Carrot Cake

Hi friends! Easter is one week away, and in true Easter fashion I decided to post a traditional carrot cake. Remember when you were a kid and you were like "gross a cake made of carrots?!" If you still have that mentality, give it another try! There's way more going on in this cake than carrots. 

My Easters typically means I'm spending some time at both of my parent's houses dreading eating ham. I don't like ham. Sue me. I mean I can eat it, it's not the worst thing I've ever eaten, but there's so many better things to eat. We need to bring lamb back. I'm bringing lamb back! And also apparently carrot cake. Although carrot cake has never been out of style and it's always delicious. 

Especially this recipe. It's studded with walnuts, and coconut and crushed pineapple, oh my! Not to mention that once the cakes come out of the oven, they're brushed with a buttermilk glaze and then frosted with cream cheese frosting. Cream cheese frosting is the most nobel of all frostings. I know carrot cake is the most common of Easter desserts, and for good reason. It's delicious. So maybe next year I'll switch it up, but for now we're going to stick with an oldie. Have a good Easter friends! Avoid ham! Eat lamb! (Now taking sponsorships from the lamb industry. Jk. But not really.)

Carrot Cake With Buttermilk Glaze and Cream Cheese Frosting

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
• 3 ounces of flaked coconut
• 1 cup chopped pecans

Buttermilk Glaze

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

Cream Cheese Frosting

• 2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese softened
• 1 cup unsalted butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups powdered sugar

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 3 (9-inch) round cake pans with wax paper; lightly grease and flour wax paper. Set pans aside.
2. In a medium sized bowl, stir together first 4 ingredients. Set aside.
3. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, Beat eggs and next 4 ingredients at medium speed. Add flour mixture, beating at low speed until blended. Fold in carrot and next 3 ingredients. Pour batter into prepared cake pans.
4. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.
5. While cake is cooking make the buttermilk glaze. Bring sugar, baking soda, buttermilk, butter, and light corn syrup to a boil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Boil, stirring often, 4 minutes. Remove from heat, and stir in vanilla. Once cakes come out of oven drizzle the glaze evenly over layers; cool in pans on wire racks 15 minutes. Remove from pans, and cool completely on wire racks. 
6. To make the cream cheese frosting, place softened cream cheese, butter and vanilla in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Beat at medium speed until smooth. Gradually add the sifted powdered sugar beating at low speed until blended after each addition. Beat at medium-high speed 3 minutes or until light and fluffy. 
7. pread Cream Cheese Frosting between layers and on top and sides of cake.