Sunday, April 5, 2009

Carrot Cake

I did not make the cake with nuts, but put them on the outside and it was perfect! Jonathan came in while I was making this and asked me what I was making as I had a huge plate of grated carrots. I told him carrot cake. He asked, "There are carrots inside carrot cake?" You can tell how many times I have made this in his 7 years of life.

4 eggs
3/4 c vegetable oil
2/3 c applesauce
1 c white sugar
1 c brown sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour (or 1 c whole wheat, 1 c all-purpose)
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
3 cups grated carrots
1 cup chopped pecans

1/2 cup butter, softened
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
4 cups confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9x13 inch pan, or two 8" rounds.

In a large bowl, beat together eggs, oil, applesauce, sugars and vanilla. Mix in flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, nutmeg, and cinnamon . Stir in carrots. Fold in pecans. Pour into prepared pan.

Bake in the preheated oven for 40 to 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and cool
completely.

To Make Frosting: In a medium bowl, combine butter, cream cheese, confectioners' sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Beat until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Stir in chopped pecans. Frost the cooled cake.