Moist Hawaiian Carrot Pineapple Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Moist Hawaiian Carrot Pineapple Cake is a sweet, juicy treat that brings a tropical twist to classic carrot cake. I’ve made this many times and it never fails. The golden edges and creamy frosting make it irresistible. Try it with my Easy Buffalo Chicken Bombs for a complete meal. Jump to Recipe If you love recipes like this, you’ll also enjoy Easy Buffalo Chicken Bombs Recipe and Easy Cherry Tiramisu Recipe.

What You'll Need for Moist Hawaiian Carrot Pineapple Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Choosing the right ingredients makes a big difference, but this recipe is forgiving enough to work with what you have.

• 2 cups grated carrots
• 1 can crushed pineapple (14.5 oz), drained
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup crushed pineapple (for topping)
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp ground cloves
• 1 cup cream cheese, softened
• 1/4 cup butter, softened
• 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• Optional: 1/4 cup chopped pecans
• Optional: 1/4 cup coconut flakes
• Optional: fresh pineapple slices

How to Make Moist Hawaiian Carrot Pineapple Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

1. Prep: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 10-inch bundt pan.
2. Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves.
3. Mix Wet Ingredients: In another bowl, mix sugar, oil, eggs, and vanilla until smooth.
4. Combine: Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients gradually, mixing until just combined.
5. Add Pineapple: Stir in grated carrots and crushed pineapple.
6. Bake: Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake for 45–50 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
7. Cool: Let cake cool in pan for 10 minutes. Invert onto a wire rack to cool completely.
8. Make Frosting: In a bowl, mix cream cheese, butter, and powdered sugar until smooth. Add vanilla.
9. Frost: Spread frosting over cooled cake. Top with crushed pineapple and optional toppings.

Storing & Reheating Moist Hawaiian Carrot Pineapple Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Short-Term Storage

Store in an airtight container in the fridge. Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Make-ahead tip: Make 1–2 days in advance and store at room temperature.

Freezing Moist Hawaiian Carrot Pineapple Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Freeze in an airtight container for up to 3 months.

How to Reheat Without Drying It Out

Oven: Reheat in a 350°F (175°C) oven for 10–15 minutes. Microwave: Reheat in 30-second increments until warm.

Recipe Notes

• Chef tip: Let the cake cool completely before frosting to prevent melting.
• Best substitution: Replace crushed pineapple with 1 cup of shredded coconut for a different flavor.
• Make-ahead: The cake can be made up to 2 days in advance and kept at room temperature.
• Scaling: Double the recipe for a larger cake or to serve more people.
• Troubleshooting: If the cake is too moist inside, bake for an additional 5–10 minutes.

Moist Hawaiian Carrot Pineapple Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

⏱

Prep

20 mins

🍳

Cook

45 mins

⏳

Total

65 mins

🍽

Serves

12 servings

🥗

Diet

Gluten-free (use gluten-free flour if needed)

Ingredients

Main Ingredients

• 2 cups grated carrots
• 1 can crushed pineapple (14.5 oz), drained
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup crushed pineapple (for topping)

Seasonings

• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp ground cloves
• 1 cup cream cheese, softened
• 1/4 cup butter, softened
• 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Optional Toppings

• 1/4 cup chopped pecans
• 1/4 cup coconut flakes
• fresh pineapple slices

Instructions

1. Prep: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 10-inch bundt pan.
2. Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves.
3. Mix Wet Ingredients: In another bowl, mix sugar, oil, eggs, and vanilla until smooth.
4. Combine: Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients gradually, mixing until just combined.
5. Add Pineapple: Stir in grated carrots and crushed pineapple.
6. Bake: Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake for 45–50 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
7. Cool: Let cake cool in pan for 10 minutes. Invert onto a wire rack to cool completely.
8. Make Frosting: In a bowl, mix cream cheese, butter, and powdered sugar until smooth. Add vanilla.
9. Frost: Spread frosting over cooled cake. Top with crushed pineapple and optional toppings.

Notes

• Chef tip: Let the cake cool completely before frosting to prevent melting.
• Best substitution: Replace crushed pineapple with 1 cup of shredded coconut for a different flavor.
• Make-ahead: The cake can be made up to 2 days in advance and kept at room temperature.
• Scaling: Double the recipe for a larger cake or to serve more people.
• Troubleshooting: If the cake is too moist inside, bake for an additional 5–10 minutes.

Storage

• Fridge: Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
• Freezer: Freeze in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
• Oven reheat: Reheat in a 350°F (175°C) oven for 10–15 minutes.
• Microwave reheat: Reheat in 30-second increments until warm.
• Make ahead: Make 1–2 days in advance and store at room temperature.

Nutrition Per Serving

• Calories: 320
• Protein: 4g
• Fat: 12g
• Carbs: 40g
• Fiber: 2g
• Sugar: 22g
• Sodium: 250mg
• Cholesterol: 70mg
• Sat. Fat: 6g

Nutritional values are estimates only. Actual values may vary by brand and portion size.

Moist Hawaiian Carrot Pineapple Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting FAQs

A Warm Final Note

I can’t wait for you to try Moist Hawaiian Carrot Pineapple Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting and see how effortlessly it comes together. When you make it, pop back here and leave a rating or share how it turned out — I love hearing from you!