I cannot believe I've never blogged about this cake. This cake is special to me. Not only have I made it for Easter and throughout the year, but I made it for Jack's 3rd and 4th birthdays. He didn't request carrot cake, but for his third birthday, he wanted "blue cake" and for his 4th, "green cake." For some reason, I made carrot cake with blue or green tinted frosting.
Maybe I did it because this cake is SO good. I'm not sure. Whatever the reason, I'm glad it's been a cake we've eaten over and over again.
The basic recipe comes from an old Martha Stewart cookbook: The Martha Stewart Living Cookbook circa 2000. The cake recipe, I followed pretty closely; the frosting recipe different than what Martha recommends.
The cake is moist with a large crumb....filled with toasted nuts and extra spice from fresh ginger. The frosting - well, it's cream cheese frosting which might be the best invention on earth. This is not an overly sweet frosting. Mr. E thinks it tastes like cheesecake. I'll take it.
Make this cake. Not just for Easter. Not just for your kid's 3rd and 4th birthdays. Make it soon and often. :)
Favorite Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
{from bakeat350.net; makes one 2-layer cake}
for the cake:
1 cup pecan halves
3 cups unbleached, all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon fine sea salt (or kosher salt)
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 pound carrots
1 1/2 tablespoons freshly grated ginger
3 eggs, room temperature
2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
1/3 cup buttermilk, room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
for the frosting:
3 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, room temperature
12 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
6 cups powdered sugar
2 pinches fine sea salt
Make the cake:
Preheat oven to 375. Grease two 8" cake pans with shortening. Line the bottoms with parchment. Grease the parchment and flour the pans, shaking out the excess. Set aside.
In a large skillet, toast the pecans for several minutes until fragrant. Set aside to cool briefly, then chop.
Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon together. Set aside.
Grate the carrots (no need to peel) and the ginger on the small holes of a grater. Place in a large bowl. Add the eggs, sugar, oil, buttermilk, and vanilla. Whisk until combined.
Add the flour and stir until incorporated. Fold in the pecans.
Divide the batter evenly between the pans. Bake for 50-55 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean or the tops bounce back when lightly pressed.
Cool in the pans for 5-10 minutes, then invert out of the pan and onto a wire cooling rack to cool completely.
Make the frosting:
Beat the cream cheese and butter for several minutes until smooth and fluffy. On low speed, gradually add in the powdered sugar, beating until incorporated. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl. Add the salt and increase the speed to medium, mixing for several minutes until thickened and smooth.
Refrigerate for 30 minutes to set up a bit before frosting the cake.
Place one layer top-side down on a cake place. Spread about 1 1/2 cups frosting on the top. Place the second layer on top. Frost the sides and top of the cake using an offset spreader.
Refrigerate the cake to let the icing set and to store.
