This is my all-time FAVORITE dessert...the cake is moist and smooth, while the icing is rich yet not-too-sweet, which complements the cake perfectly! Lots of folks who try it admit it's the best carrot cake they ever had...seriously...you can't beat it. ;)

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Ingredients

Cake

Carrots, (3 cups when grated)
2 cups Flour
3/4 cup White Sugar
1 cup Brown Sugar
2 teaspoons Baking Soda
1 teaspoon Baking Powder
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
4 Eggs
1 1/4 cup Vegetable Oil
1 1/4 teaspoons Vanilla Extract
1 (8 ounce) can Crushed Pineapple, with juice
[Optional] Pecans (3/4 cup when chopped)

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Icing

3 1/2 cups Powdered Sugar
1 (8 ounce) package Cream Cheese (or Neufchatel cheese)
1/2 cup Butter, softened
1 1/4 teaspoons Vanilla Extract
[Optional] Pecans, (1/2 to 1 cup when chopped)

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Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Grease 2 8-inch round pans with nonstick spray.
- Alternatively, you can use a 9x13 pan, and simply add about 10 minutes to the baking time.
In a large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients (flour, both sugars, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon) and set aside.
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Peel the carrots with a vegetable peeler.
- Or you can use baby carrots and skip the peeling.
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Then grate/process the carrots in a food processor.
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[Optional] If using pecans, chop 3/4 cup in a food chopper.
In a blender, add the grated carrots, oil, 1 1/4 teaspoons vanilla, and pineapple. Pulse until liquefied (this removes the chunks from the carrots and pineapple to give the cake a smoother texture).
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Pour the contents of the blender into a mixing bowl. Add the dry ingredients, the eggs and the chopped pecans (if desired).
Using a stand mixer, mix until thoroughly combined (flex edge beater attachment works great for this!).
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Spoon half the batter into each pan.
Bake in preheated oven for 35-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of cake comes out clean. Allow to cool.
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Make the icing:
- In a medium bowl, cream together the cream cheese (or Neufchatel cheese), 1/2 cup butter and 1 1/4 teaspoons vanilla.
- Slowly add in the powdered sugar, and beat until smooth.
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Once cakes are completely cool:
- Use a serrated knife or a cake leveler to cut the rounded top off of one cake (if necessary...sometimes these denser cakes don't result in a rounded top).
- Using an offset spatula, spread a generous layer of icing on top of the leveled cake.
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- Place the other cake on top of the iced bottom tier.
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- Use the offset spatula to cover the sides and top of the assembled cake.
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- [Optional] Chop 1/2 cup of pecans in a food chopper and use to top the cake. Alternatively, you could cover the sides with 1 cup chopped pecans.
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For more delicious dessert recipes, check out my other recent posts: