Mother Lode Carrot Cake
with Cream Cheese Frosting

I think this is the best. I like 'em HEAVY and rich and fiddled with one and came up with this incredible cake! Easy? What good thing is?

Ingredients

• 1 (12 to 14 ounce) bag frozen carrots
• 2 tablespoons cinnamon (divided)
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 3 cups granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon baking soda
• 1 1/2 cups corn oil
• 4 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 2 1/2 tablespoons vanilla extract, divided
• 1 1/2 cups shredded coconut
• 1 3/4 cups chopped walnuts
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom (optional)
• 1/8 teaspoon allspice
• 3/4 cup drained, crushed pineapple
• 12 ounces cream cheese
• 9 tablespoons sweet butter (room temperature)
• 4 1/2 cups sifted powdered sugar

Instructions

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and drop in 1 tablespoon cinnamon with frozen carrots. Boil until carrots are tender; drain but do not rinse.
2. Purée carrots and cinnamon in a processor or blender and set aside.
3. Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease two 9 inch springform pans (You could also use 3 (9 inch) cake pans, grease and cut a parchment circle to fit the bottom; greasing parchment. Bake for less time and test as suggested below.)
4. In a large bowl, sift the flour, sugar, salt, baking soda, 1 tablespoon cinnamon, allspice and cardamom.
5. Add oil, eggs and 1 tablespoon vanilla extract, beating well until combined.
6. Fold in walnuts, coconut, pineapple and carrot purée.
7. Pour into prepared pans and bake on the middle rack for 50 minutes or until edges pull away from the sides and cake tester comes out clean when inserted near the center.
8. Cool on rack for 3 hours before removing from pan.
9. Frosting: Cream together the cream cheese and sweet butter in a medium bowl.
10. Slowly add the sifted powdered sugar and continue to beat until smooth and free of lumps.
11. Add 1 1/2 tablespoons vanilla extract and mix thoroughly.
12. Frost cake and serve.

Notes

This cake also freezes well if you wrap it in plastic wrap and then aluminum foil.

Attribution

Posted by artsycook at recipegoldmine.com.