Heat your oven to 350°F and generously grease a 9x13 inch baking dish with butter or non-stick spray, making sure to coat the bottom and all sides evenly. This prevents sticking and ensures even browning on the cake edges. While the oven preheats, gather all your ingredients so everything is ready to go—this is especially important with box cake mixes since the mixing and baking window is relatively quick.

While the oven heats, grate your carrots using the small holes of a box grater and set aside. Drain your crushed pineapple very thoroughly in a fine mesh strainer, pressing gently with the back of a spoon to remove excess liquid—this is crucial to prevent a soggy cake. Toast your pecans in a dry skillet over medium heat for 3-4 minutes, stirring frequently until fragrant, then chop into 1/4-inch pieces. I like to toast the pecans separately because it deepens their flavor and gives the cake better texture than raw nuts.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the box cake mix, eggs, milk, vegetable oil, sour cream, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ground ginger. Beat on medium speed for 2 minutes until the batter is smooth and well-combined—the sour cream adds incredible moisture and tenderness to the crumb. Don't overmix beyond this point, as you want to maintain a tender texture.

Gently fold the grated carrots from Step 2, the well-drained pineapple, toasted pecans, and orange zest into the batter using a spatula with as few strokes as possible—this keeps the cake tender. Pour the batter into your prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake for 30-40 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs (not wet batter). Let the cake cool completely in the pan before frosting, about 1-2 hours.

While the cake cools, place the softened cream cheese and the container of cream cheese frosting in a bowl. Add the brown sugar and beat on medium speed for 2-3 minutes until smooth and well-combined—the extra cream cheese and brown sugar elevate the store-bought frosting with richer flavor and slightly better texture. Once the cake has cooled completely, spread the frosting evenly over the top using an offset spatula or the back of a spoon. I find that letting the frosting sit at room temperature for a few minutes before spreading makes it easier to apply without tearing the cake.