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Ummm, can I go out and say, best carrot cake ever?!
Because I really, really want to! I hate when I’m always saying things are the best, but you guy, I really do not know how else to describe this cake. Three coconutty, carrot cake layers, frosted generously with the most delicious whipped mascarpone buttercream, and topped with fresh spring strawberries. Yup, see…best ever. Or at least it’s the best carrot cake I’ve ever had, which granted, I really haven’t had many carrot cakes, but I think you get what I’m trying to say here…
Plus, not only is this cake delicious, it’s super pretty too! Which you guys know is something I’m all about. If something can be pretty AND taste good, well that is just a major bonus for me!
This cake is the perfect way to be kicking off the weekend, right?! YES. Which by the way, hey, hi! Happy Friday! I feel like I just jumped right on into things here with some serious cake details, but as I’m sure you’ve noticed, I am a little exited about this recipe! OkOK, and the fact that it’s Friday just adds to the excitement! Anyone else totally ready for an awesome weekend?
It was a long but great week over here. I love that my weeks are jam-packed and feel really productive. All the more reason to end with cake and celebrate just a little! <–smart reasoning, trust me.
Here’s the deal, with Easter right around the corner, I am definitely in the baking mood. When I think about Easter eats, I think of ham, lamb, asparagus, pineapple, carrot cake, milk chocolate bunnies and strawberry filled desserts. Reading that sentence out loud, it sounds like a complete random mix of foods, but I dunno, those are just traditional Easter eats to me. What do you think of when thinking about your Easter menu?
Anyway, carrot cake is a classic. Thing is, you guys know that I’m typically all about chocolate cakes. I mean, the more chocolate the better! DUH.
I only recently started getting into baking fruity desserts, and while I will not deny that I don’t love them same way as say, something like this chocolate cake, I’m still loving having fun with them, and this cake is no exception. Hello, the whipped mascarpone buttercream alone is reason enough to bake this one up.
The idea of carrot cake has always sounded a off to me, but then last year I finally made a carrot cake cheesecake and my view on carrot cake changed forever. Not only do the carrots add major moistness to the cake, but the sweet flavor they give off is very good.
This year, I decided to step things up a notch and go all out…after all, I do love a good over the top cake. Muahahaha 🙂
The base layers for this cake are made of vanilla cake, flavored with cinnamon, carrots and tons of sweet shredded coconut. The coconut is probably my favorite part. It lends a really nice sweet, almost tropical flavor, to the cake that pairs really well with the strawberries in the frosting…which oh my gosh, this buttercream (or frosting, I never really know whether to call it frosting or buttercream, but I like buttercream), my mom says you could top off just about anything with this buttercream and turn it into something so delish.
It’s pretty traditional for carrot cake to have a cream cheese frosting, but I loved the sound of strawberries and mascarpone together, so I went for it…such a good idea. Especially paired with the super moist and coconutty carrot cake layers. It’s kind of like Italian cake meets carrot cake. Promise, it’s all things awesome and perfect.
While the cake looks all fancy, it’s actually pretty easy to make. Simply bake the cake layers, make the buttercream, frost the cake and DONE. Nothing complicated about it, which is great for any kind of holiday dessert.
OH, and while the chamomile flowers are optional, I love the pretty spring touch they add, and yes, they are edible!
This cake would be perfect for Easter or Mother’s Day, but also makes for a great weekend treat. I don’t know about you guys, but this week has left me feeling the need to celebrate its end with cake. Long work days and dealing with some online haters means cake is for sure a good idea…but then, cake is always a good idea!
I mean, ALWAYS.
Strawberry Coconut Carrot Cake with Mascarpone Buttercream
Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 cups canola oil
- 3/4 cup buttermilk
- 3 eggs
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 pound carrots, grated
- 1 1/2 cups sweetened shredded coconut
Strawberry Mascarpone Frosting
- 8 ounces mascarpone or cream cheese, softened
- 2 sticks salted butter, softened
- 2-3 cups powdered sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup freeze dried strawberries, ground until a fine powder
- 1 cup fresh chopped strawberries
Instructions
- 1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease three 8-inch round cake pans. Line with parchment paper, then butter/spray with cooking spray.2. In a large bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.3. In the bowl of a stand mixer (or use a hand held mixer) beat together the canola oil, buttermilk, eggs, sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla until smooth. Beat in the carrots and coconut. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients with the mixer on low until there are no longer any clumps of flour. Batter should be pourable, but not super thin. 4. Pour the batter among the 3 cake pans and bake 25-30 minutes, until the tops are just set and no longer wiggly in the center. Remove and let cool five minutes, then run a knife around the edges of the pan and turn the cakes out onto a cooling rack. Cover and let the cakes cool completely before assembling.5. To make the frosting, add the cream cheese and butter to a large mixing bowl. Using an electric mixer beat until the mixture is light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the powdered sugar and vanilla. Beat another 2-4 minutes or until the frosting is light and fluffy. Beat in the strawberry powder. 6. Place one cake layer on a serving plate or cake stand. Spread a little frosting. Top with half the strawberries. Repeat with the remaining 2 cake layers. Be careful not to over fill your layers with fruit. Frost the cake sides.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Did you make this recipe? Please rate & comment below.
That cake slice right there, it is to die for!
This carrotcake is looking so damn pretty, I absolutely love carrotcake because it is so easy and supertasty but your idea of adding mascarpone AND ???? is perfect 2.0 ! Thank you
Thanks so much Kim! I am so glad you like the addition of mascarpone and strawberry!!
Please don’t Trade the oil for butter.. I promise this is going to be delightfully smooth and tender and moist and delicious and lovely
This is soooo pretty!
Thank you Sara!
Love it, Tieghan! Desserts with mascarpone rock! Your cake is beautiful!
Thank you so much Julia! I am so happy you like this!
This cake looks amazing and Delian. I was wondering can strawberries be substituted with raspberries? (Not sure I ever seen dried raspberries though). I’m allergic to strawberries.
Raspberries will be awesome and I have seen them dried before and I know you can get raspberries dried on amazon too (link below). Let me know if you have questions. Hope you love the cake!
https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_2?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=raspberries
Great recipe? . Can I used melted butter instead of canola oil? And if so how much butter should I use? Thank you so much for this beautiful recipe.
Hi! Yes, you can use melted butter, use an equal amount. That said, I have tested this with butter and found canola oil to yield a better result. Let me know if you have questions. Hope you love the cake. Thanks! 🙂
Can I get recipes in metric.
Love to have a go.
Hi David, I don’t feel comfortable converting this. I believe there are online calculators that can help. sorry I was not helpful.
I love this one Tieghan! What a great combo of the carrot cake and the strawberry buttercream. Perfect cake for Easter!
So happy you think so Mary Ann! Hope you enjoy it on Easter!
Yes, bring on the carrot cake! 🙂 This is just stunning!
Thanks Laura!
What on earth??? Mascarpone on carrot cake is brilliant and WITH strawberries??? Are you serious?! This is out of this world delicious looking. I never ever would have thought to put strawberries with carrot cake, but mascarpone and strawberries are amazing together and mascarpone and carrot cake would be amazing togethers, so if we use mascarpone as our flavor “glue” (frosting pun not intended…teehee), why on earth wouldn’t the whole combination work???!! YUM!!! Perfect for Easter.
haha! Thank you SO much!! Hope you love this cake and are also having a great weekend. Thanks again! 🙂
it looks fabulous, can you tel me what canola oil is please not come across that one in the UK
Rapeseed oil
canola oil is a cooking and baking oil. If you can’t find it, try using butter, but I like using oil best. Let me know if you have questions.
This looks amazing. Do you think it could be made into cupcakes?
I think cupcakes would be awesome! I think this recipe would make around 32 cupcakes and I’d bake for 12-15 minutes probably, but I can’t say for sure since I have not tested the recipe as cupcakes. Hope you love the cake! ? Let me know if you have questions.
Looks great! Do you need to refrigerate these (the leftovers?) Also, any thoughts on making as cupcakes?!
I would keep the leftover in the fridge becasue of the mascarpone, but bring to room temp before eating.
And I think cupcakes would be awesome! I think this recipe would make around 32 cupcakes and I’d bake for 12-15 minutes probably, but I can’t say for sure since I have not tested the recipe as cupcakes. Hope you love the cake! 🙂 Let me know if you have questions.
This is just so pretty!
Thank you Natasha!
Ohmygoodness, Tieghan! I cannot wait to make this! Today is my last day at my baking job before I start maternity leave and I’ve been slowly stock piling all the things I want to bake at home before the babe comes. I think this just went to number one 🙂 <3
Awh congrats! That will be so fun! I hope you enjoy!