Old-Fashioned Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Name: Old-Fashioned Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 1 h 5 min
Yield: 16 servings.
Ingredients: 4 large eggs, room temperature; 2 cups sugar; 1 cup canola oil; 2 cups all-purpose flour; 2 to 3 teaspoons ground cinnamon; 3/4 teaspoon baking soda; 1/2 teaspoon baking powder; 1/4 teaspoon salt; 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg; 2 cups grated carrots; FROSTING:; 1/2 cup butter, softened; 3 ounces cream cheese, softened; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; 3-3/4 cups confectioners' sugar; 2 to 3 tablespoons 2% milk; 1 cup chopped walnuts, optional; Optional: Orange and green food coloring

TOTAL TIME: Prep: 30 min. Bake: 35 min. + cooling YIELD: 16 servings.

A pleasingly moist cake, this treat is the one I requested that my mom make each year for my birthday. It's dotted with sweet carrots and a hint of cinnamon. The fluffy buttery frosting is scrumptious with chopped walnuts stirred in. One piece of this carrot cake with cream cheese frosting is never enough—it's better than all the other carrot cakes I've tried! —Kim Orr, West Grove, Pennsylvania

Ingredients

4 large eggs, room temperature
2 cups sugar
1 cup canola oil
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 to 3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 cups grated carrots
FROSTING:
1/2 cup butter, softened
3 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3-3/4 cups confectioners' sugar
2 to 3 tablespoons 2% milk
1 cup chopped walnuts, optional
Optional: Orange and green food coloring

Directions

1. In a large bowl, combine the eggs, sugar and oil. Combine the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, salt and nutmeg; beat into egg mixture. Stir in carrots.
2. Pour into 2 greased and floured 9-in. round baking pans. Bake at 350° for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely.
3. For frosting, in another large bowl, cream butter and cream cheese until light and fluffy, 3-4 minutes. Beat in vanilla. Gradually beat in confectioners' sugar. Add enough milk to achieve desired spreading consistency. If desired, reserve 1/2 cup frosting for decorating. Stir walnuts into remaining frosting, if desired.
4. Spread frosting between layers and over top and side of cake. If desired, tint 1/4 cup reserved frosting orange; using a #7 round tip, pipe 16 carrots around the top of the cake, one per piece of cake. Tint remaining 1/4 cup frosting green; using a #67 leaf tip, pipe a leaf at the top of each carrot. Store in the refrigerator.

Nutrition Facts

1 piece: 531 calories, 28g fat (7g saturated fat), 67mg cholesterol, 203mg sodium, 68g carbohydrate (54g sugars, 1g fiber), 5g protein.