Name: Carrot Pineapple and Coconut Cake
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 60 min
Ingredients: 1 ¼ cups all purpose flour; 1 teaspoon baking powder; ½ teaspoon baking soda; ½ teaspoon salt; 1 teaspoon cinnamon; ½ teaspoon ground ginger; ¼ teaspoon nutmeg; ¼ teaspoon allspice; ¼ teaspoon mace (optional); ½ cup + 2 tablespoons brown sugar; 2½ tablespoons sugar; 2 large eggs (at room temperature); ½ cup vegetable oil; ½ teaspoon vanilla extract; 1 cup grated carrots; ½ cup crushed pineapple; ½ cup sweetened flaked coconut; ½ cup golden raisins; ½ cup chopped toasted walnuts; Whipped Icing; Cream Cheese Frosting

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Inside: A small carrot cake recipe is perfect for satisfying sweet cravings without many leftovers. Adding interesting mix-ins to this carrot cake with pineapple and coconut makes it unique and special enough for the Easter holidays.

This recipe is packed with pineapple, coconut, and walnuts and baked in an 8″ pan for a small carrot cake, perfect for an intimate Easter celebration or whenever you’re craving a moist, flavorful carrot pineapple and coconut cake. It’s delicious with (or without) a swirl of cream cheese frosting.

Our smaller household demands smaller desserts. I don’t want to be saddled with a two- or three-layer behemoth when there are only two of us to enjoy (read: eat) it. That’s why I have so many snack-sized desserts on this site. They’re usually just 8″ or 9″ and can be baked in round or square pans.

They don’t require any special frostings or decorations (though they’re always welcome). My most popular snack cake recipes include this Chocolate Snack Cake with maple glaze, Applesauce Spice Cake, and Gingerbread Snack Cake.

Why you’ll love this recipe:

It’s loaded with extras, like coconut, pineapple raisins and nuts, it’s richly spiced and super moist.
Uses a mix of fresh and convenience items with no artificial ingredients.
For smaller groups, a single-layer carrot cake is ideal. Enough for one or two pieces per person. If you have a small household, it can last for several days.
It’s delicious with or without frosting.
It freezes well.

Ingredients:

Flour–I use King Arthur’s Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
Baking Powder–for leavening, giving the cake rise.
Baking Soda–works in conjunction with the baking powder.
Salt–use iodized salt for baking.
Ground Spices: cinnamon, ginger, allspice, nutmeg and mace (mace is optional). You can also use two teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice instead of this combination.
Brown Sugar–for sweetness and to deepen the color of the carrot cake with pineapple.
Granulated Sugar–adds sweetness and also helps with browning when baked.
Eggs–Use large eggs, usually about ¼ cup of volume each.
Vegetable Oil–this recipe uses ½ cup vegetable oil instead of butter to keep the crumb very tender and moist. You can also substitute canola oil.
Vanilla Extract–you can also use vanilla bean paste.
Shredded Carrots–grate them on the large holes of a box grater and avoid using baby carrots. They have a dry, white skin if they’ve been in your fridge for too long and they’re especially wet when fresh.
Crushed Pineapple–only about half a can for this carrot pineapple and coconut cake.
Coconut–I used flaked sweetened coconut.
Raisins–I prefer golden raisins derived from green grapes, but you can also use regular raisins.
Walnuts–toasted walnuts add a satisfying crunch and texture to the tender crumb.

Step-by-step instructions:

Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and spices in a bowl. Whisk to blend.

2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the brown sugar, granulated sugar, eggs, oil and vanilla extract. Whisk to combine.

Add dry ingredients to the wet ingredients.

3. Add the dry ingredients to the wet.

4. Whisk until they’re well-blended. (No need for an electric mixer).

4. Add the carrots, pineapple, coconut, raisins and walnuts; stir to combine.

5. Pour the carrot cake batter into a prepared baking dish sprayed with vegetable spray and lined with a piece of parchment paper.

6. Bake the carrot cake for 40-50 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean when poked into the center. Cool for 20 minutes in the baking dish.

7. Turn the carrot pineapple and coconut cake out onto a wire rack to finish cooling to room temperature. Peel the parchment paper back and discard.

8. Once the carrot snacking cake has cooled to room temperature, transfer it to a cake plate and serve or frost it with your favorite icing. We like classic cream cheese frosting or this whipped icing (a.k.a. ermine frosting).

Pro-Tips:

Ensure the spices are potent (fragrant) for the best flavor. Ground spices and spice blends lose their potency and flavor after 6 months to a year.
Crushed pineapple adds extra moisture and flavor to this cake, but to prevent sogginess, drain the pineapple well in a mesh strainer and press on it to remove excess liquid.
This recipe works for single-layer square or round cakes. For a higher crumb, use an 8-inch square or round pan. You can also use 9-inch pans, but the baking time will be a few minutes shorter.
Glass bakeware doesn’t conduct heat as well as metal, but it does allow you to check the underside for doneness, which I appreciate. It can also take longer for the crumb to bake through. Alternatively, aluminum or metal cake pans will bake faster. Depending on the type of bakeware you’re using, begin testing the carrot, pineapple, and coconut cake for doneness at about 40 minutes. Continue to bake until the tester comes out clean or with just a few crumbs attached.
Instead of preparing the cake pan with shortening and a dusting of flour, which can sometimes leave a residue, cut a piece of parchment paper to fit the bottom of the pan, spray it liberally with vegetable spray, and press the paper onto the bottom to lay flat. Then, fill the pan with the batter. It won’t stick to the edges, and the parchment paper adds an extra assurance that it will come out without breaking or tearing.

carrot pineapple and coconut cake with cream cheese frosting.

Swaps and Variations:

Swap toasted pecans or another toasted nut for the walnuts.
Serve with powdered sugar, whipped cream or ice cream instead of frosting.
For a lighter, healthier cake, swap unsweetened applesauce for the oil.

A slice of the small carrot cake recipe.

Storage:

If the dessert is unfrosted, store it at room temperature, covered with plastic wrap. It will keep for 2-3 days.
If you’ve added cream cheese frosting (or another icing), the cake can stay at room temperature for up to a day but should be covered and refrigerated afterward.

Freezing:

This small carrot cake freezes well, unfrosted. Wrap it in plastic wrap, followed by freezer paper, and freeze it for up to three months.
Defrost completely to room temperature and then frost or serve.

My family LOVES the moist, tender spiced crumb, and the crushed pineapple and coconut mix-ins. Raisins add a noticeably sweet pop and the toasted walnuts give it a pleasant crunch.

If you’re inclined, I recommend cream cheese, buttercream or ermine frosting to take this dessert to the next level. If you don’t feel like it, add a puff of whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla on the side.

A white plate with carrot cake and a fork.

More small cake recipes you might like:

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