J Alexanders Carrot Cake Recipe (Full Copycat Version) (2024)

By Jaime Published in Recipes Last Updated on

J Alexanders carrot cake recipe — the full copycat version! Tastes just like what they serve warm to your table at J. Alexander’s restaurant: full of carrots and pineapple, soaked in a yummy buttermilk syrup, and topped with the best ever cream cheese frosting.

J Alexanders Carrot Cake Recipe (Full Copycat Version) (1)

A couple years ago, my husband traveled into the Chicago area for work and took a client to a popular restaurant called J. Alexanders. He always likes to ask new restaurants what their specialty is… what’s one of the best things on their menu?

His waiter didn’t hesitate to answer — it was the carrot cake.

J Alexanders Carrot Cake Recipe (Full Copycat Version) (2)

This has special significance to us, because carrot cake is one of our most favorite desserts ever.

Many years ago, there was a privately owned restaurant near where we lived in Northwest Indiana. They had an amazing carrot cake, and for long time it held our top spot as the best carrot cake ever, but this one… well, hold the phone. We have a new winner.

J Alexanders Carrot Cake Recipe (Full Copycat Version) (3)

J Alexanders Carrot Cake Recipe

After a bit of googling, I found an old article in the Sun Sentinel newspaper with the J Alexander carrot cake recipe. I’ve made a small tweak or two here and there to replicate what my husband remembers the cake actually tasting like during his visit, and it’s a hit.

I love that this luxurious cake can be made in a simple 9×13 pan. It doesn’t need anything fancy, but it tastes fancy. And it feeds a crowd (or large family) quite well. Caution: This cake is heavy! It’s filled with all kinds of yummy goodness.

J Alexanders Carrot Cake Recipe (Full Copycat Version) (4)

The Buttermilk Cake Syrup is What Takes the Cake

This cake is literally bathed in buttermilk; buttermilk cake syrup, that is. Think of a “poke cake” and that’s similar to what you do here. Poke large holes, then let the rich buttermilk syrup seep into the baked carrot cake.

J Alexanders Carrot Cake Recipe (Full Copycat Version) (5)

J Alexanders Carrot Cake Recipe (Full Copycat Version) (6)

Consider it a Special Occasion Cake

This copycat carrot cake quickly has become one of my most requested dishes over the past year or so. It was my husband’s number one request for father’s day and his birthday this year, with no other presents necessary. It’s true.

However, because of the buttermilk cake syrup and cream cheese frosting, a slice of this carrot cake might be delicious but it’s also high in calories. Because of this, our family considers it a “special occasion cake.” Who cares about calories on a special day like a birthday?

J Alexanders Carrot Cake Recipe (Full Copycat Version) (7)

Let me know if you try it! I think it will quickly become your most requested dish, too.

J Alexanders Carrot Cake Recipe (Full Copycat Version) (8)

Yield: 12-14

J Alexanders Carrot Cake Recipe

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes

Additional Time: 2 hours

Total Time: 3 hours 5 minutes

J Alexanders carrot cake recipe -- the full copycat version! Tastes just like what they serve warm to your table at J. Alexander's restaurant: full of carrots and pineapple, soaked in a yummy buttermilk syrup, and topped with the best ever cream cheese frosting.

Ingredients

Cake ingredients

  • 2 cups all purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon baking soda
  • 1 tablespoon cinnamon
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 3 large eggs
  • 3/4 cup canola oil
  • 3/4 cup buttermilk
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 8-ounce can crushed pineapple (in it's own syrup), drained
  • 2 cups julienned or matchstick carrots
  • 1 cup shredded coconut, unsweetened
  • 1 cup pecan pieces

Buttermilk cake syrup ingredients

  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup buttermilk
  • 6 ounces unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Cream cheese frosting ingredients

  • 6 ounces unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
  • 2 cups powdered sugar

Instructions

  1. Grease a 9x13 baking dish and set aside. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
  2. Mix flour, baking soda, cinnamon, sugar and salt in a large mixing bowl.
  3. Mix remaining cake batter ingredients in a separate medium bowl. Combine the wet ingredients with the flour mixture and mix well.
  4. Transfer batter to prepared baking dish. Bake approximately 40-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. (It usually closer to 50 minutes in my oven, but this can vary).
  5. Near the end of baking, prepare the buttermilk cake syrup: Using a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, combine cake syrup ingredients. Cook, stirring occasionally, until sugar is dissolved. Set aside.
  6. While the cake is still hot, poke holes all over the top with the end of a butter knife. Pour the buttermilk cake syrup over the top, allowing cake to soak up the syrup.
  7. Refrigerate cake until completely cool (about two hours), then prepare cream cheese frosting: Using the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment on medium speed, combine frosting ingredients, mixing until smooth and free of lumps.
  8. Frost cake with the cream cheese frosting. Refrigerate cake to let frosting set.

Notes

If using a convection oven, reduce oven temperature to 300 degrees.

Recipe adapted from J. Alexander's restaurant and the Sun Sentinel newspaper.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

12

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving:Calories: 890Total Fat: 56gSaturated Fat: 24gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 28gCholesterol: 128mgSodium: 507mgCarbohydrates: 95gFiber: 4gSugar: 75gProtein: 8g

New to my site? I love to share ways to get out of debt, save more money, and make yummy food at home.

A few tools I recommend:

Useebates and save money when you buy things online. Get a $10 bonus when you sign up now.

Give eMeals a try. This is the meal planning service Dave Ramsey recommends on his show. For a small fee, they’ll even send your meal plan and shopping list over to a local store (like WalMart!) and have your groceries ready for you to just pick-up and go.Click here to try it free for 14 days.


J Alexanders Carrot Cake Recipe (Full Copycat Version) (2024)

FAQs

Why is carrot cake so good? ›

That's because the perfect carrot cake recipe has to be warmly spiced, moist, and tender. It needs enough carrots to give it a subtle earthy flavor, but not enough to make it taste vegetal. The cream cheese frosting has to be tangy enough to balance out the sweetness, but not sour.

What is the nickname for carrot cake? ›

Carrot cake (also known as passion cake) is cake that contains carrots mixed into the batter.

Why was carrot cake invented? ›

Carrot cake is thought to have originated in England where housewives used sweet products (e.g carrots) to naturally sweeten their confections during World War II. In 1943, the Ministry of Food published a short recipe for carrot cake.

Why does carrot cake crumble? ›

Cake typically turns out crumbly because there is too much flour (especially all-purpose flour) or too little fat. You may also be overmixing or overbaking the cake or cutting it incorrectly.

Why not use butter in carrot cake? ›

Oil-Based Cakes: Carrot cake recipes often use vegetable oil (e.g., canola or sunflower oil) instead of butter as the primary fat. Oil-based cakes tend to be moister and have a softer, more tender crumb. The mild flavor of vegetable oil also allows the carrot and spice flavors to shine through.

Why do carrots turn black in carrot cake? ›

Carrots contain pigments that are sensitive to changes in pH balance. When the shreds of carrot come into contact with the alkaline baking soda, a chemical reaction takes place that causes the pigments to change color.

What country invented carrot cake? ›

Citizens of England began putting carrots in every dish they could dream up, including cake. In the mid-1900s, the Philadelphia Cream Cheese Co. advertised a recipe for carrot cake using its cream cheese as a topping.

Who made the first carrot cake? ›

The carrot cake we know was originally published in L'art du cuisinier's second volume by Antoine Beauvilliers in 1814 in French before that recipe was translated in 1824. It would later see its biggest resurgence in popularity during the Second World War for very similar reasons.

What is the fancy name for carrots? ›

Carota sativa (Hoffm.) Rupr. Daucus sativus (Hoffm.)

Why does carrot cake have raisins? ›

It is a carrot cake, after all. Pecans and Raisins: These add texture, but they are optional.

What is the difference between white and black carrot cake? ›

The only difference is that the “black” version is cooked with dark, sweet soy sauce giving it a different taste and appearance. That means that in two tablespoons of dark, sweet soy sauce added, there was 100 calories, 1g Protein, 26g carbs, 0g Fat.

Why does carrot cake call for oil instead of butter? ›

Oil is used to make cakes moister and extend their shelf life. Some cakes, like a carrot cake, are supposed to have that moist, dense texture and use oil to get it. Other cakes, that need to be light and fluffy, begin with butter and sugar creamed together.

Can I use store bought shredded carrots for carrot cake? ›

Do not use packaged pre-shredded carrots because they are hard and dry. You need about 4 large carrots for this recipe. And when you grate them, you'll notice how wet they are. That is PRIME moisture for your baked cake and you don't want to skip it!

Why does my carrot cake taste bitter? ›

Burnt Ingredients: If any of the ingredients, especially fats like butter or oil, are overcooked or burnt during the baking process, they can impart a bitter taste to the cake. Overmixing: Overmixing the batter can lead to the development of gluten, which can result in a dense and tough texture.

Why does my carrot cake fall apart when I cut it? ›

Yes, the carrots, but also typical extras like raisins, chopped nuts, or shredded coconut, which enhance the flavor and texture of the final result, add to the problem of cleanly lopping off a piece. For example, raisins create uneven pockets of moisture within the cake, causing slices to crumble more easily.

Why do people love carrot cake? ›

Hopefully you agree that the idea of veggies in your dessert is tastier than it sounds! Warm spices, naturally sweet carrot and cream cheese frosting make this recipe so delicious, it's no wonder carrot cake is so popular around the world.

Why do I like carrot cake so much? ›

According to Taste of Home, a typical carrot cake recipe uses grated carrots along with hints of cinnamon and nutmeg as key ingredients. The frosting adds an impressive amount of flavor, as it is packed with cream cheese, walnuts, and vanilla extract.

Is carrot cake actually good? ›

It tastes as yummy as a luscious cake can taste without chocolate, which is the staff of life. Carrot cake, when it's super fresh, moist and soft, is the absolute best. Especially if it feels almost as if it's going to melt in your mouth. Freshly made carrot cake explodes with flavor.

Why does carrot cake taste like? ›

It has a bright, spiced flavor from the carrots, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla.

References

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Recommended Articles
Article information

Author: Duncan Muller

Last Updated:

Views: 6604

Rating: 4.9 / 5 (79 voted)

Reviews: 86% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Duncan Muller

Birthday: 1997-01-13

Address: Apt. 505 914 Phillip Crossroad, O'Konborough, NV 62411

Phone: +8555305800947

Job: Construction Agent

Hobby: Shopping, Table tennis, Snowboarding, Rafting, Motor sports, Homebrewing, Taxidermy

Introduction: My name is Duncan Muller, I am a enchanting, good, gentle, modern, tasty, nice, elegant person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.