If you’re looking for the perfect dessert to share for Easter, then you have to make this Carrot Gooey Cake.
I’m only slightly obsessed with gooey cakes, they go over well for any occasion.
There’s my Pumpkin Gooey Cake for the Fall, Hot Chocolate Gooey Cake for the Winter… so it’s only natural that there should be a Carrot Gooey Cake for Spring!
This Carrot Gooey Cake is phenomenal.
I don’t really feel like I need to describe it more than this… but I will…
A carrot cake mix is blended together with butter and an egg to form the “crust.”
To give the cake it’s gooey essence, I mixed together cream cheese, more butter {oh yes.}, eggs, and some powdered sugar.
Since no carrot cake is complete without some walnuts, those were added to the top layer as well.
Crushed pineapple was also folded into the top layer, which I think gives it a beautiful spring-like, burst of freshness.
If you want to get technical, you could also add some raisins, but I decided it has enough going on already without them.
My favorite part is that you don’t have to make a cream cheese frosting to go on top of the cake. It already has a cream cheese layer baked into it.
Seriously, phenomenal.
Each bite is filled with a little spice from the carrot cake, a little crunch from the walnuts, and a fruity burst from the pineapple, all wrapped up into a deliciously gooey cake.
You can serve it with a dusting of powdered sugar, or a dollop of whip cream.
Just do it quickly, cause this baby goes fast…
What’s your favorite way to eat a carrot?
Carrot Gooey Cake
Ingredients
For the Crust
- 1 box carrot cake mix
- 1 egg
- 1/2 cup butter, melted
For the Top Layer
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 cup butter, melted
- 2 eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 16 oz powdered sugar
- 1/2 cup walnuts
- 1/2 cup pineapple, drained
- whip cream, optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
For the Crust:
- In a medium size bowl combine 1/2 cup melted butter with the cake mix and egg. Stir to combine and press the dough into a lightly greased 9x13 cake pan. Set aside.
For the Top Layer:
- In the bowl of your stand mixer, beat the cream cheese until smooth, then add the melted butter and continue to beat.
- Add eggs one at a time, while still mixing. Add vanilla and powdered sugar and whip until smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl to get it all incorporated.
- Fold the walnuts and pineapple into the cream cheese mixture with a spoon, then spread out evenly on top of the crust.
- Bake for 40-45 minutes, the center should still be slightly gooey (hence - gooey cake). Remove from even and let cool.
- Dust the top with powdered sugar, and a dollop of whip cream if desired. Enjoy!
Do you need 1 pound of powdered sugar or 2 cups. Need an answer right away please
You’ll need the full 16oz of powdered sugar. Enjoy!
Can I use a spice cake and add shredded carrots,walnuts,and raises will this work ? Will I have to add more egg or butter?
Sorry, but some of the ingredients are in correct in the amounts. You need to have two of the 1/2 cups of butter. Also you need 3 eggs. Making the cake exactly as directed makes this cake so delicious you are hooked. Best carrot cake I ever ate and carrot cake is my favorite of all time. Thank you for this wonderful dessert.
I haven’t made this recipe yet. Can you fold the cream cheese layer into the cake mix layer before baking or will it not set up?
The cake mix layer is the crust, so you should leave these two layers separate.
Am I missing something? I do not see any carrots or any spice as ingredients for this recipe.
You’ll be using a carrot cake mix for the recipe. 😉
I just stumbled across this recipe and made it two days ago. I thought mine was just a little too gooey, maybe a tad too sweet. I could probably have given it another 3-5 minutes of oven time, maybe been a little more careful with the melted butter for the top layer. i’ll be more careful next time.
meanwhile, YUMMMM! this was really good and I will definitely be making it again, probably for the next family gathering. delicious. i’m about to go for a slice and a glass of milk right now.
Does this need to be refrigerated? I made it and liked it better at room temperature. Thanks 🙂
Technically, yes. Because this has a dairy filling, you’ll want to keep it refrigerated. You could always cut a slice and then let it come to room temperature before you enjoy it? 🙂 Hope that helps!
For the crust the ingredients says 1/2 cup of butter. Directions say 1/2 stick butter. Isn’t a stick of butter 1/2 cup? I want to make this tomorrow but want to make it right. It sound fantastic!
Sorry about that Judie, it should be a 1/2 CUP in the directions too. I’ll get that fixed right away! 🙂
not that its going to save all that many calories 🙂 but can you cut back on whole box of 10x sugar or is it necessary?
It is sort of necessary to make the topping thicken up and help it to set. You could always opt for low-fat cream cheese! 🙂
Looks just perfect! Love that cream cheese layer baked in! Great photos!
Thanks Alex!
Carrot cake is my absolute favourite! Never had a ‘gooey’ cake before so I’m really excited to try this, yum!
I love carrot cake and now I really love it with that gooey topping!
Thanks Stephanie, you’ll really love this cake, it’s divine!
You had me at gooey 😉
Wow, this is so my kind of carrot cake! I can’t wait to make it! 🙂
Thanks Laura, I know you’ll love it!
Carrot cake is my favorite and add the gooey and now I’m hooked
I just made carrot cake a couple of days ago but definitely wasn’t as decadent as this!
Haha, yeah… the full cup of butter might have something to do with the ultra decadence of this… 😉
Oh my gosh, this looks SO yummy!
Thanks Emily, you’re a doll! 🙂
Oh yes please Shawn! I love this!
Haha, Thanks Dorothy! It’s so good!!
This does look seriously good 🙂
Thanks CJ! 🙂
Oh my! I love gooey cakes and this one looks insane. Pinned. <3
Haha, thanks Donna! Gooey Cakes should be an every day thing, don’t you think?? 😉