Carrot Cake with Pineapple and Coconut (Pastel de Zanahoria)

carrot cake with pineapple and coconut on white serving plate

Carrot Cake with Pineapple and Coconut (Pastel de Zanahoria)

This Carrot Cake with Pineapple and Coconut is a deliciously moist and flavorful dessert that blends the sweetness of carrots, juicy pineapple, and shredded coconut. Perfectly balanced with a creamy cream cheese frosting, it's a tropical twist on the classic carrot cake that's sure to impress!

5 from 12 votes

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Course: Desserts

Cuisine: Latin Inspired

Keyword: bizcocho de zanahoria, carrot and coconut cake, carrot coconut bundt cake, pastel de zanahoria con piña, pastel de zanahoria receta, pastel de zanahoria y piña

Prep Time: 15

Cook Time: 40

Servings:

Calories: 652kcal

Author: Juyali (ju-ja-lee)

Equipment

Mixing bowl (large and medium), Wooden spoon or rubber spatula, electric mixer such as a hand mixer or stand mixer. Bundt pan, and food processor or box shredder for shredding the carrots.

Ingredients

Cake Batter Ingredients see notes for substitutions
1 1/2 cups All-purpose flour
1 cup White Sugar
2 teaspoon Baking Soda
1/2 teaspoon Salt
2 teaspoon Cinnamon
1/4 cup Vegetable Oil
2 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
2 Large Eggs at room temperature
2 cups Shredded Fresh Carrots
1/2 cup Sweetened Shredded Coconut
1 1/2 cups Pineapple diced

Frosting Ingredients

2 cups Heavy Cream
4 oz Cream Cheese
1 cup Powdered Sugar
1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
1/2 teaspoon Orange zest optional but recommended

Instructions

Cake Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350°f (180°c) and grease your bundt pan with nonstick spray.
In a large bowl, sift the dry ingredients – flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.
In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, oil, and vanilla (wet ingredients). then, add this to the dry ingredients.
Fold in the shredded carrots, coconut, and pineapple. be gentle here – you want to keep the batter light and fluffy.
Pour the cake batter into your prepared baking pan and smooth the top. Alternatively, you can split the batter into 2x8" cake pans.
Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean (a few crumbs are ok). let it cool on a wire rack before frosting.

Frosting and Cake Assembling Instructions:

Whip the cream at medium speed until soft peaks form, then set aside.
In a separate bowl, beat the cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla, and orange zest until smooth and creamy.
Mix the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture at low speed until incorporated (1-2 minutes).
Slice the cake in half horizontally.
Spread a layer of frosting between the cake layers, then place the top back on and frost the entire cake.
Garnish with pineapple slices, toasted coconut, and carrot curls if you’re feeling fancy!

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Notes

Substitutions:

Cake flour can be used as a substitute for all-purpose flour. if you use cake flour, add an extra 2 tablespoons.
Fresh Carrots: We recommend shredding your own carrots for the best flavor, texture, and moisture. Ff you must use store-bought pre-shredded carrots, chop them slightly if they are too thick and moisten them by rinsing and patting them dry for best results.
Pineapple: I like to use fresh but Canned Pineapple (drained) works great.
Brown Sugar can be a suitable substitute. It has a deeper, more caramel-like flavor due to its molasses content, which can add a richer taste to the cake.
Orange Zest is preferred, but you may substitute lemon zest in a pinch.

How to create the garnish for a beautiful cake:
This recipe features pineapple slices, toasted coconut, and thin slices of carrot curled into the shape of flowers as decoration. I made the carrot curls by cutting thin slices through the entire length of a wide carrot with a potato peeler. Then, I curled them into flowers. I also toasted the coconut on a frying pan at low heat to create that beautiful, light, brown-toasted color.

Storage suggestions: Store refrigerated. This cake stays nice for 2-3 days. You can freeze the cake for up to 2-3 months. Just wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and store it in an airtight container. Thaw in the refrigerator.

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