Most Amazing Carrot Cake Recipe in the World.

This past Sunday I was in the mood to do a little baking.  I was also in the mood for carrot cake and lo & behold we had almost all of the ingredients!  Andy and the girls helped me make it so it was a fun Sunday family activity that we all participated in.

This cake turned out to be so amazing and moist and delicious.  I think it is the best that I have ever ever made.  And it's also egg free!  Remember several months ago when I said Georgia's egg allergy was gone?  Well, it has come back a little bit with certain things so we just steer clear of eggs when we can.  It's a bummer but we were so used to cooking without eggs that it wasn't really a thing anymore to us.

Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

2 c   All Purpose Flour

1 1/2 c   Sugar

1/4 c   Brown Sugar, packed (dark or light)

1  1/2 t   Baking Soda

1 t   Baking Powder

1 t  Salt

4 t  Cinnamon

1/4 t  Nutmeg (I used freshly grated)

1/8 t  Ground Cloves 

1/4 t  Ground Ginger

2 c  Finely Grated Peeled Carrot, packed

1 c  Coconut Flakes, sweetened

1 c  Raisins 

1 can 8 oz  Crushed Pineapple, drained

1 c  Vegetable Oil

2 t  Vanilla Extract

3 T ground golden flax seed meal

3 T coconut water

1/2 c  chopped Pecans for topping

oil or spray for pan

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Prepare two 9 inch cake pans by oiling pan and line with a parchment paper round on the bottom then spray the top of the parchment (don't skip this step - trust me!). 

In a large bowl whisk well:  Flour, Sugar, Brown Sugar, Baking Soda, Baking Powder, Salt, all Spices.

Peel then Grate approx 5-6 medium Carrots to yield 2 cups packed.  Grate Carrots finely to no more than 1/4 inch pieces.  Or process in a food processor until finely grated but not mush.  It is important that you peel the Carrots before grating.  You do not want the tough skins in your cake.

In a medium bowl add Carrots, Drained Pineapple, Raisins, Coconut Flakes and mix well with a big spoon.

To this mixture add the Vegetable Oil, Vanilla Extract, flax seed meal and coconut water and mix well.  Scrape down bowl often.

Slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix until well mixed (about a min.).  Do not over mix.

Pour divided into prepared (as above) 9 inch cake pans.

Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes.  Half way through cooking rotate the pans for even cooking.  A toothpick will come out clean when done.  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.

Allow to cool completely in pan for 1-2 hrs. before removing to ice with Cream Cheese Icing.  Recipe below.  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.  I also like to flash freeze my cakes after they have cooled.  The icing is so much easier to put on.

Cream Cheese Icing

1 stick Butter, salted, softened

8 oz. Cream Cheese, softened (1 bar)

2 c Powdered Sugar

2 t Vanilla Extract

2 t fresh orange zest

1 to 2 T half and half

Allow Butter and Cream Cheese to sit out until at room temperature and softened.

In a large bowl, place the softened Butter.

Cream the Butter with a hand mixer for 2 minutes. Then add the Cream Cheese and cream for 2 minutes or so more until well mixed.

1 cup at a time, add the Powdered Sugar and blend well.

Add Vanilla and Orange Zest and mix well.  Use half and half to help make the right consistency. 

Ice the cake and top with the chopped pecans.

Bon Appetit!