Recipes

Carrot Layer Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Pull out the stops when hosting a party and prepare this classic three-layer cake.

Pull out the stops when hosting a party and prepare this classic three-layer cake. Finely shredded carrots and raisins provide flavor and moisture, enhanced by cinnamon and chopped pecans. Cream Cheese Frosting provides a tangy contrast.

Makes 16 servings

Ingredients

  • FILLING
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • ½ cup (1 stick) butter or margarine
  • 1 cup chopped pecans
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • CAKE
  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • 1 ¼ cups cooking oil
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 4 eggs
  • 4 cups finely shredded carrots
  • 1 cup raisins
  • 1 cup chopped pecans
  • CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
  • ¾ cup (1½ sticks) butter or margarine, softened
  • 2 (3-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 3 cups confectioners’ sugar

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour three 9×1½-inch cake pans. For filling, in a heavy saucepan combine sugar, flour and salt. Stir in cream; add butter. Cook and stir over medium heat until butter is melted. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in 1 cup chopped pecans and vanilla. Set aside to cool.
  2. For cake, in a large bowl beat sugar and oil with electric mixer on medium speed for 1 minute. Stir together flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and salt; add to the beaten oil mixture, alternating with eggs, mixing well after each addition.
  3. Stir in carrots, raisins and 1 cup chopped pecans. Pour into prepared pans. Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center of cakes comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 minutes on wire racks. Remove from pans and cool completely.
  4. For frosting, beat together butter, cream cheese and vanilla until smooth. Gradually beat in confectioners’ sugar until fluffy.
  5. To assemble, place one cake layer upside down on a platter. Top with half of the filling, being careful that it does not flow over the cake edge. Top with another layer of cake, upside down, and spread remaining filling on top of second layer. Top with final cake, top side up. Frost top and sides of cake with frosting. Store cake in the refrigerator.

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