Carrots are among my least favorite foods. I can tolerate them when they are seasoned well & slow cooked all day in a pot roast dinner - but I really don't care for them in any other 'dinner' item. But, carrot cake is a whole different story. I love me some carrot cake! I'd like to think that since it has carrots in it, when I slice a big hunk of this - I'm eating my veggies! ;)
Today, I'm going to show you how I make carrot cake & hopefully inspire you to make one of your own.
You will need to shred up a few carrots - enough to make 3 cups.
Beat together 4 eggs, 1 1/4 cups vegetable oil, 2 cups sugar, & 2 tbsp vanilla extract.
Mix in 2 cups of self rising flour & 2 tbsp ground cinnamon.
Stir in the 3 cups of shredded carrots.
Mix in 1 cup of chopped pecans.
Pour your batter into a greased, 9"x13" cake pan.
Cook in an oven preheated to 350 degrees for 50 minutes. Let cool for about 30 minutes to 1 hour before frosting.
When completely cooled, it's time to frost it! For the icing, beat together 8oz softened cream cheese, 1 stick of softened butter, 4 cups of confectioners sugar, & 1 tbsp vanilla extract until smooth & creamy.
Frost your cake generously! There is no such thing as too much icing!!
To finish off, sprinkle the top with a handful of chopped pecans.
Cut you off a big slice and enjoy!
For the cake:
- 4 eggs
- 1 1/4 cups vegetable oil
- 2 cups white sugar
- 2 tablespoons vanilla extract
- 2 cups self rising flour
- 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
- 3 cups grated carrots
- 1 cup chopped pecans
- 1 stick of butter, softened
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 4 cups confectioners' sugar
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- Chopped pecans to garnish
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9x13 inch pan.
In a large bowl, beat together eggs, oil, white sugar and vanilla. Mix in flour and cinnamon. Stir in carrots. Fold in pecans. Pour into prepared pan.
Bake in the preheated oven for 45-50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Let cool for 30 minutes to 1 hour - or until completely cooled.
To Make Frosting- Mix together butter, cream cheese, confectioners' sugar and vanilla. Beat until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Frost the cooled cake. Garnish with chopped pecans.
In a large bowl, beat together eggs, oil, white sugar and vanilla. Mix in flour and cinnamon. Stir in carrots. Fold in pecans. Pour into prepared pan.
Bake in the preheated oven for 45-50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Let cool for 30 minutes to 1 hour - or until completely cooled.
To Make Frosting- Mix together butter, cream cheese, confectioners' sugar and vanilla. Beat until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Frost the cooled cake. Garnish with chopped pecans.
