Carrot Cake - Yum Yum!

[bjcotton]

I was reminded today of the carrot cake I make. I used to have 8 or 10 different recipes until I found this one. It has turned out to live up to its name, Best Carrot Cake Ever. I have since deleted all the recipes except this one:


* Exported from MasterCook *

Best Carrot Cake Ever

Recipe By :Nan - Allrecipes.com
Serving Size : 16 Preparation Time :1:30
Categories : Cakes-Pies-Cookies

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
6 cups grated carrots
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup raisins -- optional
4 large eggs
1 1/2 cups white sugar
1 cup vegetable oil -- see note
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 cup crushed pineapple -- drained
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 cup flaked coconut -- optional

NOTE: If desired, substitute 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce for half of the oil.
1. In a medium bowl, combine grated carrots and brown sugar. Set aside for 60 minutes, then stir in raisins (or coconut).
2. Preheat oven to 350F. Grease and flour two 10-inch cake pans (or three 9-inch cake pans).
3. In a large bowl, beat eggs until light. Gradually beat in the white sugar, oil and vanilla. Stir in the pineapple. Combine the flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Stir into the wet mixture until absorbed. Finally stir in the carrot mixture and the walnuts. Pour evenly into the prepared pans.
4. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes (35 to 40 for 9-inch pans) in the preheated oven, until cake tests done with toothpick. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire rack. When completely cooled, frost with a cream cheese frosting.

[cjs]

What cream cheese frosting???

You deleted recipes??? Isn't that sacrilege??

[bjcotton]

I thought EVERYONE knew how to make cream cheese frosting. That's why I didn't post a recipe. Here's one:


* Exported from MasterCook *

Cream Cheese Frosting

Recipe By :Bill Cotton
Serving Size : 0 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Frosting-Glazes-Coulis

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
1/2 cup butter -- softened
8 ounces cream cheese
4 cups confectioners' sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract


Beat softened butter and cream cheese until well blended.

Add vanilla; add powdered sugar, 1/2 cup at a time until you reach the desired consistency. Beat until creamy.

Yield:
"2 cups"
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

[vannin]

I am no baker Billy, as you know, but this recipe has been so praised it gives me courage. You do know you will be making it for Christmas Day, don't you. And you thought this was a holiday. aHHHAAArrr. Gotcha.

PS, we have lemons, lots and lots of lemons. All year.

[rhetta1]

Here's a similar one from Southern Living. It has a buttermilk glaze before you add the frosting. It is supermoist.

Best Carrot Cake





2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
3 large eggs
2 cups sugar
3/4 cup vegetable oil
3/4 cup buttermilk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups grated carrot
1 (8-ounce) can crushed pineapple, drained
1 (3 1/2-ounce) can flaked coconut
1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
Buttermilk Glaze
Cream Cheese Frosting

Line 3 (9-inch) round cakepans with wax paper; lightly grease and flour wax paper. Set pans aside.

Stir together first 4 ingredients.

Beat eggs and next 4 ingredients at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth. Add flour mixture, beating at low speed until blended. Fold in carrot and next 3 ingredients. Pour batter into prepared cakepans.

Bake at 350° for 25 to 30 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Drizzle Buttermilk Glaze evenly over layers; cool in pans on wire racks 15 minutes. Remove from pans, and cool completely on wire racks. Spread Cream Cheese Frosting between layers and on top and sides of cake.

Yield: 1 (9-inch) cake



Buttermilk Glaze
This recipe goes with Best Carrot Cake

1 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Bring first 5 ingredients to a boil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Boil, stirring often, 4 minutes. Remove from heat, and stir in vanilla.

Yield: 1 1/2 cups

Cream Cheese Frosting
From


This recipe goes with Best Carrot Cake

3/4 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 (3-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
3 cups sifted powdered sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Beat butter and cream cheese at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Add powdered sugar and vanilla; beat until smooth.

Yield: 4 cups

[bjcotton]

Hey girl, I'm planning on bringing MasterCook 9 and ALL my recipes on disk. We can pick through them while I'm there.

[vannin]

Oh Billy, how good can anything be. I am truly hanging out the window. I do hope the rest of the year zings along as the first third has. And it will. It will, years do that sort of thing. No manners at all, they don't even say excuse me, as they rattle along.

[cjs]

Oh boy, a carrot cake cookoff - rhetta1, your's sounds good also, but what from Southern Living doesn't??

Off topic - Just threw together one of their really easy fast ones last nite - Spring Tortellini w/Pesto (3/06). It's going in the trailer file - so easy and so fast and so tastey!!

[Roxanne 21]

Thanx guys for your recipes---have printed and put in my to try file--now to find the time!! Anyway--anybody tried the CAH recipe---this was the best I have ever made--and there is a nice cupcake recipe with it. I'll track it down and post if anyone is interested?

[bjcotton]

Always interested in new recipes Roxanne. I guess I'm going to have to renew my CAH subscription so I can keep up with y'all.