The BEST Carrot Cake – recipe from Full Moon BBQ in Birmingham, AL. This cake is super moist and the cream cheese frosting is to-die-for! I don’t even like carrot cake and I ate a HUGE slice of this cake! The secret ingredient in this cake is baby food. I know it sounds weird but it adds so much moisture and you don’t have any chunks of carrots in the cake. Flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, vanilla, eggs, oil, baby food, cream cheese, butter, and powdered sugar. Can make the cake up to a week in advance. This is PERFECT for the holidays!
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Pin This RecipeFull Moon BBQ Carrot Cake Recipe
This recipe is from Full Moon BBQ in Birmingham, AL. Their carrot cake is the BEST. They published the recipe many many years ago in the paper and a friend recently sent me a copy. Woohoo! I immediately made the cake, and it did not disappoint. It is honestly the BEST carrot cake I’ve ever eaten. The cake is super moist and the cream cheese frosting is to-die-for!
How to Make Carrot Cake with Baby Food
The secret ingredient in this cake is baby food. I know it sounds weird but it adds so much moisture and you don’t have any chunks of carrots in the cake. To make the cake from scratch, combine flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, vanilla, eggs, oil, and baby food. Mix well with a hand-held mixer and pour into three cake pans and bake. While the cakes are cooling, make the cream cheese frosting. Combine softened cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla. Mix with a hand-held mixer until light and fluffy. Once the cakes are cooled, frost them with the frosting and coat the cake with chopped pecans, if desired.
Tips & Frequently Asked Questions
- I used Gerber 2nd Foods Carrot Baby Food. The original recipe used Gerber Stage 3 Carrots. They discontinued that product, so I went with the 2nd Foods.
- I made this cake in three 8-inch cake pans. The cakes can be baked in any pan you wish, you will just have to adjust the cooking times.
- You can make the cakes in advance and store them in an air-tight container overnight before frosting.
- The baked cake layers can be frozen for later. When ready to frost the cake, thaw the cake layers and add the frosting.
- Can carrot cake be frozen? Yes! You can freeze the frosted cake for later. Remove the cake from the freezer and let thaw on the countertop at least an hour before serving. The cake will keep 2 to 3 months in the freezer.
- Can I personalize the cake? Sure! You can add nuts, golden raisins, or sweetened coconut to the batter. Also, feel free to add some orange extract or zest to the cream cheese frosting.
- I coated the whole cake with chopped pecans. This is completely optional. You can coat just the top, just the sides, or none of the cake.
- Store the frosted cake in the refrigerator. I take the cake out about 30 minutes to an hour before serving.
- Leftover carrot cake will keep 2 to 3 days in an air-tight container in the refrigerator.
- A decorated and uncut cake will keep up to a week in an air-tight container in the refrigerator.
Easy Dessert for the Holidays
This cake is a real show stopper. The three layers look so impressive when you cut into the cake. Not only is this cake impressive, but it is also DELICIOUS! I am not a big fan of carrot cake, but I can eat a giant piece of this cake! Make sure you have lots of friends to share this cake with, otherwise you might eat the whole thing yourself!
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The BEST Carrot Cake
Ingredients:
Cake
- 2½ cups all-purpose flour
- 2½ cups sugar
- 2 tsp baking soda
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 tsp vanilla
- 4 eggs
- 1 cup vegetable or canola oil
- 3 (4-oz) jars carrot baby food (Gerber Stage 2)
Frosting
- 1 (8-oz) package cream cheese room temperature
- 1 stick butter room temperature
- 2 tsp vanilla
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- chopped pecans for garinish
Instructions:
Cake
- Preheat oven to 350ºF. Grease and flour three 8-inch round cake pans.
- In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients for the cake. Mix well with a hand-held mixer. Divide the batter into the prepared cake pan.
- Bake 30 to 35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean.
- Allow cakes to cool for 5 minutes in the pans and then remove from pans and cool completely.
- Once the cakes have cooled, frost with Cream Cheese Frosting. Garnish cake with chopped pecans, if desired.
Frosting
- In a bowl, combine cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla.
- Mix with a hand-held mixer until light and fluffy.
Notes:
- I used Gerber 2nd Foods Carrot Baby Food. The original recipe used Gerber Stage 3 Carrots. They discontinued that product, so I went with the 2nd Foods.
- I made this cake in three 8-inch cake pans. The cakes can be baked in any pan you wish, you will just have to adjust the cooking times.
- You can make the cakes in advance and store them in an air-tight container overnight before frosting.
- The baked cake layers can be frozen for later. When ready to frost the cake, thaw the cake layers and add the frosting.
- You can freeze the frosted cake for later. Remove the cake from the freezer and let thaw on the countertop at least an hour before serving. The cake will keep 2 to 3 months in the freezer.
- You can add nuts, golden raisins, or sweetened coconut to the batter. Also, feel free to add some orange extract or zest to the cream cheese frosting.
- I coated the whole cake with chopped pecans. This is completely optional. You can coat just the top, just the sides, or none of the cake.
- Store the frosted cake in the refrigerator. I take the cake out about 30 minutes to an hour before serving.
- Leftover carrot cake will keep 2 to 3 days in an air-tight container in the refrigerator.
- A decorated and uncut cake will keep up to a week in an air-tight container in the refrigerator.
Steph
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Can you make this into cupcakes?
Sure!
I did end up making cupcakes out of this recipe and everyone LOVED them! What a fantastic recipe to have in my arsenal 🙂 Thank you so much!
Did you still bake at 350 and for how long?
I want to make cupcakes as well since this would be easier for a pitch in at work.
Hi, can I use melted butter instead of oil?
I’ve only made it as written, so I can not say.
This was absolutely delicious! I tweaked it by using mango, pineapple, carrots baby food and coconut oil substitutes and I put a couple drops of orange oil in the frosting…heavenly!! Thank you!
Sounds delicious. Glad you enjoyed it.
tub pan—————–same temp & for how long
I’ve never made this in a tube pan, so I can not say what the cooking time would be.
Carrot cake is my favorite dessert. It’s very moist and delicious. I’ve made some carrot cake for Thanksgiving Day.
Sounds like it would be delicious!! Only one thing, I need to make it vegan. Could I substitute applesauce or flax eggs for the eggs do you think?
What a great idea! But unfortunately, without further recipe testing, I cannot answer with certainty. As always, please use your best judgment regarding substitutions and modifications.
My mother has baked carrot cakes with baby food carrots for as long as I can remember. (I’m 62) We bake it in a tube pan and simply sift powdered sugar over it after it cools. So delicious and the slight sweetness of the powdered sugar compliments the cake. No need for icing.
A slice of that and glass of milk makes a great snack or dessert!
This is so easy to make, and is delicious. I take it to potlucks, and it’s always gone by the end of the dinner. I put it in a 9x13pan and cook it at least 5 minutes longer than if I were using 3 round pans.
SO glad you are enjoying it! And thanks for the tip for baking it in a 9×13-inch pan
Can I use baby food carrots that are not “2nd stage?” I could not find second stage
You can try it.
You can use any kind of pureed carrots. I’ve made this cake for over 50 years and “Back in the day” there were no “stages” It was simply Gerber baby food carrots.
I have never left a review of a recipe before but just had to with this one. It was such a amazing cake. I made mine in a lasagna size pan. It turned out just perfect. Can’t wait to make this for Easter.
Thank you 😊
SO glad you enjoyed it! It is perfect for Easter.
Found this on the wall at Full Moon. Best Carrot cake ever. I’ve made it twice and both times put it in a 9×13” pan. It was thick, but did fine!
would 3-4oz jars of baby carrots equal 1 1/2 cup self made baby food ?
Is it all purpose or self rising flour?
All-purpose
Can this cake be made in a 9 by 13 pan? I don’t have 3 round pans.
I don’t know if all the batter will fit in a 9×13-pan. You can definitely try it.
Do I have to put butter in the frosting? I don’t really care for butter in frosting😕
You don’t have to do anything you don’t want to do. It is your kitchen.
I really doubt that the frosting would come out right without butter. Sometimes it’s necessary and because of the cream cheese you can’t taste a butter flavor at all. Especially if you add a touch of vanilla in the frosting. Honestly, you wouldn’t be sorry to have butter in this frosting
Works well in a tube or bundt pan too.
We have the same issue only one cake pan. I was thinking there might be extra frosting, but could use on cinnamon rolls.
My family has made this recipe for years. This is the way my grand mother always made it. Best recipe ever.
It really is the best!