Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Icing

The next recipe in our adventures is my favorite cake – carrot cake. I don’t know what it is about this cake, but the combination of carrots, cinnamon, and the cream cheese icing just call to me. Also, it is important to know that I do not like nuts, raisins, or pineapple in my cake carrot… I think that stuff is just weird. So, if you’re looking for a simple carrot cake without any extras, this is the recipe for you.

What You’ll Need…

3 Cups Carrots (Grated) [6 medium carrots]

4 Eggs

1 ¼ Cups Vegetable Oil

1 Cup Granulated Sugar

1 Cup Brown Sugar

1 Tablespoon Vanilla Extract

2 Cups All-Purpose Flour

2 Teaspoons Baking Soda

2 Teaspoons Baking Powder

½ Teaspoon Salt

1 Tablespoon Cinnamon

1/8 Teaspoon Nutmeg

Cream Cheese Icing:

3 Cups Powdered Sugar

8oz Cream Cheese (Softened)

8oz Butter (Softened)

2 Teaspoons Vanilla Extract (Or a vanilla bean)

[For a special treat add another flavoring to your icing… Raspberry extract is a great addition.]

Preheat your oven to 350.

Start out by grating your carrots; 3 cups of grated carrots is about 6 medium carrots.

In a large mixing bowl beat together the eggs, oil, granulated and brown sugar, and vanilla.

Once the “wet” ingredients are combined carefully mix in the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.

Once combined the wet and dry ingredients are combined add in the carrots and mix thoroughly so that the carrots are evenly distributed.

Now, grease two 9-inch round cake pans and divide the cake batter evenly into the two pans. Place the cake pans on baking sheets just in case some batter spills over… less clean up later.

Bake the cakes at 350 for 40-50 minutes. Test with a toothpick or cake tester; the cakes are done when the tester comes out clean.

Once the cakes are removed from the oven allow them to cool in the pans for 10 minutes before turning them out onto a cooling rack to cool completely.

When the cakes are cooling/cooled start on the icing. In a mixing bowl combine the powdered sugar, cream cheese, butter, vanilla, and any other flavorings you choose. You can use a mixer (stand or hand) if you choose, but I personally prefer the consistence I get when I mix the icing by hand with a spoon.

When the cakes are completely cooled and the icing is made ice the cakes using an offset spatula or even a table knife. Start out by placing on of the cake on the dish that you are going to serve/display the cake on. Carefully ice the top of that first cake round before placing the second cake on top. Now ice the top of the second cake and carefully move icing over the sides to ice the sides of the cake (if you choose to that is.)

I personally prefer to let the cake chill in the refrigerator to allow the icing to set for at least an hour before serving. Store the left over cake covered in the refrigerator.

Simply slice and eat. Enjoy!