Ingredients:

• 2 cups of sugar <—- quite possibly the reason it’s so amazing  
• 2 cups flour
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 2 tsp baking SODA
• pinch of salt
• 3 cups finely grated or shredded carrot
• 1 1/4 cups vegetable oil (do not substitute with other oils)
• 4 large eggs (whole)
• 2 tsp pure vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Pre-heat over to 350F. Make sure there’s a baking rack in the center of the oven
2. In a large bowl, mix all dry ingredients together (sugar, flour, cinnamon, baking soda and salt). Set aside. 
3. In a separate bowl mix all whisk all wet ingredients together (aside from the carrot)…so, oil, eggs and vanilla.
4. Peel about 6-8 large carrots and tediously grate them till you can no longer feel your wrist. OR enlist your children and tell them this is the best part!

   

5. Once you’ve got 3 cups of finely grated carrots add your wet mix to the dry mix and continue to stir until blended.
6. Finally stir in the carrots and pour into 2 greased and floured 8-inch baking pans. (tip: so cakes won’t ever stick: rub butter or shortening on the whole inside of pan (including sides) then coat with a dusting of flour before pouring batter)
7. Bake cakes for 30-35 mins (or until top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center of the cakes comes out *basically* clean)

Now….as your beautiful cakes are cooling (leave them in the pans for at least 10mins prior to flipping them out and allowing them to completely cool on a rack) we can move onto the icing…..

CREAM CHEESE BUTTERCREAM

Ingredients:

• 8 ounces of cream cheese (250 grams or one cup)
• 1/2 cup of butter
• 1 pound icing sugar (use anywhere between 2-4 cups depending on what you like)
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1-2 tsp orange juice <—– do it! this really added to the flavour!
• 1 cup or finely chopped pecans (optional)

Directions:

1. Using an electric mixer or a stand mixer – cream together cream cheese and butter until smooth. 
2. Add vanilla and orange juice – blend.
3. SLOWLY add in your icing sugar (powered sugar). I never measure my icing sugar – it’s better to pour, mix and taste then repeat. Icing sugar is very sweet and should only be used to make icing reach a desired consistency.
4. Once icing is blended cover and put in the fridge until cakes are cooled.
5. Trim cakes so they’re even, then ice, serve and enjoy!!
6. You can ice your cake however you want. IF you’d prefer you can mix the pecans right into the icing, leave them completely out of the recipe OR place them around the sides of the iced cake like I did.

HERE IS A VIDEO THAT WILL TEACH YOU HOW TO ICE YOUR CARROT CAKE EXACTLY LIKE MINE

Overall I think this recipe is easy, tasty and looks very professional – I hope you all enjoy both making and eating it

…..I know we sure did!!

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