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Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Source of Recipe


From "The Gourmet Cookbook"



List of Ingredients



• -- For Cake --
  
• About ¾ pound carrots
  
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
  
• 2 tsp baking powder
  
• 1½ tsp baking soda
  
• 1½ tsp salt
  
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
  
• 2 cups granulated sugar
  
• 1½ cups vegetable oil
  
• 4 large eggs
  
• 1 (8-ounce) can crushed pineapple, drained
  
• 1 cup sweetened flaked coconut
  
• ½ cup chopped walnuts
  
• 2/3 cup raisins (optional)
  
• .
  
• -- For Frosting --
  
• 2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
  
• 1 stick (8 Tbsp) unsalted butter, softened
  
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
  
• 2½ cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
  






Instructions



1. Make the cake:
   Put a rack in middle of oven and preheat oven to 350° F. Butter and flour cake pans, knocking out excess flour. Shred enough carrots on smallest teardrop holes of a box grater or with fine shredding disk in a food processor to measure 2 cups.
   
   
2. Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon into a large bowl. Stir in sugar, oil, eggs, carrots, pineapple, coconut, walnuts, and raisins (if using).
   
   
3. Divide batter between cake pans and bake until a wooden pick or skewer inserted in center of cakes comes out clean, 35 to 45 minutes. Cool layers in pans on a rack for 5 minutes, then run a thin knife around edge of each pan and invert layers onto rack to cool completely.
   
   
4. Make the frosting:
   Beat together cream cheese, butter and vanilla in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Reduce speed to medium, add confectioners' sugar, and beat until frosting is smooth.
   
   
5. Place one cake layer, bottom side up, on a cake plate and spread with some of the frosting. Place remaining cake layer, right side up, on top and spread remaining frosting over top and sides of cake.
   
   Serves 10 to 12
   
   






Final Comments


• The cake layers can be made up to one day ahead and kept, well wrapped in plastic wrap, at room temperature.

• The frosting can be made up to one day ahead and refrigerated, covered. Bring to room temperature, then beat with an electric mixer at medium speed until smooth before frosting cake.