Carrot Cake for Easter
Carrot cake is definitely one of those recipes that will NOT please everyone. Everyone likes it different - nuts or no nuts, pineapple or no pineapple, raisins or no raisins. And that is why everyone should make it the WAY they like it.
Ingredients
- 1 cup neutral flavored oil (like canola or vegetable oil)
- 2 cups white sugar
- 3 eggs, beaten well
- 2 cups carrots, peeled and grated fine
- 1 (8 ounce can) crushed pineapple, undrained
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 3 cups flour (replace one cup with whole wheat flour for a denser, nuttier taste)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1 cup chopped pecans (optional)
Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 1/2 cup butter, softened
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 lb (4 cups) powdered sugar
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
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Mix oil, sugar, eggs, carrots, pineapple and vanilla until combined.
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Mix dry ingredients in a bowl and add slowly to the wet ingredients.
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To make a 9x13 cake, pour into a greased 9x13 baking dish for 45 minutes. To make a 2 layer cake use 2 9-inch round pans and bake for 35-40 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. If using 2 round pans make sure to really grease or use parchment cut in circles so that your cake comes out clean. Invert cakes into a cooling rack.
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When cake has cooled frost with cream cheese frosting. If layering and piping frosting you may need 1.5x the frosting.
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For the Cream Cheese Frosting: Beat butter and cream cheese until light and fluffy. Add vanilla and then powdered sugar one cup at a time, scraping the bowl often. Frost the carrot cake.
Recipe Notes
Note - If you are using 2 round cake pans you may want to do 1.5x of this frosting recipe. I like a LOT of frosting in the middle and on top.
Source: Camden LeeMaster