Then mix #1 ingredients together, add #2 ingredients, and stir in #3 ingredients.
  3. Pour into a nonstick or lightly greased 9″ x 13″ or two 8″ pans.
  4. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until a knife inserted into the cake comes out clean. Let cakes cool completely!
For the frosting

Carrot cake frosting by little luxury list

  1. Beat the butter and ream cheese until nice and fluffy. Add in the vanilla and powdered sugar and beat until nice and smooth.
  2. Apply a generous dollop of frosting and spread on the first cake and if using a second cake, then place the second cake on top and continue frosting.  Or just eat and frost one slice at a time and have wonderful frosting left over!

Carrot pineapple cake side with frosting by little luxury list

little luxury list

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  • KizzyDoll June 11, 2014 at 05:03

    Congrats to the winner, so lovely. I love htis cake, though my husband makes it, he has his own recipe and it is marvellous, it’s gone in no time, haha!! Happy day to you doll xx

  • Lyddiegal June 11, 2014 at 10:42

    I love carrot cake, but maybe, what I love most of all is the cream cheese frosting…

    • Chic 'n Cheap Living June 11, 2014 at 21:45

      Lydia – great minds think alike! It is ALL about the cream cheese frosting for me. It is after all the best frosting ever!

  • Coco June 11, 2014 at 11:13

    Oh my yumminess, I need to bake this for my hubby! Are you and little princess going on well? You are always in my thoughts dear.
    Baci,
    Coco
    Coco et La vie en rose / Bloglovin / Facebook

    • Chic 'n Cheap Living June 11, 2014 at 22:32

      Val, you are too sweet! We are hanging in there! The little lady is starting to smile so that is such a joy to see! I hope you and your family are well and you get to try this cake soon!

  • Diana Mieczan June 11, 2014 at 13:28

    Oh my goodness, it sounds so good. I will try this recipe very soon, sweetie. Have a great day! xoxo

  • Paisley June 11, 2014 at 14:05

    Yum, this cake looks so good! I love carrot cake too, this is a great summer recipe.
    xx,

    Paisley

    paisleynotplaid

  • Mary Jo June 13, 2014 at 01:10

    That cake + frosting looks delish! You always have the best recipes. Hope all is well!

    xo Mary Jo

  • Alexis Grace of North On Harper June 16, 2014 at 21:16

    Carrot Cake is one of my secret loves— I RARELY eat it, but I desperately love it! Maybe I should indulge…

  • […] frosting.  Seriously. I’ve made it a few times over the years and my favorite version is a carrot and pineapple cake. But now that I have a gluten free kid, I’ve been converting my favorite recipes to gluten […]

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