The Ultimate Carrot Cake Recipe

Cakes are welcome on a Southerner's table year-round, but there's something about spring that makes us want to pull out our cake pans and build a layer cake. Garden parties, baby showers, ladies luncheons – all are a fantastic occasion (and great excuse!) to dig for Mama's tattered recipe cards and bake. This carrot cake is one of our all-time favorites. Made with grated carrots, pieces of Granny Smith apple, and sweetened coconut, the resulting cake layers are moist, sweet, and soft. They are also tender and delicate, so treat them carefully when removing from your pans. And, can we talk about the garnishes on this classic Southern cake recipe? We've frosted this best-ever carrot cake with Brown Sugar-Cream Cheese Frosting in between layers and down the sides of the cake, which has just the right amount of creamy sweetness to make guests ask for a second slice. If you're baking our Ultimate Carrot Cake for a special occasion or holiday, like Easter Sunday, you may also want to put in the time to master Candied Carrot Curls. Although not absolutely necessary to the cake, this pretty, colorful garnish is both unique and tasty. And, you can make these candied carrot pieces the night before your event so that they're ready to go once you're finished frosting. The best part? You've likely got most of the ingredients (and, there are only a handful) already in your pantry. What better way to spend a Saturday than to make this moist, stately carrot cake?