Recipe :: Carrot Cake

Carrot Cake

Southern Living calls this the best carrot cake of all time, and I can’t disagree. I made this carrot cake recipe a long time ago, but I must have skipped a step back then (I’ll tell you which one below), because I don’t remember it being this good. If I did, it wouldn’t have take me this long to make it again. As it is, I’m trying to come up with my next excuse for making carrot cake again.

If you have the right kitchen tools, this is an easy carrot cake to make. (food processor to chop carrots,  mixer for cake & frosting) But, because the cake needs to cool completely before it is frosted, it isn’t one that can be made at the last minute.

CAKE

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons cinnamon
3 large eggs
2 cups sugar
3/4 vegetable oil
3/4 cup buttermilk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups grated carrots
1 8 oz. can crushed pineapple
1 bag unsweetened flaked coconut
1 cup chopped pecans

Buttermilk Glaze
This is the step I think I skipped. Don’t do it. You’ll be sorry!

1 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup butter
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Frosting

3/4 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 8 oz. packages cream cheese, softened
3 cups powdered sugar, sifted
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions

Line three 9″ round baking pans with wax paper; lightly grease and flour the pans.

Sift the first four cake ingredients.

Beat the next five ingredients (eggs, sugar, oil, buttermilk, vanilla) with a mixer. Add sifted flour mixture a bit at a time. Fold in (can use the very lowest speed on mixer) carrots, coconut, nuts and pineapple. Pour into prepared pans.

Bake at 350 for 25 minutes or until toothpick is clean.

Glaze: In a dutch oven, combine all the ingredients except the vanilla and bring to a boil. Stir constantly for 4-5 minutes. Remove from heat and add vanilla.

As soon as you remove pans from oven, pour glaze over cakes. Let the cake cool in the pans for 15 minutes. Remove layers from pan and let them cool completely on wire racks.

Frosting: Beat butter and cream cheese together first. Add sugar and vanilla and beat until very smooth. Let frosting sit in fridge while cakes are cooling.

Frost the cake one layer at a time, allowing generous amounts of frosting between layers. (There’s plenty!)

Adjustments for Cupcakes: I’ve made cupcakes from this recipe a couple of times and they come out fantastic! The recipe will make 28-30 cupcakes. Cut the cook time to 20 minutes. Use the glaze by injecting into the cupcakes. I make two injections per cupcake – makes them super moist! Cut the recipe for the frosting by 1/3 and don’t chill it.

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