Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Icing Recipe

Today is ‘Carrot Cake Day’.

For real. I’m not making this up.

Since carrot cake is in the top three of my favorite desserts, I really can’t let this special day go by unnoticed.

Growing up, I loved my mom’s carrot cake. I’m pretty sure the initial attraction was the cream cheese icing. Whoever invented that should get an award or something. I mean really? Cream cheese and sugar? Genius!!!

Since that amazing goodness came attached to a cake with carrots in it, I learned to love that too.

Over the years, I created my own recipe. I’ve added many new ingredients and swapped out some old ingredients with slightly healthier, new ones. And on this special day, I’m sharing my new recipe version with you.

Because I like you… And I like carrot cake.

Carrot Cake

2014-02-03 01:47:20

A delicious, moist carrot cake recipe with cream cheese icing.

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Prep Time

30 min

Cook Time

30 min

Total Time

1 hr

Prep Time

30 min

Cook Time

30 min

Total Time

1 hr

For the cake

1. 2 cups Flour
2. 2 tsp Baking Powder
3. 1 1/4 tsp Baking Soda
4. 2 tsp Cinnamon
5. 1 1/4 tsp ground Ginger
6. 1/2 tsp ground Cloves
7. 1/3 cup ground Pecans
8. 1 1/2 cups Brown Sugar
9. 2 cups finely grated Carrots
10. 3 Eggs
11. 1/2 cups Butter, softened
12. 3/4 cups Buttermilk
13. 1 can crushed Pineapple

For the Icing

1. 1 cup Butter, softened
2. 2 pkg light Cream Cheese (500g total)
3. 5 cups Icing Sugar (powdered sugar)
4. 3 tsp Coconut Extract

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, pecans, and brown sugar. Mix together well (I use a whisk).
3. Put mixing bowl in stand mixer and turn it on. Add carrots, eggs, butter, buttermilk, and pineapple. Mix well.
4. Pour into greased pan (I used a 9 X 11 pan).
5. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Cool a few minutes in the pan, then remove to cool.

For the icing

1. While cake is cooling, mix your icing.
2. In a stand mixer, mix together butter and cream cheese until combined well.
3. Add in icing sugar one cup at a time making sure it is well mixed before adding your next to avoid lumps.
4. Add in coconut extract and mix until smooth and blended.
5. If you are decorating with more than one colour, remove the amounts of icing you need for each colour and place in a separate bowl.
6. When the cake has cooled, frost the cake with your icing.

Notes

1. This icing recipe makes more icing than you need. If you do not want a lot of icing and you are not planning on any extra decorations for the cake, you can cut the icing portion of the recipe in half. I always prefer to have too much than not enough as it can be stored in the freezer for a period of time.
2. I don't like chopped nuts in regular carrot cake, so I chose to use ground pecans. It adds a nice nutty taste without the pieces.

By Sheri Landry

This Bird's Day https://thisbirdsday.com/

Sheri Landry

Sheri publishes, and writes at This Bird’s Day where she shares all of the thoughts in her head without the voices. Sticking mainly with content for Canadians, Sheri shares family stories, product information and anything that fits into her (and her family’s) daily activities.

www.thisbirdsday.com