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Slice of canned carrot cake served on a white plate, with the remainder of the cake on a cake stand in the background.

Easy Canned Carrot Cake

Chrysti Benner
Making a carrot cake with canned carrots saves the prep time of shredding carrots yourself, resulting in a moist and fluffy cake without a lot of effort.
4.60 from 27 votes
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Course Desserts
Cuisine American
Servings 12 Servings
Calories 640 kcal

Equipment

Ingredients
  

For the Cake:

  • 2 14-oz cans sliced carrots drained well
  • 3/4 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 3/4 cup sugar
  • 4 eggs
  • 2 cups flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon
  • 8 oz can crushed pineapple drained (optional)
  • 1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts (optional)

For the Cream Cheese Frosting:

  • 8 oz cream cheese (softened)
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter (softened)
  • 3 1/4 cup powdered sugar (sifted)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 2 tablespoons heavy cream

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 350F. Grease and flour two 8" or 9" round baking pans or a 9x13" pan.
  • In a large mixing bowl (or in the bowl of a stand mixer), combine canned carrots, vegetable oil, sugar, and eggs. Mix well using an immersion blender or an electric mixer. You want to blend it to the point that there are no chunks of carrots floating around (or only very small pieces).
  • In a separate mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon.
  • Gradually add dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed to combine.
  • Add crushed pineapple and chopped pecans (if using) and stir to combine.
  • Pour batter into prepared pans and transfer to preheated oven. Bake for 25-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.
  • While cakes are cooling, prepare frosting. To a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, add cream cheese, butter, and powdered sugar. Use the mixer to beat the ingredients together at medium-high speed for about 3 minutes.
  • Add in vanilla and heavy cream and beat at high speed for about 3-5 minutes, until frosting is light and fluffy.
  • Frost cooled cake. If desired, sprinkle with additional chopped pecans for garnish.

Notes

  • Pineapple and nuts are optional. I like the addition of canned pineapple and some chopped pecans or walnuts, but you can leave them out if preferred.
  • Switch up the add-ins. I know some people like to put raisins or shredded coconut in their carrot cake--you do you!
  • Make cupcakes. You can also make these as cupcakes if you prefer--you should be able to get about two dozen cupcakes from this recipe.
  • Freeze the cake. You can freeze unfrosted cake by wrapping the cooled layers tightly with plastic wrap. Freezing the layers also makes it easier to frost, as the layers are firmer. This is a totally optional step, but it prevents a lot of crumbs from loosening when you are spreading the frosting!

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 640kcalCarbohydrates: 83gProtein: 6gFat: 33gSaturated Fat: 12gPolyunsaturated Fat: 10gMonounsaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 0.4gCholesterol: 97mgSodium: 337mgPotassium: 116mgFiber: 1gSugar: 65gVitamin A: 647IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 83mgIron: 2mg
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