Old Fashioned Carrot Cake with Pineapple Flowers

This Old Fashioned Carrot Cake with Pineapple Flowers is my well-loved recipe made in a 9 x 13 -inch pan. Plus, I glammed it up with a few pineapple flowers for a holiday lunch. 

Old Fashioned Carrot Cake with Pineapple Flowers

Years ago, I sent a dense, delicious carrot cake with cream cheese frosting with Bill to the hospital. The nurses, techs, heck, everyone, gave it rave reviews. So when an annual holiday luncheon was approaching, requests came pouring in. I tweaked my regular, carrot cake recipe and baked up this old fashioned carrot cake garnished with pineapple flowers.

Loaded One Layer Carrot Cake

I first tasted carrot cake in the ’70’s. My parents had discovered this new fangled dessert on a weekend trip to Minneapolis. Dense, moist with a most delectable cream cheese frosting, they brought some home for me and my sisters to sample. But, when my mom started baking a recipe with the bonus ingredients of crushed pineapple, coconut, and nuts, we never looked back.

If you’re not coconut lover, I’ll tell you that 2 of my taste testers at this lunch each ate a slice despite not liking coconut. This old fashioned carrot cake is just that fabulous. Of course, if you’re like my hubby and despise coconut, pineapple, and nuts of any kind, I don’t think I’ll be able to miraculously change your taste buds!

How to Make Carrot Cake Flowers

These pineapple flowers are the perfect garnish for any cake with pineapple as an ingredient. As a general rule, garnish with an ingredient used in your dish. This gives a hint to what is under the frosting in this case.

Preheat oven to 225º. Line two baking sheets with Silpats or parchment paper. I sliced my pineapple with a benriner/mandoline.

Place pineapple slices on paper towels, then top with another layer or two of paper towels to help dry up any excess juices.

Place slices on baking sheets. Cook until tops look dried, about 30 minutes. Flip slices; cook until completely dried, 25 to 30 minutes more. Let cool slightly.

Place slices into a muffin tin pressing down to make a cup shape. Return to the warm oven which has been turned off, to finish drying.

Pro-Tip: Leave in the oven overnight if you don’t need to use them the day you dry them. If you do, make sure to leave a note on the oven not to turn it on!. Reserve pineapple flowers to garnish the finished cake.

More Carrot Cake Desserts You’ll Love:

• Carrot Cake Roll from Crazy for Crust
• Carrot Cake Whoopie Pies 
• Cheesecake Filled Carrot Cake
• Caramel Filled Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting 
• Classic Carrot Cake

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The Recipe:

Old Fashioned Carrot Cake with Pineapple Flowers

Prep Time 30 minutes

Cook Time 2 hours

Total Time 2 hours 30 minutes

Yield 24

 This Old Fashioned Carrot Cake with Pineapple Flowers is my well loved recipe made in a 9 x 13 -inch pan. Plus, I glammed it up with a few pineapple flowers for a holiday lunch. 

Ingredients

Pineapple Flowers:

• ½ whole pineapple, peeled, cored and sliced very thin (you'll need 12 or more slices)

Cake:

• 2 cups flour
• 2 cups sugar
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 3 eggs, lightly whisked
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1 cup chopped walnuts, toasted
• 1 cup shredded coconut
• 1 ⅓ cup cooked and pureed carrots
• ¾ cup crushed pineapple, drained

Frosting:

• 8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
• 6 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
• 3 cups powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• A squeeze of lemon juice from half a lemon

Instructions

1. *To make pineapple flowers, preheat oven to 225º. Line two baking sheets with Silpats[ or parchment paper. I sliced my pineapple with a benriner.
2. Place pineapple slices on paper towels, then top with another layer or two of paper towels to help dry up any excess juices.
3. Place slices on baking sheets. Cook until the tops look dried, about 30 minutes. Flip slices; cook until completely dried, 25 to 30 minutes more. Let cool slightly.
4. Place slices into a muffin tin pressing down to make a cup shape. Return to the warm oven which has been turned off, to finish drying (I left them in overnight with a post-it on the oven reminding me not to turn it on!). Reserve pineapple flowers to garnish the finished cake.
5. To make the cake, preheat the oven to 350º.  Grease a 9 x 13-inch baking dish.
6. Add dry ingredients to a large bowl and whisk[ to combine.  Add oil, eggs, and vanilla.  Mix until well combined. Fold in walnuts, coconut, carrots, and pineapple.
7. Pour batter into the prepared pan.  Bake for 50-60 minutes or until edges have pulled away from the sides and a cake tester inserted into the middle comes out clean.
8. Place on a wire rack to cool for 2-3 hours.
9. To make the frosting, cream together the cream cheese and butter in a mixing bowl.
10. Slowly sift in the powdered sugar and continue beating until fully incorporated and no lumps remain.
11. Stir in the vanilla and lemon juice.
12. Frost the top of the cake, and garnish with pineapple flowers if desired.

Notes

* If you want to garnish with pineapple flowers, make them the day before, so they have ample time to dry.

Adapted from The New Basics Cookbook.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

24

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 365Total Fat: 20gSaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 13gCholesterol: 40mgSodium: 230mgCarbohydrates: 44gFiber: 1gSugar: 34gProtein: 4g

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