Sandra Ina Garten Pineapple Carrot Cake Recipe is a British-style teatime treat featuring grated carrots and crushed pineapple. This moist bake uses shredded coconut and walnuts to create a textured, flavourful crumb.
I’ve tried a few versions of carrot cake and this one from Ina Garten is the one I keep going back to because the pineapple adds so much moisture. If you skip draining the fruit properly, the cake turns out soggy and heavy at the bottom. I learned to let the pineapple sit in a sieve for ten minutes before mixing. This extra step makes sure the sponge stays light and fluffy while keeping that distinct fruit flavour.
The shredded coconut is doing more work than you’d think in this recipe. Without it, you lose that chewy texture that balances the crunch of the walnuts. This is the cake I bring to every summer party because it feels a bit lighter than a traditional dense fruit cake. Just make sure your carrots are grated finely so they melt into the batter as it bakes.
Ina Garten Pineapple Carrot Cake Recipe Ingredients
For the Cake
- 250g (9oz) plain flour
- 2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 300g (10 1/2oz) caster sugar
- 240ml (8fl oz) sunflower oil
- 4 large eggs
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 225g (8oz) grated carrots
- 225g (8oz) crushed pineapple, drained
- 75g (2 1/2oz) chopped walnuts
- 40g (1 1/2oz) shredded coconut
For the Cream Cheese Frosting
- 225g (8oz) cream cheese, room temperature
- 55g (2oz) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 450g (1lb) icing sugar
- 15ml (1 tbsp) milk
- Pinch of salt
How To Make Ina Garten Pineapple Carrot Cake Recipe
- Preheat oven and prepare pans: Set your oven rack to the middle position and preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F/Gas Mark 4). Grease two 23cm (9 inch) round cake tins with butter and line the bottoms with a circle of greaseproof paper to prevent sticking. You can also use a single large rectangular tin if you prefer a sheet cake, though the baking time will increase by ten minutes.
- Mix dry ingredients: Whisk the plain flour, bicarbonate of soda, ground cinnamon, nutmeg, and sea salt together in a medium-sized bowl. Use a fork or a small whisk to break up any large clumps of spice so the flavour is spread evenly through the dry mixture. This aerates the flour which helps the cake rise during the baking process.
- Combine wet ingredients: Beat the caster sugar, sunflower oil, eggs, and vanilla extract in a large mixing bowl until the mixture looks light and slightly foamy. Use a manual whisk or an electric mixer for about two minutes to incorporate enough air into the fat and sugar base. The liquid should have a uniform colour before you move on to adding the vegetables.
- Add carrots and pineapple: Fold the grated carrots and the drained crushed pineapple into the wet mixture using a large metal spoon. Stir in the chopped walnuts and the shredded coconut until the fruit and nuts are evenly distributed through the liquid. Make sure the pineapple is pressed dry in a sieve before adding it to avoid a watery batter.
- Incorporate dry mixture: Tip the flour mixture into the bowl with the wet ingredients and stir gently until the white streaks of flour just disappear. Stop the second the batter holds together as overworking the mixture will result in a tough, rubbery cake. Use a folding motion to keep as much air in the batter as possible.
- Bake the cake: Divide the batter evenly between the prepared tins and slide them into the oven for 35 to 40 minutes. The cake is finished when a wooden skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean and the sponge springs back when you press it. Let the cakes rest in the tins for ten minutes before moving them to a wire rack.
- Make the frosting: Beat the room-temperature cream cheese and unsalted butter in a clean bowl until the mixture is completely smooth. Add the vanilla extract and salt, then gradually mix in the icing sugar until the frosting becomes thick and fluffy. Add a splash of milk if the icing feels too stiff to spread over the sponge.
- Frost and decorate: Wait until the cake is completely cold before you begin spreading the frosting over the surface. Use a palette knife to layer the icing between the sponges and across the top and sides of the cake. Scatter a handful of chopped walnuts or shredded coconut over the top to give the cake a finished look.
Recipe Tips
Drain the fruit. Squeeze the crushed pineapple in a fine-mesh sieve to remove as much juice as possible. Excess liquid will sink to the bottom of the tin and create a gummy layer that ruins the texture of the cake.
Grate carrots finely. Use the smaller holes on your box grater so the carrots melt into the sponge during baking. Large chunks of carrot stay hard and can be unpleasant to bite into once the cake is sliced.
Soften the fat. Make sure both the cream cheese and butter are at room temperature before you start the frosting. Cold ingredients will create small lumps of fat that are impossible to whisk out, leading to a grainy texture.
Chill the layers. Put your cake sponges in the fridge for 30 minutes before frosting to firm them up. This prevents the crumbs from pulling away and mixing into the white cream cheese icing as you spread it.
Watch the walnuts. Toast the chopped walnuts in a dry pan for two minutes before adding them to the batter. This intensifies the nutty flavour and keeps them crunchy inside the moist cake sponge.
Use room temp eggs. Take your eggs out of the fridge an hour before baking so they combine more easily with the oil and sugar. Cold eggs can cause the batter to curdle and separate, which prevents the cake from rising evenly.
What To Serve With Pineapple Carrot Cake
This moist cake is a standout dessert that works well alongside a fresh fruit salad or a simple scoop of vanilla ice cream. The tropical notes of the pineapple make it a great finish for a summer lunch or a garden party.
For a more traditional teatime, serve a slice with a hot cup of tea or a strong coffee. A light dollop of whipped cream on the side can also balance the richness of the cream cheese frosting for those who prefer a less sweet finish.
How To Store Pineapple Carrot Cake
Fridge
Store the cake in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. The cream cheese frosting contains dairy and will spoil if left out on the kitchen counter for more than two hours in a warm room.
Reheat
Take a slice out of the fridge about thirty minutes before eating to let the frosting and sponge soften at room temperature. Do not use a microwave to reheat the frosted cake as the icing will melt into an oily puddle and ruin the appearance.
Freeze
Wrap unfrosted cake sponges tightly in double layers of clingfilm and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw the sponges in the fridge overnight before adding the fresh frosting on the day you plan to serve the cake.
Ina Garten Pineapple Carrot Cake Recipe Nutrition Facts
Per serving (1 of 12):
- Calories: 480
- Protein: 6g
- Fat: 28g
- Carbohydrates: 54g
- Sugar: 40g
- Sodium: 420mg
Estimated. May vary based on ingredients and cooking methods.
FAQs
Yes, you can simply leave out the walnuts or swap them for pumpkin seeds if you want to keep the crunch without using allergens.
Yes, just make sure you chop the fresh fruit very finely and drain it thoroughly in a sieve to remove the extra juice before adding it to the bowl.
Overmixing the batter after adding the plain flour is the most common cause as it develops too much gluten in the sponge.
Ina Garten Pineapple Carrot Cake Recipe
Description
A moist, textured sponge packed with grated carrots, crushed pineapple, and walnuts topped with a velvet cream cheese icing.
Ingredients
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F/Gas Mark 4) and grease two 23cm round tins.
- Whisk the flour, bicarb, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt in a medium bowl.
- Beat the sugar, oil, eggs, and vanilla in a large bowl until light and foamy.
- Fold in the carrots, drained pineapple, walnuts, and coconut with a metal spoon.
- Stir in the flour mixture gently until the white streaks just disappear.
- Divide batter between the tins and bake for 35 to 40 minutes until a skewer comes out clean.
- Whisk the cream cheese, butter, vanilla, and icing sugar together until thick and fluffy.
- Spread the frosting over the completely cold cakes and stack them for a layer cake.
- Squeeze the pineapple juice out thoroughly to prevent the cake from becoming soggy.
