This incredibly moist and flavorful Pumpkin Carrot Cake gives you the best of so many fall flavors. It screams Thanksgiving!
Sweet Little Pumpkin
You can thank me now or thank me later, but I am about to get you two steps closer to being ready for Thanksgiving. Of course, I am going to provide you with an amazing dessert recipe that you must add to your holiday menu. But first, I am going to get you thinking now about what you are most thankful for this holiday season. Besides eating, that is truly what Thanksgiving is all about, right?
We have a special tradition in our family of going around the table during our Thanksgiving feast and sharing what we are most thankful for. One, it keeps us from devouring our food so fast that we start cutting into dessert before the mashed potatoes stop steaming. And two, we all have something to be thankful for. It can be small, big, simple, or funny, but we all have to share.
So I will start by sharing with you what I am most thankful for this year…PUMPKIN CARROT CAKE! Just kidding! I am so thankful for my happy, healthy, growing family. Especially, this little punkin’…
A Thankful Heart
I am so thankful for my sweet sweet friends. And I am so thankful for each of you reading my blog right now. It means so much to me!
So please tell me, what are you most thankful for right now?
If you plan to go around the table and share what you are most thankful for this Thanksgiving, please do so before you serve this cake because after first bite, it is sure to be on the top of everyone’s “most thankful” list! You get the best of so many flavors in this incredibly moist and flavorful cake. There’s pumpkin (I’m obsessed!), carrots, coconut, pineapple, and walnuts. It shouts fall and screams Thanksgiving!
So let me walk you through how you can have this beauty as the centerpiece of your Thanksgiving dessert table. A simple and stunning cake that will make your Holiday all that more great!
What Do I Need to make Pumpkin Carrot Cake
- All-purpose flour
- Yellow cornmeal
- Sugar
- Salt
- Baking soda
- Baking powder
- Ground cinnamon
- Large eggs
- Peanut oil
- Vanilla extract
- Fresh carrots
- Crushed pineapple (with the juice)
- Pure pumpkin
- Walnuts
- Flaked coconut
- Unsalted butter, room temperature
- Cream cheese
- Lemon juice
- Powdered sugar
- Two 8-inch round cake pans
More Fall Baking
No need to wait for the leaves to start dropping to enjoy My Favorite Recipes for Fall Baking! From perfectly-spiced pumpkin bread to pecan pie bites and savory corn bread, you’re sure to fall for these autumn treats!
How to Make Pumpkin Carrot Cake
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and lightly flour two 8-inch round cake pans. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, combine the flour, cornmeal, sugar, salt, baking soda, baking powder and cinnamon.
- In a large bowl, beat together the eggs, oil and vanilla until smooth. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the egg mixture. The dough will be very thick at this point.
- Fold in the pineapple and pumpkin until well combined. Fold in the carrots and then the nuts and coconut until just combined.
- Pour batter into the prepared cake pans and bake for 50-60 minutes until the cakes are browned on top and a toothpick inserted in the center of each cake comes out clean.
- Let the cakes cool in their pans on a wire rack for 30 minutes. Turn them out onto the wire rack and let cool completely before frosting.
- In a large bowl, beat together the butter, cream cheese and lemon juice until smooth. Gradually beat in the powdered sugar until light and fluffy. Fold in the coconut and walnuts.
- To frost the cake, place one cake layer on a cake stand or serving platter. Use a spatula to cover with a thick layer of frosting.
- Stack the other cake layer on top of the frosted layer. Cover the top and sides with the remaining frosting.
- Garnish with additional walnuts, if desired.
More Thanksgiving Recipes You’ll Love
Let’s get you ready for the big feast with these festive, delicious and easy Thanksgiving recipes everyone is sure to be thankful for!
If you make this Pumpkin Carrot Cake for Thanksgiving, be sure to snap a picture and share it with me or tag me on Instagram @thebakermama so I can see. 
I love seeing how inspired and creative y’all get with the recipes I share. I wish you a blessed Thanksgiving with lots to be thankful for! Enjoy!
xoxo,
Pumpkin Carrot Cake
- Prep Time: 30 mins
- Cook Time: 60 mins
- Total Time: 1 hour 30 mins
- Yield: 12
- Category: Dessert
Description
This incredibly moist and flavorful cake gives you the best of so many fall flavors. It screams Thanksgiving!
Ingredients
Cake:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup yellow cornmeal
- 2 cups sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 3 large eggs
- 1/2 cup peanut oil
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 cups grated fresh carrots
- 1 cup crushed pineapple, with the juice
- 1 cup pure pumpkin
- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
- 1–1/2 cups flaked coconut
Frosting:
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
- 2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 1 cup flaked coconut
- 3/4 cup chopped walnuts
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and lightly flour two 8-inch round cake pans. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, combine the flour, cornmeal, sugar, salt, baking soda, baking powder and cinnamon.
- In a large bowl, beat together the eggs, oil and vanilla until smooth. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the egg mixture. The dough will be very thick at this point.
- Fold in the pineapple and pumpkin until well combined. Fold in the carrots and then the nuts and coconut until just combined.
- Pour batter into the prepared cake pans and bake for 50-60 minutes until the cakes are browned on top and a toothpick inserted in the center of each cake comes out clean.
- Let the cakes cool in their pans on a wire rack for 30 minutes. Turn them out onto the wire rack and let cool completely before frosting.
- In a large bowl, beat together the butter, cream cheese and lemon juice until smooth. Gradually beat in the powdered sugar until light and fluffy. Fold in the coconut and walnuts.
- To frost the cake, place one cake layer on a cake stand or serving platter. Use a spatula to cover with a thick layer of frosting. Stack the other cake layer on top of the frosted layer. Cover the top and sides with the remaining frosting. Garnish with additional walnuts, if desired.
Notes
Keep leftover cake refrigerated.
Hello Maegan, is it necessary to add the cornmeal to this recipe? It seems like it would give the cake an undesirable texture? What effect does the cornmeal have on the cake?
Thank-you,
Renee
Hi, Renee! Great question! The cornmeal holds up to all the moisture from the other ingredients as it bakes and gives the cake an amazing texture and helps the cake maintain its moisture. Hope this helps. Enjoy!
Do you drain the crushed pineapple or put juice and all in?
Hi, Tammy! Great question! Leave the juice in. It makes all the difference in the moistness of the cake.
Delicious !! I made this gluten free using Pamela’s bread flour. Used same amount of ingredients. I subbed a mock pineapple I canned out of zucchini but otherwise followed the directions exactly. Turned out so moist and definitely couldn’t tell it was gluten free. A keeper of a recipe for sure.
Have you tried using a equal parts of erythritol and stevia to replace the sugar?
I’m going to give it a try since I cannot digest sucrose. Hopefully it should still be moist enough with the carrots, pumpkin, and no sugar added pineapple.
I’ll give it a try and report back!
What size of canned pumpkin do you use the small or the large? Looks great and I want to make this for friends over Thanksgiving.
Debra Romero
Hi Debra! The recipe calls for 1 cup of pure pumpkin puree. I usually measure the 1 cup from a 15 ounce can. Hope this helps and that y’all enjoy!
I made this for family Labor Day picnic last year and was a HUGE hit……even family members who said Carrot Cake is their least favorite cake LOVED it.
It’s now a go to recipe that will always be made for many future family get together!!
Hi, can I reduce the amount of sugar? it seems a lot…Thank you.
Hi Sonia! You could definitely reduce the sugar. I do find it perfectly sweetened though with the 2 cups because it’s a large cake with a lot of heavy ingredients that it brings out the flavor of…carrots, pumpkin, cornmeal, etc. Enjoy!
Hi. Your recipe looks delicious! I live at 7000′. By any chance, do you know the altitude adjustments?
Hi Brooke! I’m sorry, I don’t have experience baking at 7000′, but here’s a great guide with several tips: https://www.allrecipes.com/article/high-altitude-cake-baking/ Enjoy!
Hi Betsy quick question is it OK if I omit the cornmeal I never have that on hand as I really don’t ever use it? And also what exactly is it for just a texture? Thanks Kat
Hi Kat! Yes, it adds such a nice texture to the cake to balance out all the moisture. You can definitely replace the cornmeal with more all-purpose flour. Just add 1/4 cup all-purpose flour instead. Enjoy!
I can’t wait to try this cake!
I am based in South Africa. I have never baked with yellow corn meal before and I am not too sure what it would be called here, is it the same as cornflour (maizena).
Hi Megan! It’s so yummy! I’m excited for you to try it. Yes, it looks like maizena or maize meal is the equivalent to yellow corn meal. Enjoy!
Will omitting the coconut change the way the cake bakes?
Hi Candace! The coconut does add great moisture, texture and flavor to the cake, but it will still bake up and taste great without it. Enjoy!
Do you used sweetened or unsweetened coconut flakes?
Hi Cara! I use sweetened, but you could use either. Enjoy!
Hi Maegan!
Thank you for contributing! I appreciate all the shares and comments on this Parade Post. https://parade.com/995182/nettiemoore/best-carrot-cake-dessert-recipes/
Nettie
Do you drain the crushed pineapple? Also, did not see any liquid/milk in recipe. Is this correct? Just want to make sure I’m not missing something.
Hi Diana! No, you don’t need to drain the crushed pineapple. The liquid from it along with the moisture from the peanut oil, pumpkin and shredded carrots, adds the perfect amount of wet ingredients for the cake to be perfectly moist with a tender texture. Enjoy!
This cake looks yummy, and I plan to try it as well, but do you also have just a regular carrot cake recipe that is this moist? If so, please tell me where I can find it, or tell me exactly how to adjust/omit ingredients from this recipe to achieve it. Thank you! (It’s SO hard to find a carrot cake recipe that just melts in your mouth, and other than “Kudzu Bakery,” here near Charleston SC, I have yet to find one!)
Hi Paige! I love a great carrot cake too! I have a few other delicious carrot cake recipes on my blog, besides this one, that are certainly worth baking:
Carrot Sheet Cake: https://thebakermama.com/recipes/carrot-sheet-cake/
Coconut Carrot Cake: https://thebakermama.com/recipes/coconut-carrot-cake-with-cinnamon-cream-cheese-frosting/
Enjoy!
We really enjoyed your cake with a few changes & will certainly make it again. I cut the recipe in half as it was very large & cooked it in a 9×12 glass cake plan -now ok for the diabetic in our house. Changes for 1/2 the recipe are – 1/3 cup coconut sugar, 2 tsp cinnamon, 2 eggs, avocado oil instead of peanut oil, more walnuts & 3/4 cup raisins. Everything else the same.
Hi Arleen! So happy you were able to make the recipe work great for you. Enjoy! 🙂
Can I bake this in a bundt pan?
Hi Pamela! Yes, but you will probably need to let it bake closer to 75 minutes or might consider dividing it into two bundt pans as to avoid it overflowing the pan. If you find that the top of the cake is browned, but the center is not baked all the way through, just cover it with foil and let it continue baking until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Enjoy!
Do I see raisins in there also ?
Hi Linda! No, those are walnuts, but you could certainly add raisins. They would be a delicious addition!
I did and your cake is awesome. It took me forever to make it but it was worth every minute. Thank U for sharing Linda
So great to hear, Linda! Well worth the effort, for sure. Such a great cake! Enjoy!
Hi do you know about the calories in the cake??
Hi Kathy! I don’t provide nutritional information on my site, but you can easily plug the ingredients you use into an online nutrition calculator and it will calculate the calories for you. Just google “free online nutrition calculator” to find one. Hope this helps. Enjoy!
I made this cake last Saturday for my Aunt’s 75th birthday dinner. This DELICIOUS cake was a hit with everyone!! I looked everywhere for 8” round pans but couldn’t find them. So, I used 9” round pans and baked the cake for 40 minutes at 350 degrees…..it was PERFECT!! Another thing I did differently was use vegetable oil instead of peanut oil. Even though I used a different oil, ALL the flavors were AMAZING together!! With every bite of this cake was SO satisfying and just made you WANT and CRAVE another bite after bite after bite!! I can’t say enough wonderful things about this cake except for it’s a KEEPER, DELICIOUS, WINNER and YUMMY. I will be making this cake again very soon and maybe I might turn them into cupcakes. Unfortunately, I am unable to eat by mouth due to having my tongue, lymph nodes and muscle removed from the left side of my neck due to cancer in June 2014. This hasn’t stopped my LOVE for baking or cooking for family and friends. #cancersurvivor
Hi, I was wondering if I could use a 13×9-inch glass baking dish instead of the round pans?
Hi Nicole! Yes, it will bake just as great combined into a 9×13-inch baking dish. You might have to bake it about 5 minutes longer. Enjoy!
I made this for Easter and the entire family loved it! Even those on perpetual diets couldn’t resist, it was so delicious!!!
I have made this cake several times
Everyone loved it .
So moist and delicious
If I wanted to use a bundt cake pan instead of two round pans how would I adjust my cook time?
Hi Cheri! I would bake it in the middle rack and I’m assuming it would take 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes or so. Just watch it closely those last 30 minutes and check with a toothpick to make sure it’s cooked all the way through and cover with foil if the top starts to brown too much. Hope this helps! Happy Thanksgiving! Enjoy!
Did you try the bundt pan I would like to use one also ?
If you don’t have the gold medal flour what else can you substitute it with?
Hi Lina! Any all-purpose flour will work. Gold Medal Flour is my preferred flour. Enjoy!
This recipe looks amazing!! It’s on my todo list for this week/end, my family can wait to try it! However before I make it I was wondering do I have to use cornmeal? What does cornmeal do and is it noticeable? Can I sub flour or wondra flour?
Thanks for sharing,
Dani
Hi Dani! How exciting! I hope y’all love it! The cornmeal is not noticeable in taste, but adds nicely to the hearty texture of the cake and helps hold together all the moisture from the pumpkin and carrots. I would highly recommend it, but you could definitely substitute it for whole wheat flour or all-purpose flour. Enjoy!
I just made it…it is delicious! You cannot taste the corn meal at all.
Hi there. I’ll put my two cents in here, I believe almond meal would substitute for cornmeal here. I haven’t tried it yet, but I can tell a good recipe by looking at it!
Hi, I´m from Czech Republic and i made it yesterday and…it was delicious! Thank you for your recipe!
This looks incredible!!!!! Question for you though…why peanut oil? Does it have a peanut-y taste? That isn’t something I have ever used. Do you think melted coconut oil or canola oil could be substituted?
Hi Betsy! I used peanut oil because it gives a heartier, heavier texture to the cake because it’s such a rich oil. It’s very mild in flavor though, so you’re not going to get a nutty flavor from it. You could definitely sub it with coconut or canola oil and the cake will still taste great! I think coconut oil would be very nice in this cake! Enjoy!
Can you also use Vegetable oil will it still taste okay?
Hi Tiffany! Yes, vegetable or canola oil would work great. Enjoy!
Hi Megan, this will be my second time making your delicious cake. However, I’m having an issue with the icing being too runny. The first time, I did add 4 tablespoon more than the recipe called for and I thought that would be the reason. This time, I did exactly what the recipe call for but it’s still runny. So I thought if I added more powder sugar, that would help. It didn’t, it’s still loose. I’m going to let the icing sit overnight and hope it thickens. Do you have any idea what I might be doing wrong? Thank you
Hi Debbie! Are you using softened butter and softened cream cheese? Just making sure you’re not melting it or bringing it all the way to room temperature? It should be a very thick frosting with the 3 cups of powdered sugar, 1 cup flaked coconut and 3/4 cup chopped walnuts. If you’re making it in a warm environment, that could be causing it to warm and become runny. It doesn’t hurt to add more powdered sugar, one tablespoon at a time, to get the frosting to a spreadable consistency you desire. I hope this helps and that you continue to enjoy!