Carrot Cake

Submitted by Charlotte J

"Found this on Pinterest and it may have come from 'Cooking The Amazing'. I'm just hoping it tastes like the carrot cake we get at the CAFE in Ames Iowa. Use icing Recipe #488552"

 

• Ready In: 1hr
• Ingredients: 21
• Yields: 1 cake

ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1⁄2 cups sugar
• 1⁄4 cup brown sugar, packed (dark or light)
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 4 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1⁄4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1⁄8 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1⁄4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 2 cups finely grated peeled carrots, packed
• 1 cup coconut flakes, sweetened
• 1 cup raisins (optional)
• 1 (8 ounce) can crushed pineapple, drained
• 1 tablespoon pineapple juice, reserved
• 1 1⁄2 cups walnuts or 1 1/2 cups pecans, chopped small pieces
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon finely grated fresh orange zest
• 3 eggs, extra large
• pam cooking spray

directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Prepare two 9 inch cake pans by spraying with Vegetable non-stick spray (like Pam Spray) and line with a parchment paper round on the bottom then spray the top of the parchment.
3. Or spray a 9 X 13 baking pan with Vegetable non stick spray (like Pam Spray) or use 20 jumbo Cupcake liners in a Muffin tin without using Pam spray.
4. In a large bowl whisk well: Flour, Sugar, Brown Sugar, Baking Soda, Baking Powder, Salt, all Spices.
5. Peel then Grate approx 5-6 medium Carrots to yield 2 cups packed. Grate Carrots finely to no more than 1/4 inch pieces.
6. It is important that you peel the Carrots before grating.
7. You do not want the tough skins in your cake.
8. In a medium bowl or KitchenAid bowl add Carrots, Grated Fresh Orange Peel, Drained Pineapple, Raisins (optional), Coconut Flakes, Walnuts or Pecans and mix well with a big spoon.
9. To this mixture add the Vegetable Oil, Vanilla Extract and Eggs one at a time mixing in well then add 1 T of the reserved Pineapple juice and mix well.
10. Scrape down bowl often.
11. Slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix with a hand mixer or Kitchen Aid for about 1 minute until well mixed.
12. Do not over mix.
13. Pour divided into prepared (as above) 9 inch cake pans, or 9 X 13 pan, or approximately 20 Cupcake liners filled 3/4 full or a 9 X 13 baking sheet sprayed with Pam but no parchment paper needed.
14. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 mins for Cupcakes, 35-40 minutes for 9 inch layer cakes and 45-50 mins for 9 X 13 in the center of the oven.
15. Half way through cooking rotate the pans for even cooking.
16. A toothpick will come out clean when done.
17. All ovens vary in timing so check at lowest time first and if not done put back in oven and recheck in 2- 3 minutes.
18. Allow to cool completely in pan for 1-2 hours before removing to ice with Cream Cheese Icing. Recipe #488552.
19. Place 1/4 of icing between the two layers and when placing the top cake layer on, put the flat side of the cake (the bottom when it was in the cake pan) facing up for a flat top which makes a more attractive cake and easier to ice.