Easy Carrot Crumb Cake

It’s CARROT CAKE SEASON!!!

This time of year is so exciting after a long winter. The green grass and hills make our valley just magnificent and the sunny/longer days and chirping birds give us all something to be thankful for. We also have a greater thing to be grateful for and give our full attention to. EASTER!! The sacrifice of Jesus on Calvary and His resurrected life gives me such HOPE and GRATITUDE even when life is not very easy and there are challenging things to navigate. This season of refreshment with bright colors and crisp flavors bring so much delight into a home.. So here is an idea for you for an easy dessert on Easter or a perfect weekend treat.

The freshly grated carrots ARE A MUST. Please Please do not buy pre grated carrots. IT’S IMPORTANT. Freshly grated carrots have much more moisture when added to the cake and we need that in carrot cake right? I used to despise carrot cake because it never had enough flavor and it was DRY. This is where crushed pineapple comes in. WOWZAAA. this is a game changer right here when it comes to carrot cake. It adds some acidity, brightness, and locks in allll that moisture we all crave in a cake. So please, do not replace or switch up these two items.

HOWEVER!! You are absolutely welcome to substitute a 1-1 gluten free flour mix or whole wheat flour in place of the all purpose flour. If you are wanting to make this dairy free and egg free: replace the eggs with 1 1/2 mashed banana and use COLD coconut oil in place of butter in the crumb topping.

The last IMPORTANT step!!! If at all possible, eat this cake warm. YUM!!! It can even be piping hot, because a small dab of butter to melt into the crumb topping will have you *singing* (cue hallelujah chorus!)

I really hope you enjoy and have fun making this carrot cake!!!

If you make it, please share!!!

Carrot Crumb Cake

kyra bru

this easy and delicious carrot cake needs no frosting but a dollop of butter on top of a warm slice will be perfect.

4 from 4 votes

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Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 15 servings

Ingredients

  

Carrot Cake:

• 1 ⅓ cup of coconut oil or vegetable oil
• 2 cups of granulated sugar
• 3 eggs or 1 ½ mashed banana
• 1 tsp. of vanilla
• 2 ½ cups all purpose flour
• 2 tsp. of baking soda
• 1 ½ tsp. of salt
• 2 tsp. of ground cinnamon
• pinch of ground nutmeg
• pinch of ground ginger
• 1 cup of raisins
• 1 lb. of freshly grated carrots, please WEIGH
• ½ cup of crushed pineapple, canned or fresh

Crumb Topping:

• 1 cup of all purpose flour
• 1 cup of packed brown sugar
• ¾ cup of chopped nuts, (i prefer pecans)
• ½ cup of shredded coconut, unsweetened
• pinch of salt
• ½ cup of COLD salted butter, grated
• splash of water

Instructions

 

Instructions for the cake:

• Preheat oven to 350°.
• Beat sugar and oil together in a stand mixer or by hand. Add eggs (or the mashed banana) and beat together until combined. Next add the vanilla.
• Combine the dry ingredients together in a separate bowl and add the raisins.
• Gently fold the dry ingredients with the wet ingredients until almost combined.
• Next add the shredded carrots and crushed pineapple. Do not beat the batter but gently fold in or mix on low speed. (The batter should be thick like brownies.)
• Pour cake batter into 1 sprayed 9×13" pan or 2 sprayed 9" cake pans.

  Top with crumb topping and bake at 350° for 45 minutes or when a sharp knife or toothpick is clean. You do not want the cake to be giggly but remember it will continue to bake when it comes out of the oven.

Crumb Topping:

• Combine all dry ingredients together in a small bowl.
• Grate the cold butter into the crumb mixture and combine by running your fingers through.
• Add a splash of water and mix again. This is for a little more moisture and to create clumps of crumb topping.

Notes

To make this cake egg free: replace the eggs for 1 1/2 mashed banana.

To make this cake dairy free: replace butter with COLD coconut oil in the crumb topping

You can absolutely use whole wheat flour in place of all purpose.

The key to this moist carrot cake is the crushed pineapple and freshly grated carrots.. do not substitute or skip these steps.

Keyword breakfast, cake, carrot, crumb, dessert