Happy Easter & Carrot Cake

Happy Easter! 

How are you enjoying your Easter Sunday? Oh me I'm just sitting here at home watching Being Human with a slice of Carrot Cake. Which I must say is really delicious. I had my share of Carrot Cakes and this is really, really good! I had a bit of trouble with the cream cheese frosting. It wasn't thick enough to my liking, so I started all over and this time it came out just right. It's not the pretties frosting technique but then again cream cheese frosting is always hard for me to work with.

This Carrot Cake is sure damn good! I was afraid of the frosting melting so I stored it in the fridge. I don't know about you but I kinda like my cakes chilled. I love raisins and pecans, so this is my first time adding them in Carrot Cake. Boy was I missing out! The raisins are plump and kept the cake very moist. The pecans were also soft to the bite.

All over I'm in love with this recipe! Super moist and delicious. If you didn't know my favorite kind of cake is Carrot, maybe I should have said that from the beginning...Any who you have got to make this cake, that is if you love carrots like me.

This recipe I got from Sticky Gooey Creamy Chewy Blog. You can also find this recipe at Zoe Bakes site. It was adapted from The Essential Baker.

Ultimate Carrot Cake 
Source: adapted from The Essential Baker, Zoe Bakes via Sticky Gooey Creamy Chewy Blog

Ingredients:
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
4 extra large eggs, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup canola oil
1/2 cup buttermilk
2/3 cups firmly packed brown sugar
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup crushed pineapple, drained
1 pound finely grated carrots
1 cup toasted chopped pecans
1 cup golden raisins
1 batch Cream Cheese Frosting (recipe follows)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Prepare two 9-inch cake pans by lightly coating with oil and lining with parchment paper.

Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, salt and nutmeg together in a bowl.  Set aside.

Mix the eggs, sugar, oil, buttermilk, brown sugar, vanilla, and pineapple together in a large bowl. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until fully incorporated.   Stir in the carrots, pecans and raisins just until evenly distributed throughout the batter.

Pour the batter into the prepared pans and bake on the center rack for about 35-40 minutes, or until a toothpick or cake tester comes out clean.

Cool cakes in their pans for at least 30 minutes before attempting to remove them.  Then, removed from the pans and peel off the parchment paper.  Continue to cool the cakes completely before frosting.

To assemble the cake, place the bottom layer on a cardboard round or other flat surface and put on a cake turntable. Scoop about 1 1/2 cups of the cream cheese icing onto the top of the bottom cake layer.  Using an offset spatula, spread the frosting evenly over the surface.  Carefully place the second layer on top.  Scoop another 1 1/2 cups or so of the frosting on the top of the cake and spread evenly, easing the frosting down the sides.  Spread the icing around the sides of the cake, adding more as needed.  Lift the cake off the turn table and place on a cake stand or platter and chill a bit to firm up the frosting before slicing.


SGCC’S Favorite Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients:
16 ounces cream cheese, softened
4 ounces (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon orange extract
3-4 cups confectioners’ sugar to taste
Directions:

Beat cream cheese and butter together until smooth.  Add extracts and beat just until incorporated.  Beat in sugar, one cup at a time, until frosting has the flavor and consistency you want.  You may not need to add all of the sugar.