Pumpkin Carrot Cake with Coconut and Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe

This moist pumpkin carrot cake has a splash of coconut in it and is topped with a delicious cream cheese frosting.

For me, there’s nothing better than enjoying a delicious carrot cake during the fall season. Pumpkin and fall just go together and there is nothing better than the two. Well, except for maybe a good latte!

It’s become a yearly tradition for me to make a small carrot cake once fall hits. That is why I am excited to make this delicious pumpkin carrot cake. This carrot cake is a little different because it has a bit of coconut and a yummy cream cheese frosting on top.

Don’t let that steer you away though, the coconut mixed in with the cream cheese gives it a nice flavor and compliments the cake. Coconut makes a great addition to any dessert, especially our strawberry and blueberry dump cake.

You may not think pumpkin, carrot, and coconut would go together, but it works. I also didn’t think banana pudding and cookie dough would go together, but it is surprisingly delicious! It’s something you definitely have to try!

If you’re not fond of having the coconut in the cake itself, you can also leave it out of the cake or put it in the cream cheese frosting to change it up.

Table of Contents show

For the cake:

2 C. all-purpose flour
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
A 1 ⅓ c of white sugar
1 c of pumpkin puree
1 c of sweetened coconut flakes (optional)
2 c of shredded carrots
3 eggs
½ c canola oil

For the cream cheese frosting:

2 sticks butter, softened
8 oz block cream cheese, softened
6 c powdered sugar
Orange food coloring gel
Green food coloring (the gel kind)

Ready to get started? Preheat oven to 350°F.

In a large mixing bowl (these are my favorite mixing bowls), combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.

In another large mixing bowl, combine the eggs, sugar, and oil. Stir in the carrot and coconut, then mix.

Add ½ of the dry ingredients and stir until it is completely mixed in. Once it’s all nice and mixed, add the rest of the dry ingredients and stir until completely mixed and looks something like this.

Pour the batter into a baking dish or sheet pan (we used an 11×15 sheet pan).

I would definitely recommend that you spray your dish or pan with a non-sticking cooking spray to keep from sticking.

Bake at 350 degrees for about 25 minutes, or until the middle springs back when you touch it. I always use a toothpick and stick it in the middle to see if it comes out clean to be sure it’s done.

Let that beauty sit and cool for a while until it is cool to the touch.

While we are waiting for it to cool, let’s make the cream cheese frosting.

Place the butter in your mixer and mix for about 30 seconds on medium speed. Add in the cream cheese and beat for another 30 seconds.

Next, add ½ the powdered sugar and beat on low until it’s all mixed in and then add the remaining amount of powdered sugar. After the sugar is completely mixed in, crank it up to high speed for about 2-3 minutes.

Take out 1 cup of frosting, and divide it into 2 small bowls.

To make the carrot on top

Add green coloring to one bowl of icing and orange to the other. You can add as little or as much coloring you’d like so you can get your desired color.

Once your colors are mixed, place each one in a separate piping bag or zip-lock bag so we can use it to create our carrot designs.

Tip! If you’re making this for a specific occasion or holiday, change the food coloring gel and/or design to match your theme or holiday!

Frost the cake with the white frosting (that we didn’t put any coloring into).

Use the orange frosting to make the carrot shapes (the writing tip works best). Use the green frosting to create the top of the carrots (we used a leaf tip).

Tip: Get yourself a small affordable cake decorating set, just to have on hand! I have this Piping Set and it only cost me like $20.

More Pumpkin Desserts:

Pumpkin Carrot Cake with Coconut and a Cream Cheese Frosting

2 c all-purpose flour
1 ½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 ½ tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp ground nutmeg
1 ⅓ c sugar
1 c pumpkin puree
1 c sweetened coconut flakes
2 c shredded carrots
3 eggs
½ c canola oil

Cream Cheese Frosting

2 sticks butter softened
1 8oz block cream cheese softened
6 c powdered sugar
Orange food coloring gel
Green food coloring gel

In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
In another large mixing bowl, combine the eggs, sugar, and oil. Stir in the carrot and coconut, then mix.
Add ½ of the dry ingredients and stir until it is completely mixed in. Once it’s all nice and mixed, add the rest of the dry ingredients and stir until completely mixed and looks something like this.

Pour the batter into a baking dish or sheet pan (we used an 11×15 sheet pan).

Bake at 350 degrees for about 25 minutes, or until the middle springs back when you touch it.
Place the butter in your mixer and mix for about 30 seconds on medium speed. Add in the cream cheese and beat for another 30 seconds.
Next, add ½ the powdered sugar and beat on low until it’s all mixed in and then add the remaining amount of powdered sugar. After the sugar is completely mixed in, crank it up to high speed for about 2-3 minutes.
Take out 1 cup of frosting, and divide it into 2 small bowls.
Add green coloring to one bowl of icing and orange to the other. You can add as little or as much coloring you’d like so you can get your desired color.
Once your colors are mixed, place each one in a separate piping bag or zip-lock bag so we can use it to create our carrot designs.
Tip! If you’re making this for a specific occasion or holiday, change the coloring gel and/or design to match your theme or holiday!
Frost the cake with the white frosting (that we didn’t put any coloring into).
Use the orange frosting to make the carrot shapes (the writing tip works best). Use the green frosting to create the top of the carrots (we used a leaf tip).