Carrot Cake
Desserts
Cream Cheese Frosting
16 ounces cream cheese (454g), softened
3/4 cup butter (170g), softened
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
4-5 cups powdered sugar (480-600g)
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar (300g)
2/3 cup light brown sugar (147g), firmly packed
1 cup oil (198g), vegetable or canola oil
1/2 cup buttermilk (114g)
4 large eggs , room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup crushed pineapple * (128g)
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (281g)
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 1/2 cups carrots , finely grated, about 3-4 large carrots (248g)
1 cup chopped pecans , optional (114g)
1 cup golden raisins , optional (149g)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180°C). Prepare three 8 inch cake pans* by lightly coating with cooking spray then lining with parchment paper.
Wet ingredients: Beat the eggs, granulated sugar, brown sugar, oil, buttermilk, vanilla, and pineapple together in a large bowl.
Dry ingredients: In another bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, salt, and nutmeg.
Combine: Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients then mix until incorporated. Fold in the carrots, pecans and raisins just until evenly distributed throughout the batter.
Bake: Pour the batter into prepared pans. Bake on center rack until a toothpick inserted into comes out clean, about 25-30 minutes. Allow cakes to cool in the pans for 10-15 minutes before inverting them onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Cream Cheese Frosting: Beat cream cheese and butter together until smooth. Mix in vanilla. Add powdered sugar, one cup at a time, until the frosting reaches the consistency you want. Beat for serval minutes until smooth and fluffy.
Assemble: Place the bottom layer on a cardboard round or serving plate. Spoon about ½ cup cream cheese frosting onto bottom cake layer, spreading evenly over the surface and out to the edge of the cake. Repeat with remaining cake layers. Spread frosting around the sides of the cake, adding more as needed, until it's covered. Use the palm of your hand to cup chopped pecans around the edge of the cake, if desired.
Chill cake for 30 minutes before serving.