Company arriving! A sweet weekend to look forward to with delightful relatives coming to visit. Weekends like this put me into full planning mode. Market shopping to anticipate, lists to scribble down, careful selection of seasonal fresh ingredients.
I needed a fairly quick dessert for our weekend guests and planned to make a carrot cake. Actually, it was the desire for cream cheese frosting that was beckoning me. You see, I came across this amazing, simple, creamy, luscious cream cheese frosting the other day. What better than to make it again for carrot cake.
But…wait…
What is this that I see at the market!
Bing! Cherries that is!
Look at those juicy cherries. When we lived way up there in Michigan, we had a cherry tree right in our back yard! Who has a cherry tree in their back yard anymore? One summer, Patrick’s mother was visiting. She and the children picked bowls and bowls of them. Before long there were jars of cherry jam being made in the kitchen. We still reminisce about that cherry jam and that adorable cherry tree. 
I decided that somehow cherries had to participate in this carrot cake endeavor (cream cheese frosting endeavor if truth be told) that I had laid out for my myself, ahem…my visiting guests.
I arranged them on top of the carrot cake (which now is in bundt form) and spinkled some mint along with them. Why the mint? Because it is just so darn pretty.
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Carrot Cake with Fresh Cherries
- Total Time: 70 minutes
- Yield: 12 servings 1x
Description
A moist and flavorful carrot cake topped with luscious cream cheese frosting, adorned with fresh seasonal cherries and mint for a beautiful presentation.
Ingredients
- 3 cups (720 ml) flour
- 4 eggs
- 2 cups (480 ml) sugar
- 1/2 tsp nutmeg
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) cinnamon
- 2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 cup (240 ml) chopped walnuts
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) canola oil
- 1 (16 oz / 450 g) can crushed pineapple
- 2 cups (480 ml) grated carrots
- Fresh cherries, for topping
- Fresh mint, for garnish
- Cream cheese frosting
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
- In a large bowl, combine 3 cups of flour, 2 cups of sugar, 1/2 tsp of nutmeg, 1 tbsp of cinnamon, 2 tsp of baking soda, and 1 tsp of baking powder. Mix well.
- Add 4 eggs, 1 cup of chopped walnuts, 1/2 cup of canola oil, 1 (16 oz) can of crushed pineapple, and 2 cups of grated carrots to the dry ingredients. Stir until just combined.
- Grease your bundt pan thoroughly to ensure the cake slides out easily after baking.
- Pour the batter into the prepared bundt pan, spreading it evenly.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 45-50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Allow the cake to cool in the pan for about 10 minutes, then invert it onto a wire rack to cool completely.
- Once the cake is cooled, spread a generous layer of cream cheese frosting over the top.
- Arrange fresh cherries on top of the frosting and sprinkle with fresh mint leaves for garnish.
Notes
- Ensure the bundt pan is well-greased to help the cake release easily.
- Fresh cherries add a burst of flavor and color, while mint provides a refreshing contrast.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Category: Cake
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 30
- Sodium: 300
- Fat: 15
- Carbohydrates: 50
- Fiber: 2
- Protein: 5
- Cholesterol: 55
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Frequently Asked Questions
Why does this carrot cake use a full can of crushed pineapple?
The recipe includes one 16 oz (450 g) can of crushed pineapple along with 2 cups of grated carrots and 1/2 cup of canola oil. The pineapple adds moisture and a gentle sweetness, helping the bundt cake stay tender over the 45–50 minute bake at 350°F (175°C) without drying out.
How do I get the bundt cake to release cleanly from the pan?
The instructions and notes both emphasize greasing the bundt pan thoroughly — the notes flag this as the key to a clean release. After baking, let the cake cool in the pan for about 10 minutes before inverting it onto a wire rack; inverting too soon or too late both cause sticking.
Why are the cherries and mint added on top rather than baked into the cake?
The author says she arranged fresh cherries on top of the cream cheese frosting and added mint “because it is just so darn pretty” — the cherries and mint are purely a finishing garnish for visual impact on a bundt cake she’d already planned to make. They’re pressed onto the frosting after the cake cools completely, so they stay bright and fresh rather than sinking and discoloring inside the batter.
