J. Alexander's Carrot Cake

Name: J. Alexander's Carrot Cake
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 3 h
Yield: 12 serving
Ingredients: 2 cups all-purpose flour; 1 tablespoon baking soda; 1 tablespoon cinnamon; 2 cups sugar; ¼ teaspoon salt; 3 large eggs; ¾ cup canola oil; ¾ cup buttermilk; 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract; 8 ounces crushed pineapple; 2 cups shredded carrots; 3 ounces shredded coconut; 1 cup pecan pieces; 1 cup sugar; ½ cup buttermilk; 12 tablespoons unsalted butter; 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract; 12 tablespoons unsalted butter; 8 ounces cream cheese; 2 cups confectioners' sugar

User Reviews

4.5

1,110 reviews

Excellent

Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
20 mins
Additional Time
2 hrs
Total Time
3 hrs
Servings
12
Course
Cake

J. Alexander's Carrot Cake

Iris Warren

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This copycat version of J. Alexander’s Carrot Cake is every bit as perfect as the original: full of carrots, pineapple and coconut, and soaked with a buttermilk syrup for a melt-in-your-mouth slice of cake.

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Ingredients

Servings

For the Cake:

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking soda
1 tablespoon cinnamon
2 cups sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
3 large eggs
¾ cup canola oil plus more for pan
¾ cup buttermilk
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
8 ounces crushed pineapple drained
2 cups shredded carrots
3 ounces shredded coconut about 1 cup
1 cup pecan pieces

For the Syrup:

1 cup sugar
½ cup buttermilk
12 tablespoons unsalted butter room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

For the Frosting:

12 tablespoons unsalted butter room temperature
8 ounces cream cheese room temperature
2 cups confectioners' sugar

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Instructions

Make the Carrot Cake:

Generously grease a 9x13-inch cake pan, set aside. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Mix flour, baking soda, cinnamon, sugar and salt in a large mixing bowl.
Mix remaining cake ingredients in a separate medium bowl. Combine the wet ingredients with the flour mixture, mixing well.
Transfer batter to prepared pan. Bake approximately 45-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cake should be 1 ½-inch thick.
While the cake is still hot, poke holes all over the top with a large fork. Pour the Cake syrup over the top, allowing cake to soak up the syrup. Refrigerate cake until completely cool.
Frost with Cream cheese frosting. Refrigerate cake to let frosting set.