Not Just For Easter Carrot Cake Recipes

ADDICTIVE CARROT CAKE

Steps:

• 1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease, flour, and line with parchment or wax paper (3) 9 inch round cake pans, Or lightly grease and flour a 9x13 cake pan.
• 2. Using a large bowl, sift together flour, sugar, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt.
• 3. In a smaller bowl stir together carrots, eggs, oil, nuts, and pineapple.
• 4. Then stir them into dry ingredients until mixture is well combined. **Hand mix only, do not use an electric mixture or it will make the cake dry.**
• 5. Divide mixture among the 3 cake pans or pour into rectangular pan.
• 6. Bake for 30 minutes, or 35 mins if using the rectangular pan, until a cake tester or knife comes out clean. The cake will just begin to pull away from the edges of the pan. If using round pans, cool 10 mins before inverting onto cake racks. If you plan to serve cake directly out of the rectangular pan, cool completely in the pan.
• 7. Prepare the cream cheese frosting. Using an electric mixer combine cream cheese and butter.
• 8. Slowly beat in confectioners sugar until well combined.
• 9. Beat in vanilla.
• 10. When cake is completely cool, frost round layers, front top, and sides.
• 11. Or spread frosting atop the rectangular cake. Decorate and sprinkle with nuts, if desired.

NOT-JUST-FOR EASTER CARROT CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease three 8" round layer cake pans, line with waxed paper, then grease and flour waxed paper.
• Combine first 7 ingredients in a medium bowl, then set aside.
• In a large bowl, combine both sugars, buttermilk, oil, eggs, and vanilla until blended.
• Add flour mixture, then carrots, pineapple, walnuts, coconut, and raisins, stirring just until incorporated.
• Pour batter into prepared cake pans. Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 30 minute, or until a cake tester comes out clean. Cool in pans for 10 minutes, then loosen cake from edges of pan with a sharp knife and invert onto wire racks. Peel off waxed paper and let cool completely.
• Meanwhile, make Cream Cheese Frosting: combine butter and cream cheese in a large mixing bowl, beating until light and fluffy. Add sugar, orange rind, and vanilla, mixing well.
• When cakes are cool, spread frosting between layers and on top and sides of cake. Garnish with marzipan carrots, if desired. Cover and refrigerate overnight before cutting.