Hello Lovelies!
I am excited to share this carrot cake recipe with you! It’s my first carrot cake experience and it is delicious! I got it from my favorite baker “Sally’s Baking Addiction” she makes the best sweets! I made this cake for Easter for my family. So I am posting it today since Easter is tomorrow and I want you guys to try and make it for your family as well! This will be my first Easter living in California and I have family here that I am celebrating with at a lovely park surrounded by beautiful trees and flowers! I can’t wait! I am so blessed to be here and all the opportunities I have had so far. Easter for me is about celebrating Jesus and thanking Him for dying on the cross for my sins and rising again. I am thinking of this cake as His celebration cake! I wouldn’t be where I am or who I am today if it wasn’t for Him so honoring Him tomorrow is what I plan to do.
I never really make cakes from scratch more of a cupcake kinda girl, but this cake is too good to pass up. The prep time takes about 30 minutes and the baking part another 30 after frosting and everything your looking at an hour and half. So you have plenty of time to make it for tomorrow lovelies! The holidays are about family and spending time with the people you love however you celebrate Easter is all personal preference and this cake is a great party favor. Lovelies I am going to Coachella next week!! I am so excited my best friend in the whole wide world Cayley is coming to town from Canada and we are going together. I can’t wait! Because of this I will not have any new posts next week. I will like to share some highlights from the festival so follow my Instagram to see some of my favorite snacks and drinks to have while at the festival. I will be back with a foodie feature the following week. If you will be attending Coachella don’t be shy and say Hi! It’s going to be a great time and Lady Gaga will most definitely kill it! Lovelies I hope you have a wonderful Easter and a wonderful week! Thanks for stopping by and let me know how your cake comes out if you make it this weekend!
Xoxo Shaunté
Ingredients:
Cake
3 cups (390g) Diamond of California chopped pecans or pecan pieces (1 cup for cake, 2 cups for garnish)
1 and 1/2 cups (300g) packed light or dark brown sugar (I prefer dark)
1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
1 cup (240ml) vegetable or canola oil
4 large eggs
3/4 cup (133g) smooth unsweetened applesauce1
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 and 1/2 cups (312g) all-purpose flour (measured correctly)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 and 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
2 cups (260g) grated carrots (about 4 large)
Cream Cheese Frosting:
16 ounces (450g) full-fat cream cheese, softened to room temperature
1/2 cup (115g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
4 cups (480g) confectioners' sugar
2-3 Tablespoons (30-45ml) heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
pinch salt
Directions:
Preheat oven to 300°F (149°C) degrees. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Spread the chopped pecans on the sheet and toast for 8 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.
Turn the oven up to 350°F (177°C). Spray two 9-inch cake pans* with nonstick spray. Set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk the brown sugar, granulated sugar, oil, eggs, applesauce, and vanilla together until combined and no brown sugar lumps remain. Set aside. In another large bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves together until combined. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and, using a rubber spatula or wooden spoon, fold the ingredients together until just combined. Then, fold in the carrots and 1 cup of the toasted pecans. The rest of the pecans are used in step 6.
Pour/spoon the batter evenly into the two cake pans. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the centers comes out clean. Allow the cakes to cool completely in the pans set on a wire rack.
Make the frosting: In a large bowl using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a whisk or paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese and butter together on medium speed until smooth, about 2 minutes. Add the confectioners’ sugar and 2 Tablespoons of cream. Beat for 2 minutes. Add the vanilla and 1 more Tablespoon cream if needed to thin out. Beat on high for 2 full minutes. Taste the frosting and add a pinch of salt if it is too sweet.
Assemble and frost: First, using a large serrated knife, layer off the tops of the cakes to create a flat surface. Place 1 cake layer on your cake stand or serving plate. Evenly cover the top with frosting. Top with 2nd layer and spread remaining frosting all over the top and sides. Decorate the sides of the cake with the remaining toasted pecans. Slice and serve.
