Magic Carrot Cake Recipes

Steps:

• For the cake: Position the racks to divide the oven into thirds and preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Butter and flour three 9-inch round, 2-inch deep cake pans, flour the insides and tap out the excess.
• Whisk together the flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and salt and set aside. In another bowl, stir together the carrots, chopped nuts, coconut and raisins.
• Working in a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large bowl with a whisk, beat the sugar and oil together until smooth. Add the eggs one by one and continue to beat until the batter is even smoother. If you are working in a mixer, reduce the speed to low, if you're working by hand switch to a large rubber spatula, and gently stir in the flour mixture - mix only until the dry ingredients disappear. Just as gently, stir in the chunky ingredients.
• Divide the batter among the baking pans and slide the pans into the oven. Bake the cakes for 40 to 50 minutes, rotating the pans top to bottom and front to back at the midway point. The cakes are properly baked when a knife inserted into the centers of the cakes comes out clean; the cakes will just start to come away from the edges. Transfer the pans to cooling racks, cool for 5 minutes, then turn out onto racks to cool to room temperature. (At this point, the cakes can be wrapped airtight and kept at room temperature overnight or frozen for up to 2 months; thaw before frosting.)
• For the frosting: Working in a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese and butter together until smooth and creamy. Gradually add the confectioners' sugar and continue to beat until the frosting is velvety smooth. Beat in the lemon juice or extract.
• If you'd like to have coconut in the filling, scoop out about 1/2 of the frosting and stir the coconut into this portion.
• To frost the cake, place one layer of the cake, right-side up, on a cardboard round or a cake plate. If you've added coconut to the frosting, use half of coconut frosting to generously cover the first layer. Use an offset spatula or a spoon to smooth the frosting all the way to the edges of the layer. Top with the second layer, this time placing the cake top-side down. Frost with the remainder of the coconut frosting. Top with the last layer, right-side up and use the plain frosting to cover the top - and the sides, if you want - of the cake. Finish the top layer with swirls of frosting. If you want to top the cake with toasted nuts or coconut, sprinkle on these ingredients now, while the frosting is soft. Slide the cake into the refrigerator for 15 minutes, just to set the frosting.
• Serving: The cake can be served as soon as the frosting is set. It can also wait, at room temperature and covered with a cake keeper, overnight. The cake is best served in thick slices at room temperature and, while it's good plain, it's better with whipped cream, vanilla ice cream or even some lemon curd with a little whipped cream folded in.
• Storing: Covered the cake will keep at room temperature for 2 to 3 days. It can also be frozen, uncovered, and then, when it is firmed, wrapped airtight and kept in the freezer for up to 2 months; defrost, still wrapped, in the refrigerator overnight.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9x13 inch pan.
• In a large bowl, beat together eggs, oil, white sugar and 2 teaspoons vanilla. Mix in flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Stir in carrots. Fold in pecans. Pour into prepared pan.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 40 to 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely.
• To Make Frosting: In a medium bowl, combine butter, cream cheese, confectioners' sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Beat until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Stir in chopped pecans. Frost the cooled cake.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. In a large bowl, beat sugar, buttermilk, oil, eggs and extract until well blended. In another bowl, combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon, salt and allspice; gradually beat into sugar mixture until blended. Stir in carrots, pineapple, walnuts and currants., Transfer to two greased and floured 9-in. round baking pans. Bake 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean., Meanwhile, for glaze, combine sugar, buttermilk, butter, corn syrup and baking soda in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil; cook and stir 4 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla., Pour glaze over hot cakes; cool 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely., For frosting, in a large bowl, beat cream cheese and butter until fluffy. Add confectioners' sugar and extract; beat until smooth., Place one cake layer on a serving plate; spread with 1 cup frosting. Top with remaining cake layer. Frost top and sides of cake. Store in the refrigerator.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) Butter a 9"x13" pan then sprinkle with flour.
• In a small bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, allspice and sea salt. Set aside.
• Put dates into food processor with 1 tsp water and process into a chunky paste.
• In a large bowl, mix the dates with melted butter and 2 tsp vanilla. Add mashed bananas and grated carrots. Whisk in eggs one at a time. Add yogurt and honey. Add raisins and walnuts if desired.
• Fold in flour mixture a third at a time, combining just until all dry ingredients are incorporated.
• Bake for 50-60 minutes in preheated oven. Try not to peek too much or take out early or the middle may fall.
• For Maple & Cream Cheese Frosting: Whisk together cream cheese, 1 tsp vanilla, maple syrup, softened butter, powdered sugar until fluffy and creamy.