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!
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, which is why this carrot cake recipe has become one of the most popular Easter recipes on my site.
“This is my go to Carrot cake. Get ready to receive rave reviews and request for the recipe. Excellent, moist, may take a little more time, but so worth it! I add 3/4 c raisins to mine as well.” – Martha
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 and substitutions
- 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 if you have you ingredients at room temperature.
- 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.
- 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 and the frosting from tasting flat.
- 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.
How to make carrot sheet cake
Here you’ll find instructions and step-by-step photos showing how to make this recipe. The full recipe, including ingredients, is given below.
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.
Step 3: Stir in the dry ingredients just until combined. The batter will be wet.
Step 4: Add the nuts and coconut, and stir in.
Step 5: Pour into prepared baking pan.
Step 6: After the cake has finished baking, remove from oven.
Buttermilk glaze
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.
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.
Cream cheese frosting
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.
Recipe 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.
- Make ahead: Carrot cake tastes even better the day after it was made. Just make as directed, cover, and chill until ready to serve.
Recipe FAQs
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.
Sure! Feel free to increase the spices if you’d like more of a spice cake flavor.
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.
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.
Storage
This cake should be stored, covered, in the refrigerator. It will will keep for up to 5 days when properly stored.
More Easter dessert recipes!
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Blue Ribbon Carrot Sheet Cake
Equipment
- 9×13 pan
- Mixer
- Saucepan
Ingredients
Carrot Sheet Cake
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 3/4 cup low-fat buttermilk
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 8 ounces crushed pineapple drained*
- 2 cups finely grated carrot
- 1 cup sweetened shredded coconut
- 1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts optional
Buttermilk Glaze
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup buttermilk
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened
- 1/4 cup butter softened
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
Instructions
To make the carrot cake
- Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease and flour a 9×13-inch baking pan. I use a nonstick baking spray with flour in it.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt together. Set aside.2 cups all-purpose flour, 2 teaspoons baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- In a large bowl, beat together buttermilk, oil, and sugar until well-combined.3/4 cup low-fat buttermilk, 1/2 cup vegetable oil, 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- Mix in eggs, one at a time, until combined.3 large eggs
- Stir in vanilla.2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- Add pineapple and carrots; stir until just incorporated.8 ounces crushed pineapple, 2 cups finely grated carrot
- Stir in flour mixture until just combined.
- Add coconut and nuts, if using. Stir until just combined. Batter will be wet.1 cup sweetened shredded coconut, 1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
- Pour batter into prepared baking pan, smoothing as necessary.
- Bake for 30-40 minutes, or until a wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
To make the buttermilk glaze
- While the cake is baking, prepare the buttermilk glaze.
- In a saucepan, combine, sugar, buttermilk, butter, and baking soda. Use a large enough saucepan to allow mixture to bubble up as it cooks.1/2 cup granulated sugar, 1/4 cup buttermilk, 1/4 cup butter, 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- Bring mixture to a boil, stirring constantly.
- Boil for 4 minutes.
- Remove from heat, and stir in vanilla. You should have 1/2 cup of buttermilk glaze.1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- When the cake is finished baking, remove from oven.
- Immediately brush buttermilk glaze over hot cake.
- Let cake cool in the pan on a wire rack to room temperature.
To make the cream cheese frosting
- Beat cream cheese and butter together until light and fluffy.8 ounces cream cheese, 1/4 cup butter
- Add powdered sugar and vanilla; beat until smooth.1 cup powdered sugar, 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- Turn mixer up to high and beat for an additional 2-3 minutes.
- Drop spoonfuls of frosting over the cake.
- Carefully spread the spoonfuls together to cover the cake. Spreading in one direction will help to prevent the cake from coming up into the frosting.
- Store any leftover cake covered in the refrigerator.
Video
Notes
- Spices: Feel free to add additional spices if would like.
- Buttermilk: You can make a quick substitute with this recipe. Feel free to use regular or low-fat buttermilk.
- Oil: Another neutral oil will work. You can also substitute in melted coconut oil.
- Pineapple: I pour the juice off, but I don’t squeeze the pineapple dry.
- Butter: I use salted butter. If you use unsalted butter, add a pinch or two of salt to taste.
- 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.
- Nutrition values are estimates.
Nutrition
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Published 3/13/17. This post is regularly updated.
Reader Interactions
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Comments & Reviews
Martha says
This is my go to Carrot cake. Get ready to receive rave reviews and request for the recipe. Excellent, moist, may take a little more time, but so worth it! I add 3/4 c raisins to mine as well.
Kate says
Thank you so much!
Mary White says
Very good. Everyone loved it. So easy and so moist.I will make it. again for Easter!! Thank you!!
Kate says
Thank you! I’m glad that it was a hit!
Cindy says
Can I leave our the coconut?
Kate says
Yes, you can omit the coconut if you’d prefer.
May Wong says
I have baked this cake a few times already, everyone loves it! Thanks. Though omitted the buttermilk glaze, is still so delicious. Don’t remember why, I guess I didn’t do it right!
Kate I don’t understand why this time when I baked it, the skewer inserted in centre came out dry and clean. But while cooling on rack, the centre of the cake sank. When sliced the centre was still unbaked. What could have gone wrong?
Thanks
May
Kate says
Hi! I’m glad that you like the cake! If it just sank, it would make me think that it was a structural issue, but it sounds like the cake was underbaked, too. I know that rarely testers can come out clean while still underbaked with oil-based cakes. Another way to test the cake is to gently press the center of the cake to see if it springs back.
Jane says
This recipe first attracted me because there was only a half cup of oil in it. Surprise, it was moist and delicious! I’ll make it again.
Kate says
Good! I’m so glad that you liked the cake!
Anonymous baker says
The best ever!
Kate says
Thank you so much!!
Sheri Young says
Can this be made in cupcake form?
Kate says
Hi! I haven’t tried to make this recipe into cupcakes to say for certain. If you try it, I’d love to hear how it turns out!
Laura says
My son asked me to make him a carrot cake for his birthday. While the cake was incredibly moiste, I found that it was lacking in flavour. I followed the recipe exactly! If I were to make it again, I might amp up the cinnamon and try using some brown sugar.
Kate says
Hi! It sounds like you missed the section where I talked about the spice level. I have a section in the post where I talk about the fact that this is a carrot cake that has a bit of spice in it, rather than a spice cake that has some carrot in it. I also recommended that people adjust the spice if they prefer more spice in their cake. It’s certainly a matter of taste, and it sounds like you know what you’d like to adjust for next time!
Jude says
I used to make this cake for a community restaurant. It would be gone in a couple of days. One customer would eat a piece at the restaurant and take a piece to go.
Kate says
How nice! I wish we could get homemade desserts like that at our local restaurants. =)
Patricia McCandless says
The very best – ever!
Kate says
Thanks so much!
Sherrie says
This really is the BEST carrot cake! I’ve made it for Birthday’s, taken it to work & potlucks & everyone loves it! Honestly, I think the buttermilk glaze takes this recipe over the top!!
Kate says
Thank you so much! I’m so glad! =)
Anne says
LOVE this recipe! Made it for Easter and then the following week because we wanted more. :D Used fresh pineapple and half-and-half with lemon juice instead of the buttermilk. Turned out so moist. That glaze is delicious!
Kate says
Thank you so much! Thanks for sharing about using fresh pineapple. I’m glad to hear that that worked out well!
Sharion says
Can I make this cake in cake pans? And if so, what size?
Kate says
I’ve made it in 2 9-inch round baking pans. Just a note – the cake is really moist, and it wanted to fall apart a bit that way.
Steve Pacheco says
I have made this cake a couple of times, once as a sheet and once as a round 2 layer, both time it was a hit. Been told it was the best carrot cake they have ever had and I am glad to agree. thank you for sharing this recipe. This cake is in my favorites file.
Kate says
Yay!! I’m so glad to hear that! And thanks for your note about making it in layers. It’s helpful to hear the things that have worked for other people. =)
Jennifer says
I made this cake for hubby’s 60th birthday…. I omitted the nuts but the cake was still AMAZING!!!? and a huge hit… thank you for an easy and moist cake…..
Ps: that glaze is a new staple in my baking
Kate says
Happy birthday to your hubby! I’m so glad that it was a hit!
Denise irvine says
I finally found the perfect carrot cake recipe. My husband can’t get enough
It’s absolutely the Best. Sooo moist.
It’s a 10 Star
Kate says
Yay!! Thank you so much!! I’m so glad to hear that the recipe has been a hit. Thanks so much for coming back to comment!
Rana says
Looks yummy! Will definitely try! My question: can I skip the pineapple?!
Kate says
Thanks! I haven’t tried to make the cake without the pineapple, but I think the recipe would need to be adjusted to make up for the lack of pineapple. If you try it, I’d love to hear how it turns out!
Carol says
I will be making a small two layer cake (approximately 4-5 inches in diameter, how long should I bake it? Additional batter will be cupcakes, same time for those? Than you for any helpful information.
Kate says
I haven’t tested either size to say for certain. Usually, cupcakes take about 18-25 minutes to bake, and I’m not sure how long a 4-5 inch diameter cake would take.
Denise says
Hi i am wanting to bake this carrot cake but are a bit confused at how much buttermilk for the recipe and how much for the glaze. Do you share the 1 c between the 2? Thanks denise
Kate says
Hi! The ingredients and instructions are all split out by cake, glaze, and frosting. So, the ingredients under “glaze” are just for that part of the recipe. It will be 1 cup of buttermilk total. You’ll need 3/4 cup for the cake and another 1/4 cup for the glaze. I hope that helps! =)
Patti says
How about adding raisins??
If you think it would be more amazing, how many would you suggest?
Kate says
You could absolutely add raisins if you would like. I’d try 1/2 cup and then go from there. Hope that helps!
Pam McGrew says
Amazing cake!!
Kate says
Thank you so much! I’m so happy to hear that you liked the cake. =)
Lavaughn says
Can you use almond flour in place of regular flour?
Kate says
Unfortunately, I haven’t tried it to say for certain.
Kanika says
Best carrot cake ever
Kate says
Thank you!!
Susan says
I saw your recipe on Pinterest. Am planning on making it for a special friend’s birthday soon but wanted to do it as a layer cake. Have you ever make it this way? Do you think the glaze will hinder me getting the layers up without cracking?
Kate says
I have tried to make it as a layer cake. The glaze made the cake so moist that the cake didn’t want to hold together well. I haven’t tried to make it as a layer cake without the glaze, but it didn’t work well for me with the glaze. Hope that helps!
Kaitlyn says
My cake was delicious and I will for sire make it again
Kate says
Thank you! I’m so glad that you enjoyed it. Thanks for commenting! =)