pat's Recipe

Carrot Cake

Category: Cakes

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour plus more for
pans
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground cinnamon
3/4 tsp coarse salt
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
3 sticks (12 ounces) unsalted butter, room
temp, plus more for pans
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
3 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup water
1 lb of carrots (8 to 10 medium carrots),
peeled and shredded on a box grater or in
a food processor (about 2 3/4 cups)
2 cups pecans ( 1 cup finely chopped for
batter, 1 cup coarsely chopped for
decorating sides of cake)
cream cheese frosting (recipe follows)

Make the cake: Preheat oven to 350. Butter three 9-inch round cake pans. Line botoms with parchment paper, and butter parchment. Dust with flour, tapping out excess. Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, ginger, and nutmeg.
Beat butter and sugars with a mixer on medium speed until pale and floffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat 3 minutes. Add vanilla, water, and carrots. Beat until well combined, about 2 minutes. Reduce speed to low, and add flour mixture, then finely chopped pecans.
Scrape batter into prepared pans, dividing evenly. Bake, rotating pans halfway through, until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into centers comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Let cool in pans on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Run a knife around edges of cakes to loosen, and turn out cakes onto rack. Turn right side up, and let cool completely.
Using a serrated knife, trim rounded top of 2 cakes. Place one trimmed cake, cut side up, on a serving plate. Spread 1 cup frosting over cake. Top with second trimmed cake. Spread 1 cup frosting over cake. Top with remaining cake. Spread remaining frosting over top and sides. Gently press coarsely chopped pecans onto sides of cake. Refrigerate 1 hour (or up to 1 day, covered) before serving.

CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

16 ounces cream cheese, room temp
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 sticks (16 Tbsp) unsalted butter, cut
into small pieces and brought to room temp
2 lbs confectioners' sugar

Beat cream cheese and vanilla with a mixer on medium speed until creamy. Gradually add butter, beating until incorporated after each addition.
Reduce speed to low. Gradually add confectioners' sugar and beat until fluffy and smooth. Frosting can be refrigerated for up to 2 days; bring to room temp and stir well before using.