Carrot Cake

Carrot Cake

3 C finely grated carrots *
2 C all-purpose flour
2 C sugar
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
4 eggs, well beaten
1 1/2 C vegetable oil
1 tsp vanilla extract

* I purchase a small bag of baby carrots and run then through my food processor with the shredding blade. I then change the blade to the regular blade and pulse it 4 or 5 times to really get the carrots into fine pieces. Since I eat about 5 or 6 of the baby carrots before I shred them, the bag ends up being just the right amount for the recipe.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine the first 7 ingredients in a large bowl. In a small bowl, combine the eggs, oil and vanilla and mix well. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix well.
Pour batter in to 3 greased and floured (or use baking spray, with flour) 9 inch cake pans and bake for about 30 minutes until the cakes test done. Allow the cake to cool for about 10 minutes then turn out on a wire rack to cool completely. When cake is cool, frost with Cream Cheese Frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting

16 oz powered sugar
8 oz cream cheese, softened
1/2 C butter
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 C chopped pecans (optional)

Cream the cream cheese and butter with a mixer. Add vanilla and mix well. On low speed, add the powered sugar a little at a time. Make sure to stop the mixer and scrape down the sides and bottom at least once then mix a little more. If desired, add the nuts and mix in with a spatula.

A few tips:


You can use 8 inch pans for this recipe if you would like, you will need to bake it a little longer, however. And since it is 3 layers, the cake will be a little taller than the average cake and you will also have a little extra frosting.

The edges of this cake will be crispy when the cake cools; this is normal. Once the cake is frosted and sits for a time, the edges will soften.