Carrot Cake is just one of those recipe’s that people really love. It’s a moist, dense, rich, spicy cake. When it comes to carrot cake, I’m a traditionalist and a firm believer that you just don’t mess with perfection. This recipe is, in my humble opinion, is one of the most moist, carrot-loaded, nut-tastic, cream-cheese frosting smothered recipe’s you will ever find.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp all-spice
• 3 large eggs
• 2 cups sugar
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 3/4 cup buttermilk
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups grated carrot
• 1 (4-ounce) can crushed pineapple, drained
• 1/2 cup white raisins
• 1/2 cup toasted coconut
• 1 cup chopped (toasted) walnuts

Preheat over to 350 degrees

Prepare 3 (8-inch) round cake pans with wax paper; lightly grease and flour. Set pans aside.

Stir together dry ingredients ingredients.

In a large bowl, beat together eggs, sugar, vegetable oil and buttermilk at a medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth. Add flour mixture, 1/3 at a time, beating at low speed after each addition. Fold in carrot, pineapple, raisins, coconut and walnuts.  Divide batter equally into prepared cake pans.

Bake at 350° for 30 minutes or until a wooden skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.

Cool in the pans for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire cooling wrack to full cool.

Cream Cheese Frosting

• 2 (8 oz) blocks of cream cheese
• 2 stick of salted butter
• 1tbs vanilla extract
• 2 lbs powdered sugar

In a large clean bowl, cream together the cream cheese and butter until pale and soft. Add the powdered sugar a cup at a time, mixing after each addition to fully incorporate. Add the vanilla extract and beat for 2 minutes until light and fluffy.

To Decorate

Trim and torte each layer of cake, place the first layer on a serving plate and spoon on a generous layer of frosting. Add second layer and more frosting. Add final layer and chill for 5 minutes.

Remove from the refrigerator and cover with the remaining frosting.

Add some crushed nuts around the cake for decorating.