Carrot Cake

I LOVE Carrot Cake

Ok, I’ll be honest

I just LOVE dessert in general 🙂

When it comes to carrot cake

I am a purist

I don’t like pineapple and nuts in it

just straight carrot cake and cream cheese frosting

I am also picky and won’t eat any carrot cake

except homemade

(no boxes, or store bought… I am the same way with brownies – I’ll have to share my favorite, out of this world good brownie recipe next time I make them!)

So I decided I had a hankering for some Carrot Cake

over Mother’s Day weekend

so I whipped up my favorite recipe

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup applesauce (if you don’t like applesauce in recipes, use another 1/2 cup oil instead!)

3 eggs

2 cups flour

2 tsp cinnamon

1tsp baking soda

1tsp vanilla

1/2 tsp salt

3 cups carrots (5 medium)

Frosting

8oz cream cheese – I used 1/3 less fat

1/4 cup Butter – softened

2-3 tsp milk

1 tsp vanilla

4 cups powdered sugar

Directions:

Heat oven to 350. Grease and flour (I use Pam for baking) a 13×9 pan or 2 round pans. I personally use the 2 round pans, because I made it in a 13×9 before, and the center didn’t cook right 😛

Grate your carrots – I personally use my food processor, but you could use a hand/box grater – just don’t grate your finger!

Beat Sugar, oil, applesauce, and eggs together until well blended (I use my kitchen aid for EVERYTHING!) Add in flour, cinnamon, baking sods, vanilla and salt. Mix until just combined. Stir in Carrots. Pour into pans

Bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes for round pans and 40-45 minutes for 13×9 pan. Cool completely before frosting. 

While cooling make frosting – whip the cream cheese, vanilla, and butter together. Add the powdered sugar. Add milk as needed to get desired consistency.  Frost your cake when cool

Calories – including the frosting – just under 400 calories per slice, 16 slices per cake…