toasted pecan carrot cake
2 Hours | Serves 8
Cake
2½ cups All-Purpose Flour
1½ cups Dark Brown Sugar Packed
2 tsp Baking Soda
1 tsp Baking Powder
1 tsp Table Salt
2 tsp Ground Cinnamon
½ tsp Ground Nutmeg
¾ cup Vegetable Oil
¾ cup Buttermilk Room Temperature
4 Large Eggs Room Temperature
1 Tbsp Vanilla Extract
3 cups Freshly Grated Carrots
1½ cups Pecans (Optional)
Frosting
½ cup Salted Butter Softened
8 oz Cream Cheese Softened
1½ tsp Vanilla Extract
¼ tsp Table Salt
4 cups Confectioners’ Sugar
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Spray two, 9-inch cake pans with nonstick cooking spray.
Spread the pecans out on a sheet pan, and bake on the middle rack of the oven for 10 minutes. Set aside to cool. Coarsely chop the pecans.
In a medium-sized mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt.
With an electric mixer, whisk together the brown sugar, buttermilk, vegetable oil and vanilla extract for 1 minute. Whisk in the eggs, 1 egg at a time, allowing 30 seconds between each egg. Scrape the sides down into the bowl and mix for an additional 30 seconds.
With a spatula, fold in the carrots and 1 cup of the pecans. Distribute the batter between the two sprayed pans. Place the pans spaced evenly on the middle rack of the oven.
Bake for 25-30 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool cakes in pans for 15 minutes. Remove the cakes from the pans and place on a cooling rack for at least 30 minutes.
While the cakes are cooling, prepare the frosting. Combine all ingredients and whisk together using an electric mixer on low speed for 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides and increase the speed to medium-high. Whisk for an additional minute.
Turn one cake upside down and place it on a cake plate. Evenly spread frosting on the top of the cake. Place the second cake on top and spread frosting on the top and sides of the stacked cakes. Sprinkle the remaining ½ cup of pecans around the edge of the cake for garnish.
Cake
2½ cups All-Purpose Flour
1½ cups Dark Brown Sugar Packed
2 tsp Baking Soda
1 tsp Baking Powder
1 tsp Table Salt
2 tsp Ground Cinnamon
½ tsp Ground Nutmeg
¾ cup Vegetable Oil
¾ cup Buttermilk Room Temperature
4 Large Eggs Room Temperature
1 Tbsp Vanilla Extract
3 cups Freshly Grated Carrots
1½ cups Pecans (Optional)
Frosting
½ cup Salted Butter Softened
8 oz Cream Cheese Softened
1½ tsp Vanilla Extract
¼ tsp Table Salt
4 cups Confectioners’ Sugar
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Spray two, 9-inch cake pans with nonstick cooking spray.
Spread the pecans out on a sheet pan, and bake on the middle rack of the oven for 10 minutes. Set aside to cool. Coarsely chop the pecans.
In a medium-sized mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt.
With an electric mixer, whisk together the brown sugar, buttermilk, vegetable oil and vanilla extract for 1 minute. Whisk in the eggs, 1 egg at a time, allowing 30 seconds between each egg. Scrape the sides down into the bowl and mix for an additional 30 seconds.
With a spatula, fold in the carrots and 1 cup of the pecans. Distribute the batter between the two sprayed pans. Place the pans spaced evenly on the middle rack of the oven.
Bake for 25-30 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool cakes in pans for 15 minutes. Remove the cakes from the pans and place on a cooling rack for at least 30 minutes.
While the cakes are cooling, prepare the frosting. Combine all ingredients and whisk together using an electric mixer on low speed for 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides and increase the speed to medium-high. Whisk for an additional minute.
Turn one cake upside down and place it on a cake plate. Evenly spread frosting on the top of the cake. Place the second cake on top and spread frosting on the top and sides of the stacked cakes. Sprinkle the remaining ½ cup of pecans around the edge of the cake for garnish.