Blue Ribbon Carrot Sheet Cake

Blue Ribbon Carrot Sheet Cake is a moist carrot sheet cake recipe. The cake is topped with both a buttermilk glaze and rich cream cheese frosting for maximum flavor!

A piece of carrot cake cut from a sheet cake.

Carrot cake is one of my favorite kinds of cake.

When it’s done right, it has plenty of flavor and is super moist. Too often, though, it’s dry or greasy and completely lacks any flavor.

I found the original recipe for this cake in an old church cookbook, and I made several changes to the original recipe.

I ended up with this Blue Ribbon Sheet Cake that is crazy moist and full of yummy ingredients like coconut and pineapple that work together to make this cake oh so tasty.

Why you’ll love this carrot sheet cake

It’s moist! The cake has ingredients, like buttermilk, that help to make it super moist.
It’s tasty! Between the cake, the glaze, and the cream cheese frosting, this cake has loads of flavor.
It keeps well! This cake tastes even better after it’s had a chance to chill in the fridge.

Ingredient notes

Carrot cake

Ground cinnamon: This is a more carrot-forward cake. If you’d like more spice flavor, feel free to add additional ground cinnamon.
Low-fat buttermilk: You can make a quick substitute with this buttermilk substitute recipe. Feel free to use regular or low-fat buttermilk.
Vegetable oil: Another neutral oil will work. You can also substitute in melted coconut oil.
Crushed pineapple: The pineapple should be drained, but there’s no need to squeeze the pineapple dry.
Shredded coconut: Feel free to use unsweetened shredded coconut if you’d prefer.
Chopped pecans or walnuts: The nuts are optional. No changes need to be made to the recipe if they’re omitted.

Buttermilk glaze

Butter: I use salted butter. If using unsalted butter, add a couple of pinches of salt to the glaze. The salt helps to keep the glaze from tasting flat.

Cream cheese frosting

Cream cheese: Full-fat cream cheese works best. However, 1/3-less fat cream cheese will also work. I don’t’ recommend using fat-free cream cheese.
Butter: I use salted butter. If using unsalted butter, add a couple of pinches of salt to the frosting. The salt helps to keep the frosting from tasting flat.

How to make carrot sheet cake

Wet and dry ingredients for carrot cake in bowls.

Step 1: Mix the buttermilk, oil, and sugar together until well-combined. Stir in the eggs until combined, and then stir in the vanilla extract.

Step 2: Add the pineapple and carrots, and stir in just until incorporated.

Wet and dry ingredients for carrot cake mixed together in a mixing bowl.

Step 3: Stir in the dry ingredients just until combined. The batter will be wet.

Carrot cake batter topped with nuts and coconut.

Step 4: Add the nuts and coconut, and stir in.

Carrot cake batter in a 9 by 13 baking dish.

Step 5: Pour into prepared baking pan.

Step 6: After the cake has finished baking, remove from oven.

How to make the buttermilk glaze

Ingredients for buttermilk glaze in a pot.

Step 7: Combine the sugar, buttermilk, butter, and baking soda in a large saucepan. The glaze will foam up as it cooks, so allow enough room for that.

Step 8: Bring to a boil, and boil for 4 minutes.

Step 9: Remove from heat, and stir in the vanilla extract. You should have about 1/2 cup of glaze at this point.

Buttermilk glaze on a carrot sheet cake.

Step 10: Pour the buttermilk glaze over the cake, and let the glaze soak in.

Step 11: Let the cake cool to room temperature, uncovered, before frosting with the cream cheese frosting.

How to make the cream cheese frosting

Frosted carrot sheet cake on a baking tray.

Step 12: To make the cream cheese frosting, beat the butter and cream cheese together until well-combined.

Step 13: Add the sugar and vanilla, and beat until combined.

Step 14: Spread the cream cheese frosting over the cooled cake.

A tray of carrot cake next to a glass of milk.

Tips

Greasing the pan: I use either nonstick baking spray with flour or pan release to grease the pan. You could also line the pan with parchment paper to help easily remove the cake after baking.

Glazing the cake: There may still be a layer of glaze on the cake when you frost it. I’ve found that it soaks into the cake completely if I chill the cake.
If you’re worried about frosting the cake with that layer of glaze still there, just cover the cake, and let it chill for a bit. Then, frost as you normally would.

A piece of carrot cake on a white plate next to a tray of carrot cake slices.

Recipe FAQs

Can I make carrot cake ahead of time?

You can! Carrot cake tastes even better the day after it was made. Just make as directed, cover, and chill until ready to serve.

How much spice is there in this cake?

This is a carrot cake with some spice, not a spice cake with carrot in it. So, the spice flavor is more of a compliment to the carrot flavor rather than the main flavor.

Can I add more spice to the carrot cake?

Sure! Feel free to increase the spices if you’d like more of a spice cake flavor.

Is the cream cheese frosting really sweet?

The frosting only has 1 cup of sugar in it, so it isn’t as sweet as a traditional cream cheese frosting. This lets more of the cream cheese flavor come through and helps to offset some of the sweetness of the glaze.

Does the cake need the glaze?

The glaze adds moisture and flavor to the cake. It’s still a good cake without the glaze, but the glaze definitely helps to make the cake something special.

A slice of carrot cake on a white plate next to a glass of milk.

Storage

This cake should be stored, covered, in the refrigerator. It will will keep for up to 5 days when properly stored.

If you’ve tried this blue ribbon carrot cake recipe, don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave me a comment below. I love to hear from people who’ve made my recipes!

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Why you’ll love this carrot sheet cake