Recipe for cooking Mother Lode Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Desserts to Go with Coffee and Tea :: Sheet Cakes and Layer Cakes

Mother Lode Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Posted by artsycook at recipegoldmine.com

I think this is the best. I like \em HEAVY and rich and fiddled with one and came up with this incredible cake! Easy? What good thing is?

1 (12 to 14 oz.) bag frozen carrots
2 Tbsp. cinnamon (divided)
3 c. all-purpose flour
3 c. sugar
1 tea. salt
1 Tbsp. baking soda
1 1/2 c. corn oil
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
2 1/2 Tbsp. vanilla extract or flavoring, divided
1 1/2 c. shredded coconut
1 3/4 c. chopped walnuts
1/8 tea. ground cardamom (optional)
1/8 tea. allspice
3/4 c. drained, crushed pineapple
12 oz. cream cheese
4 1/2 c. sifted powdered sugar
9 Tbsp. sweet butter, room temperature

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and drop in 1 Tbsp. cinnamon with frozen carrots. Boil until carrots are tender; drain but do not rinse. Puree carrots and cinnamon in a processor or blender and set aside.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease two 9-inch springform pans (You could also use 3 - 9-inch cake pans, grease and cut a parchment circle to fit the bottom; greasing parchment. Bake for less time and test as suggested below.)

In a large bowl, sift the flour, sugar, salt, baking soda, 1 Tbsp. cinnamon, allspice and cardamom. Add oil, eggs and 1 Tbsp. vanilla, beating well until combined. Fold in walnuts, coconut, pineapple and carrot puree. Pour into greased pans and bake on the middle rack for 50 min. or until edges pull away from the sides and cake tester comes out clean when inserted near the center. Cool on rack for 3 hours before removing from pan.

Frosting: Cream together the cream cheese and sweet butter in a medium bowl. Slowly add the sifted powdered sugar and continue to beat until smooth and free of lumps. Add vanilla extract or flavoring and mix thoroughly. Frost cake with frosting and serve. Cake also freezes well if you wrap in plastic wrap and then foil.