Carrot Cake with Walnuts and Cream Cheese Icing

Get a pound of carrots and some baking tools for this sweet treat!

Ingredients:

Cake:

• Nonstick vegetable oil spray

• ½ cup golden raisins (optional)

• 3 tablespoons dark rum (optional)

• 1 cup chopped walnuts

• 1 pound carrots, peeled, coarsely grated

• 1 cup buttermilk, room temperature

• 2½ cups all-purpose flour

• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

• 2 teaspoons ground ginger

• ½ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

• 2 teaspoons baking powder

• 1½ teaspoons kosher salt

• ¾ teaspoon baking soda

• 4 large eggs, room temperature

• 1 cup granulated sugar

• ¾ cup (packed) dark brown sugar

• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

• ¾ cup vegetable oil

Icing:

• 12 ounces cream cheese, room temperature

• ¾ cup (1½ sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• Generous pinch of kosher salt

• 4 cups powdered sugar

• Candied Carrot Coins (optional)

Steps:

Cake:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

2. Coat two 9" diameter cake pans with nonstick spray, and line the bottoms with parchment paper rounds.

3. Toast walnuts on a rimmed baking sheet, tossing once until golden brown (about 8-10 minutes)

4. Let the walnuts cool.

5. Combine the carrots and buttermilk in a medium bowl and gently mix the two (this allows the carrots to soften up and absorb the buttermilk)

6. Whisk the flour, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, baking powder, salt, and baking soda in a large bowl.

7. Using an electric mixer on high speed, beat eggs, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla extract until pale and thick (about 4 minutes)

8. Reduce the speed to medium-low and gradually stream in the oil.

9. Add the dry ingredients in 3 batches, alternating with the carrot mixture in 2 batches (dry, wet, dry, wet, dry)

10. Mix until smooth.

11. Fold in the walnuts with a rubber spatula.

12. Scrape the batter into prepared pans.

13. Bake the cakes -- rotate about halfway through.

14. Bake for 35-45 minutes until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean.

15. Let the cakes cool, then remove from pan.

Icing:

1. Using an electric mixer on high speed, beat the cream cheese and butter in a medium bowl until smooth (about 1 minute).

2. Beat in vanilla extract and salt.

3. Reduce speed to low, and gradually add in powdered sugar.

4. Increase speed to high and beat frosting until light and fluffy (about 2 minutes).

Assembly:

1. Using a long bread knife, cut the domes off the top of the two baked cakes.

2. Take the larger cake, and make that the base.

3. Then spread icing in the middle of the cake.

4. Flip the second cake, so both cut tops are on top of each other.

5. Then ice the rest of the cake.

6. Place in the fridge for 10 minutes for the icing to set.

7. Then remove and decorate as you please! :)

This cake will last you about a week long outside. It can be eaten at room temperature, cold, or heated. whatever your preference! Shout out to Bon Appetit for the great recipe here.