Best Carrot Cake

I made this. It was pretty easy to make. The batter was a bit overly sweet and I wasn't sure about it. The result...I thought it was pretty good. Dad thought it was really good as did Bro. D said it was the best he ever had. 2 days later it is still as moist as it was the first.

I actually hand grated the carrots. I didn't like the thickness of the shredded carrots in the store. And I still can't frost a cake all pretty.

Best Carrot Cake

Photo by ALB

Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
3 large eggs
2 cups sugar
3/4 cup vegetable oil
3/4 cup buttermilk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups grated carrot
1 (8-ounce) can crushed pineapple, drained
1 (3 1/2-ounce) can flaked coconut (I measured from a bag of sweetened flaked...couldn't find a can)
1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts (used walnuts)
Buttermilk Glaze (Below)
Cream Cheese Frosting (below)


Line 3 (9-inch) round cakepans with wax paper; lightly grease and flour wax paper. Set pans aside.
Stir together first 4 ingredients.
Beat eggs and next 4 ingredients at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth. Add flour mixture, beating at low speed until blended. Fold in carrot and next 3 ingredients. Pour batter into prepared cakepans.
Bake at 350° for 25 to 30 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Drizzle Buttermilk Glaze evenly over layers; cool in pans on wire racks 15 minutes. Remove from pans, and cool completely on wire racks. Spread Cream Cheese Frosting between layers and on top and sides of cake.


Yield: 1 (9-inch) 3 layer cake


Buttermilk Glaze

1 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract


Bring first 5 ingredients to a boil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Boil, stirring often, 4 minutes. Remove from heat, and stir in vanilla.


Yield: 1 1/2 cups

Cream Cheese Frosting

3/4 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 (3-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
3 cups sifted powdered sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract


Beat butter and cream cheese at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Add powdered sugar and vanilla; beat until smooth.


Yield: 4 cups