If you ever make a cake from scratch, this is the one! I made this for Easter but just haven’t had time to post until now. What you’ll learn from this post is the coolest way to cut a cake-brought to you from my mom! The way she cuts a cake is by cutting a circle in the middle, and then when you cut pieces you can make them smaller or larger and the cake will stay even…genius! Besides, this cake was literally the best carrot cake ever…EVER!

Yield: 8

Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Buttercream Frosting

Name: Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Buttercream Frosting
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 55 min
Yield: 8
Ingredients: 2 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (12 1/2 ounces); 1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder; 1 teaspoon baking soda; 1 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon; 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper; 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg; 1 tablespoon ground cardamom; 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves; 1/2 teaspoon table salt; 1 pound medium carrots (6 to 7 carrots), peeled; 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar (10 1/2 ounces); 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar (3 1/2 ounces); 4 large eggs; 1 1/2 cups vegetable oil; For the Frosting:; 16 ounces cream cheese, softened but still cool; 8 tablespoons (2 sticks)unsalted butter softened, but still cool; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; 2 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar; 4 heaping Tablespoons Apricot Preserves; For the decorative carrots:; 1 small tube each of orange and green gel frosting, mixed with 1 tbs of the frosting

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes

Total Time 55 minutes

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (12 1/2 ounces)
1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 tablespoon ground cardamom
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon table salt
1 pound medium carrots (6 to 7 carrots), peeled
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar (10 1/2 ounces)
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar (3 1/2 ounces)
4 large eggs
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
For the Frosting:
16 ounces cream cheese, softened but still cool
8 tablespoons (2 sticks)unsalted butter softened, but still cool
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar
4 heaping Tablespoons Apricot Preserves
For the decorative carrots:
1 small tube each of orange and green gel frosting, mixed with 1 tbs of the frosting

Instructions

For the cake: Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray two 9-inch round spring form pans with nonstick cooking spray. Line bottoms of pan with parchment and spray parchment.

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, black pepper, nutmeg, cardamom, cloves, and salt in large bowl; set aside.

Clean and grate/shred carrots (you should have about 3 cups); transfer carrots to bowl and set aside.

In another bowl beat granulated and brown sugars and eggs on medium-high until thoroughly combined, about 45 seconds. With mixer running, add oil in slow, steady stream, being careful to pour oil against inside of bowl (if oil begins to splatter, reduce speed to low until oil is incorporated, then resume adding oil). Increase speed to high and mix until mixture is light in color and well emulsified, about 45 seconds to 1 minute longer. Turn off mixer and stir in carrots and dry ingredients by hand until incorporated and no streaks of flour remain. Pour into prepared pans.

Bake until toothpick or skewer inserted into center of cake comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes, rotating pans halfway through baking time. Cool cakes to room temperature in pan on wire rack, about 2 hours.

When the cake is cool, make the cream cheese frosting. In a bowl, beat the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla at medium high speed until well combined, about 30 seconds, scraping down bowl with rubber spatula as needed. Add confectioners’ sugar and mix until very fluffy, about 1 minute. Put half the frosting in a separate bowl, and add 4 heaping tablespoons apricot preserve and mix.

To assemble the cake, place one layer on desired serving dish, spread the middle layer with the apricot frosting mixture, add the second layer, and then frost the cake with the remaining frosting. Draw on the carrots with a knife (I mixed the tube of gel frosting with 1 tablespoon of frosting)