Moist and delicious, carrot cake is one of my families all time favorite cakes. To keep it simple, I made it in a bundt pan and just added a halo of decadent cream cheese and toasted pecan frosting right on top.
This is more of a cake that also has fresh shredded carrots in it, rather than carrot cake in its pure form. That’s because in addition to carrots you can add just about anything to it. I tossed in some coconut, pecans and pineapple.
This recipe makes a dense but very moist cake that just gets better the day after its baked.
It’s not a fussy cake, more of a toss it all in and stir cake, yet another reason to love it!
Bundt cakes are perfect in their simplicity.
The frosting is just that good old cream cheese frosting I bet you’ve made one million times before, but add a little toasted pecans and fresh vanilla and it’s out of this world good.
Here’s the recipe
3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 1/4 ground cinnamon
3 large eggs plus 2 yolks
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup sugar
1 1/4 cup light brown sugar
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups fresh grated carrots
3/4 cup shredded coconut
1 cup pineapple cut into 1/2 inch sections
1 3/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup chopped pecans toasted
*to toast pecans, run them into your 350′ oven on a cookie sheet for about 5 minutes or until toasty brown and fragrant*
preheat oven to 350′
Add flour, baking powder, baking soda,cinnamon and salt to a medium size mixing bowl
To another medium size mixing bowl add eggs, egg yolks, oil, and sugars. Whisk until well blended and light.
Pour the egg mixture into the flour bowl and gently stir together until blended then add the carrots, coconut, pineapple and nuts. Stir until blended.
Pour the batter into a buttered and floured bundt pan and bake at 350′ for about 45 minutes. Start testing at the 35 minute mark for doneness by inserting a wooden stick (I use one of those cheap chopsticks from the take away). With all those rich eggs it might a little longer than 45 minutes.
Cream cheese icing
1 stick unsalted butter room temp
8 oz cream cheese room temp
1 3/4 cups confectioner’s (powdered) sugar
seeds from 1 vanilla bean or 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
With a hand-held mixer, blend the above ingredients until light and fluffy
gently fold in 1/4 cup toasted pecans until well blended
Enjoy!
~Caroline
