Ingredients: |
Ingredients: 6 cups grated carrots (grated on a box grater. They get too mushy in a food processor)
1 cup raisins
1½ cups pecans
2½ cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons ground ginger
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 teaspoons baking powder
1½ teaspoons kosher salt
¾ teaspoons baking soda
4 large eggs, at room temperature
1¾ cups packed light brown sugar
1 T pure vanilla extract
¾ cup vegetable oil
For the frosting:
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
½ cup butter, softened
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 cups confectioners' sugar
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Directions: |
Directions:Arrange a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350º
Coat two 9-inch round cake pans with nonstick cooking spray. Line the bottoms with parchment paper rounds cut to size and lightly coat the paper with spray.
Toast the pecans on a rimmed baking sheet or sauté pan until fragrant and browned, 8-10 minutes. Let cool, and then chop 1 cup of the pecans. Reserve for the cake batter.
Put the carrots in a medium bowl. Whisk the flour, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, baking powder, salt and baking soda in a large bowl. Beat the eggs, brown sugar, and vanilla extract i a large bowl with an electric mixer on high speed until pale and thick, about 4 minutes. Reduce the speed to medium-low and gradually stream in the oil. Add the dry ingredients in 3 additions, alternating with the carrot mixture, beginning and ending with dry ingredients. Mix until smooth. Fold in the raisins and chopped pecans with a rubber spatula. Scrape the batter evenly into the prepared pans.
Bake the cakes, rotating the pans halfway through, until a toothpick inserted into the center of each cake comes out clean, 35-45 minutes. Transfer the pans to a wire rack and let the cakes cool for 10 minutes, Run a knife around the sides of the cakes and invert onto the rack. Remove the parchment and let the cakes cool completely.
For the frosting: Beat the cream cheese and butter in a medium bowl with an electric mixer on high speed until smooth, about 1 minute. Beat in the vanilla. Reduce the speed to low and gradually mix in the confectioner's sugar. Test flavor with a spoon after adding half the sugar. If you don't like the frosting super-sweet, you may not want to add all the sugar (I usually add only about ⅔ of it). Increase the speed to high and beat until the frosting is light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
To assemble the cake: When the cakes are completely cooled, place one cake, rounded side down, on a platter. Spread 1½cups of frosting evenly over the top. Place the remaining cake, flat side down, on top. Spread the top with another 1½ cups of the frosting. Frost the sides of the cake with another 1½ cups frosting and smooth out completely to make an even crumb coat (It's ok if some of the cake shows through. This is just a base layer) Refrigerate for 30 minutes to let the frosting set. Then add another coat of frosting to the sides and on the top. Garnish with whole pecans around the top rim, or put the remaining pecans in a food processor until crumbs and put on the sides and part of the top. |
Personal
Notes: |
Personal
Notes: Frank loves carrot cake and this is the best one I've tried so far. It's his birthday treat each year. It's chunky, incredibly moist, and really flavorful. I'm including pictures of both presentations. It takes a while to make, but it's worth it!!
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This recipe for Frank's Favorite Carrot Cake is from