Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe
I am one of those types that loves a good carrot cake with cream cheese frosting. The recipe posted below only has a few changes with a link to the original recipe. As always, I use organic/gmo-free ingredients. This is one of my favorite cakes to make when harvesting carrots from my garden. The flavor is beyond words when you can use freshly pulled and cleaned carrots. Yum!
Adapted from Family Treasured Recipes
Family Treasured Recipe’s Best Carrot Cake Recipe
Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
Cake:
3 eggs
3/4 cup buttermilk*
3/4 cup melted coconut oil
OR 1/4 butter & 1/2 cup coconut oil, melted
OR veg oil (yuck)
1-1/2 cups sugar
2 tsp vanilla
2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
2 cups flour
2 tsp baking soda
3-4 cups carrots, shredded
1 cup pecans**, chopped
optional:
1 cup flaked coconut
1 (8 oz can) crushed pineapple WITH juice
1 cup raisins
Cream Cheese Frosting
1 (8 oz) pkg cream cheese, softened
3 tbsp butter, softened
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
optional: pinch of nutmeg
optional if needed: 2-3 tsp milk
*Buttermilk substitute: Put 1 tbsp lemon juice in measuring cup, fill cup to 3/4 cup-mark with milk needed. Let sit for at least 5 minutes, 10 is better. It will curdle. It blends into the cake well and the curdles will disappear during baking.
** Or use your favorite nuts, chopped. These can be left out, of course.
Carrot Cake
Note: This cake is mixed with a wire whipping tool and a large spoon – low-tech is sometimes best. The frosting is best whipped and mixed with hand-mixer or stand-mixer.
Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour 9″ x 13″ pan, or 8″x 12″ if that is what you have.
Sift together flour, soda, salt and cinnamon. Cut in with a pastry blender your fat of choice. This keeps the cooler wet ingredients from solidifying the fat(s). Set aside.
Combine carrots, nuts and all other optional items you wish in the cake.
In a large bowl combine eggs, buttermilk, sugar and vanilla. Whisk together until just blended. Add flour mixture and whisk together until just blended. With a spoon, fold in carrot mixture until combined well.
Pour (spoon, really) into cake pan and spread evenly in pan. Bake 45 minutes to 1 hour, until cake toothpick-tests just-done. Timing depends on your oven and elevation. Above 2000′, it is about 45 minutes for me.
Sit cake on wire rack and let cool completely.
Cream Cheese Frosting
Beat together the cream cheese, butter and vanilla on low speed until smooth. You may need to add a little of the milk mentioned to get the consistency you prefer. I did not need it.
Gradually, on low speed, beat in powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, until smooth and spreadable. Add the nutmeg, if wanted, at this time. You could also sprinkle a little on top of the cake or only do that too. Your choice. It adds a lovely flavor enhancement to the frosting.
Frost cake. Keep cake in fridge until it is completely devoured.
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