Pound cake and carrot cake lovers, this carrot pound cake is for you! This drop-dead gorgeous cake is the best of both worlds-rich and buttery like a classic pound cake but packed with all the warm spices of a classic carrot cake recipe.
And just when you think it can't get any better, an orange-kissed cream cheese glaze crowns the top, adding the perfect tangy-sweet finish. Serve it at your next get together, and don't be surprised when everyone asks for the recipe.
Whether you're baking for Easter, a fall gathering, or just because, this is the kind of cake that disappears fast. It's easy to make, slices beautifully, and tastes even better the next day. I don't know about you, but I love a make-ahead recipe when I'm planning a holiday meal!
Looking for other cake recipes to wow everyone this Easter? My coconut layer cake definitely fits the bill. Or how about a decadent chocolate dessert? Then you'll love my Southern Coca Cola cake. If lemony treats are your thing, then you've got to try this Meyer lemon loaf.
If you love carrot cake but want it in individual servings, try these homemade carrot cake cupcakes or these carrot cake scones. And, if you want to make that frosting extra orange-y, try adding a little of this homemade orange extract to it. Finally, if it's a no-fuss dessert that you're after, then you must try my no-bake eclair cake.
Now are you ready to make this homemade carrot cake pound cake? Let's do it!
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Ingredients
Before we get started, let's gather the ingredients we need for this carrot pound cake recipe:
- all-purpose flour
- pecans
- ground cinnamon
- ground ginger
- ground nutmeg
- baking powder
- baking soda
- kosher salt
- light brown sugar
- granulated sugar
- salted butter
- vanilla extract
- eggs
- buttermilk
- carrots
- crushed pineapple
- cream cheese
- powdered sugar
- oranges
- candied oranges and orange zest for garnish (optional)
(See recipe card for quantities.)
Instructions
Now that we've got our ingredients, it's time to get baking!
- First, combine the dry ingredients in a bowl. Beat the butter and sugars in the bowl of a stand mixer until fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating just until the yellow disappears after each addition. Beat in the vanilla.
- Then, add the flour mixture alternately with the buttermilk in three additions, beginning and ending with the flour mixture.
- Next, fold in the carrots, pineapple, and pecans. Transfer the batter to a greased and floured 10- to 12-cup Bundt pan. Bake at 325°F for 1 hour or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Finally, make the orange cream cheese glaze. Beat the cream cheese with a mixer until smooth. Add the powdered sugar, orange zest, orange juice, vanilla extract, and salt. Spoon the glaze over the cooled cake.
Hint: I use vegetable shortening to grease the Bundt pan. All I do is take a small amount and spread it with a paper towel, making sure I get into all the crevices.
Substitutions
Need to make some ingredient swaps? Here are some ideas:
- Brown sugar - For a more molasses-y cake, opt for dark brown sugar instead of light brown sugar.
- Salted butter - I like to use salted butter in my baked goods. I know it sounds counterintuitive, but the salt brings out the flavor of the dessert. If you only have unsalted butter, that's okay. Just increase the salt in the cake to 1 teaspoon.
- Pecans - Being a Southern girl, pecans are my choice, but feel free to use walnuts, almonds, or pistachios instead.
- Orange Frosting - Instead of orange juice and orange zest in the glaze, you can use lemon.
Variations
It's easy to change up this recipe. Check out these fun variations:
- Parsnip Cake Pound Cake - It may sound a little odd, but parsnips are a great root vegetable to use instead of carrots. They're earthy and sweet and are delicious in this cake.
- Carrot Cake Layer Cake - Feel like making a layer cake instead? Divide the batter between round cake pans and bake for 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Reduce the amount of orange juice in the frosting too so that it's spreadable. (The amount listed isn't enough for a layer cake so I recommend doubling the recipe.)
- Glaze Free - This cake is just as delicious without the glaze. Well, maybe that's not true, but it's still pretty dang good. You can dust the top of the cake with powdered sugar if you don't want to go all out with the glaze. (Although that would be very sad in my opinion!)
Equipment
Here's the equipment you'll need to make this carrot Bundt cake recipe:
- dry measuring cups
- measuring spoons
- liquid measuring cup
- large bowl
- stand mixer with paddle attachment
- box grater
- Bundt cake pan
- rubber spatula
- cooling rack
- microplane zester
- medium bowl
Storage
Store the cake in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
To freeze, wrap the cake tightly and place in an airtight container. Freeze for up to 3 months. (The frosting doesn't freeze well, but the cake does.)
Tasty Tip
Don't be tempted to buy matchstick carrots at the store. Shredded fresh carrots yield a much better cake. Just use the same side on a box grater that you would to grate Cheddar cheese.
Frequently asked questions
Yes. Compared to regular cake, pound cake is a dense cake. It was actually originally called a "pound cake" because it contained a pound of each of the main ingredients: flour, eggs, and sugar.
Yes! This makes all the difference in the world! If you use pre-shredded carrots (labeled matchstick), the texture of the cake will be off. They're much thicker and drier than what you get if you shred them yourself.
Crushed pineapple is the secret ingredient in carrot cake. It adds sweetness and moisture and the enzymes from the pineapple tenderizes the cake.
You can use either, but being a Southern gal, I prefer pecans.
Let the cake cool in the pan for about 10 minutes before running a knife around the edges to loosen. Then, invert the cake pan onto a cooling rack to cool completely.
There are a couple of reasons that your cake turned out gummy. First, was the butter and sugar creamed too long in the mixer? That can add too much air. Another possibility is that it wasn't baked long enough. Be sure to do the toothpick test to see if the cake is done. You don't want any crumbs on the toothpick when you insert it in the center.
Yes! For the best results, especially in texture, make sure all your ingredients are at room temperature: the butter and the buttermilk especially.
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with this pound cake recipe:
🍽Get the recipe
Carrot Cake Pound Cake with Orange Cream Cheese Glaze
Equipment
- dry measuring cups
- measuring spoons
- liquid measuring cup
- large bowl
- stand mixer with paddle attachment
- box grater
- Bundt cake pan
- rubber spatula
- cooling rack
- microplane zester
- medium bowl
Ingredients
For the pound cake:
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 ½ tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 cups firmly packed light brown sugar
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup salted butter, at room temperature
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 5 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 cup whole buttermilk, at room temperature
- 1 cup grated carrots (about 2 to 3 carrots)
- 1 cup chopped pecans, toasted
- 1 (8-ounce) can crushed pineapple, drained
For the orange cream cheese glaze:
- ½ (8-ounce) block cream cheese, at room temperature
- 2 ½ cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon orange zest
- 2 tablespoon orange juice
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
For garnish
- Orange zest curls
- Candied orange slices
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325°F. Grease and flour a 10- to 12-cup Bundt pan. (I use vegetable shortening.) Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and salt in a large bowl.
- Beat the butter and sugars in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating just until the yellow disappears after each addition. Beat in the vanilla.
- Add the flour mixture alternately with the buttermilk in three additions, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. (Scrape down the sides of the bowl if needed to ensure the batter is well mixed.)
- Fold in the carrots, pecans, and pineapple. Spread the carrot cake batter into the prepared pan and bang the pan on the counter to remove any air bubbles. Bake for 1 hour or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Remove the cake from the oven and cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Run a sharp knife around the edges and turn out the cake onto a cooling rack to cool completely.
- While the cake cools, make the glaze. Beat the cream cheese in a medium bowl with an electric mixer until smooth. Add the powdered sugar, orange zest, orange juice, vanilla, and salt and beat until creamy.
- Place the cake on a cake plate or cake stand. Spoon the glaze on top of the cake. Garnish with orange zest curls and candied orange slices if desired.
Video
Recipe guidelines and test kitchen tips
When developing and testing recipes, here are some key things that I do for more success in the kitchen:
- Be sure to use dry measuring cups for things like flour, sugar, and mayonnaise and a liquid measuring cup for things like water, milk, and broth.
- When measuring dry ingredients like flour and powdered sugar that can pack down, spoon the ingredient into a dry measuring cup and level with a knife as opposed to scooping the measuring cup into the ingredient.
- I test and develop recipes using a standard electric oven and standard gas stovetop. Be aware that if you use an electric stovetop or convection oven, your bake times will be different.
- When recipes call for kosher salt, I use Diamond Crystal kosher salt.
Food safety
Keep these few food safety things in mind when making this recipe
- Do not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw eggs.
- Wash hands after touching raw eggs.
- Don't leave leftovers sitting out at room temperature for extended periods.
- Never leave cooking food unattended.
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove.
Tabatha Bunch says
High Altitude. Do I need to change anything in the recipe for high Altitude?
AshleyFreeman says
Hi Tabatha! Thanks so much for your question. I'm essentially at sea level so I haven't tested this recipe for high altitude. Here's some info provided by Wilton though that can help you adjust: https://blog.wilton.com/high-altitude-baking/#:~:text=You%20can%20also%20add%201,Increase%20your%20liquid.
Tisha says
This carrot cake is perfection, the added orange cream cheese glaze really takes it over the top!
AshleyFreeman says
I could eat it with a spoon--it's also great on so many other cakes and cupcakes!
Claudia-Cristina says
Moist, rich, and packed with carrot goodness—this carrot cake pound cake gets an extra boost from the zesty orange cream cheese glaze. A fun twist on two classics in one easy loaf!
AshleyFreeman says
You're so right! Thank you for your note!
Andrea says
I was looking for a cake to make ahead for a gathering, and this carrot pound cake was perfect—super easy to slice, full of flavor, and everyone went back for seconds.
AshleyFreeman says
Yes! It's a perfect make-ahead dessert!
Swathi says
Carrot cake pound cake with orange cream cheese glaze is delicious I have made it as dessert my family loved it.
AshleyFreeman says
Thanks so much for sharing Swathi! I'm glad y'all enjoyed it!
AN says
This cake was amazing! i never thought about combining orange icing with carrot.cake, but it.was fantastic! And so moist!
AshleyFreeman says
Hooray! It's a great combo!
Nicole Kendrick says
This is absolutely delicious! I love how extra-rich the cake is and the glaze is fantastic.
AshleyFreeman says
Thank you Nicole! So glad you liked it!
amy liu dong says
The carrot pound cake is delicious but the orange cream cheese glaze makes it even more tasty. I can't wait to try this recipe!
AshleyFreeman says
That's my favorite part!