My family was celebrating my father's birthday last night. I made barbecued pulled pork sandwiches, open faced on honey wheat rolls, topped with caramelized onions for dinner and my dad's favorite cake for dessert, Carrot Cake. It's a simple two layer cake iced with a cinnamon cream cheese frosting that is to die for.
Carrot Cake with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
Cake:
2 c. Flour
1 c. Sugar
1 tsp. Vanilla Extract
2 tsp. Cinnamon
1 tsp. Salt
1 c. Vegetable Oil
4 Eggs
1 1/2 tsp. Baking Soda
2 c. Carrots, grated
1 1/2 c. Apple, grated
1 c. Pecans, chopped
Frosting:
2 8oz. Packages of Cream Cheese
1/2 c. Butter
2 1/2 c. Powdered Sugar
2 tsp. Vanilla
2 tsp. Cinnamon
Directions
Cake:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Butter two 9 inch cake rounds. Set aside.
2. On medium speed of a mixmaster, beat oil and eggs until slightly thickened, about 4 minutes. Add sugar, then vanilla, and continue beating.
3. Combine dry ingredients: flour, cinnamon, baking soda, salt and mix well with a whisk. Set aside.
4. Add grated carrots and grated apple [grate using a food processor on a 'shred' setting] and mix on the stir/low speed of mixmaster until well combined.
5. Add dry ingredients in a three intervals, mixing well after each addition. Remove bowl from mixmaster and stir in chopped pecans.
6. Pour equal amounts of batter into the cake rounds so they are about 3/4 of the way full. Place in center rack of oven and bake for 20-26 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
7. Remove from oven and wait until completely cool before icing.
Frosting:
1. Using a mixmaster, beat cream cheese and butter until smooth, about two to three minutes. Add in vanilla and mix until combined.
2. In 3 intervals, mix in the powdered sugar. Beating for about 2 minutes after adding the last addition.
3. Add in cinnamon and mix for another minute.
4. Ice the cake! I always dirty ice first, then refrigerate the cake and put another coat of frosting on top.
