Easy Carrot Cake made from scratch...
About seven years ago, I got this recipe from a co-worker. Until today, I have heeded the warning,
"Don't tell anybody what's in it because they'll scrunch their noses up."
I usually make this cake once a year for Thanksgiving. I shop for the ingredients alone and make the cake when no one is at home.
Last year Christopher requested this cake for his birthday. He still doesn't know what the secret ingredient is.
Right now, I am thankful for that.
Easy Carrot Cake
Ingredients
- 2 cups sugar
- 1 ¼ cups vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon of vanilla
- 4 eggs
- Add 2 cups of self rising flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons of cinnamon
- 3 – 4oz jars of baby food carrots (yup)
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 1 Stick of Butter
- 1 Box 10 x powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon of vanilla
- 8 oz cream cheese
- 2 teaspoons milk
- 1 cup chopped nuts
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350. Grease and flour cake pans. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, mix together sugar, oil, and eggs. Then mix in the sifted flour and cinnamon, along with the vanilla and baby food. Spread batter evenly between 4 prepared cake pans.
- Bake for 15 - 18 minutes or until toothpick inserted into cake comes out clean. Remove from oven, and set aside to cool.
- In a medium mixing bowl, combine butter or margarine, cream cheese, vanilla, and powdered sugar. Blend until creamy and add the chopped nuts. Frost and stack the layers once they have cooled to room temperature.
Notes:
I use silicone cake pans. You can spray them with baking spray w/ flour. I only have two pans. So I can only bake two cakes at a time. Because the silicone is so flexible you can easily get the warm cake turned over onto a cooling rack, wash it and bake the other two cakes.
I like to frost my cakes generously. With the nuts added it doesn't spread well on the layers or leave enough to cover the cake. I use a store bought frosting for in between the layers (without nuts). Then I use the homemade frosting for the outside of the cake.
Here's the thing... anyone who grates carrots for a carrot cake is going to say this is cheating. So what - ain't nobody got time to grate carrots. I promise you this cake is #scruptabulous and because you can't "see" the carrots, people who don't like carrots are inclined to try it anyway.
This post is linked up with Finish the Sentence Friday.
