Old Fashioned Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

When in doubt, go with the classics, right?   For the dessert portion of our Easter meal, I chose this gorgeous carrot cake.   Sadly, my food processor went to appliance heaven a while back, and the thought of hand grating carrots wasn't putting me in a festive mood.    Then I remembered that I had a Salad Shooter stashed away in the basement, anyone else remember those?   It made super short work of those carrots! I made no changes to the cake recipe itself.  For the frosting, I used whole milk, omitted walnuts, and used 8oz of cream cheese.   Though I"m not the best decorator, I piped on the carrots and stems.

I loved this cake.  It had such great texture and flavor on its own, then that cream cheese frosting.   My son isn't a huge cream cheese fan, but he ate all the cake and most of the frosting and gave it a thumbs up.    My husband?  He said it was good, but he doesn't really think of carrot cake as dessert...  Vegetables and cream cheese make him think of breakfast.   We've been married over 15 years and I had no clue he didn't like carrot cake.  Oops!  Thanks so much to Kim O for her wonderful recipe!

This week, thirteen bloggers are sharing 46 recipes and tips to help you serve up deliciousness this Easter. Follow #EasterRecipes on social media to see what we're serving up!

           

Old Fashioned Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Yield: 16

Author: Jolene's Recipe Journal

ingredients:

• 4 large eggs
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 cup canola oil
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 to 3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 2 cups grated carrots
• FROSTING:
• 1/2 cup butter -- softened
• 1 package cream cheese -- (3 ounces) softened- used 8 oz
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 3/4 cups confectioners' sugar
• 2 tablespoons 2% milk -- (2 to 3)- used whole milk
• 1 cup chopped walnuts -- optional- omitted
• Orange and green food coloring -- optional

instructions:

1. In a large bowl, combine the eggs, sugar and oil. Combine the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, salt and nutmeg; beat into egg mixture. Stir in carrots.
2. Pour into two greased and floured 9-in. round baking pans. Bake at 350° for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely.
3. For frosting, in another large bowl, cream butter and cream cheese until light and fluffy. Beat in vanilla. Gradually beat in confectioners' sugar. Add enough milk to achieve desired spreading consistency. Reserve 1/2 cup frosting for decorating if desired. If desired, stir walnuts into remaining frosting.
4. Spread frosting between layers and over top and sides of cake. If decorating the cake, tint 1/4 cup reserved frosting orange and 1/4 cup green. Cut a small hole in the corner of pastry or plastic bag; insert #7 round pastry tip. Fill the bag with orange frosting. Pipe twelve carrots on top of cake, so each slice will have a carrot. Using #67 leaf pastry tip and the green frosting, pipe a leaf at the top of each carrot.
5. Store cake in the refrigerator. Yield: 16 servings.

Source: "http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/old-fashioned-carrot-cake-with-cream-cheese-frosting"

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Easter Recipes 

Friday

• Easter M&M Thumbprint Cookies by Family Around The Table
• Ham & Cheese Omelette Roll by Corn, Beans, Pigs & Kids
• Old Fashioned Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting by Jolene's Recipe Journal
• Quick and Easy Garlic Knots by A Day in the Life on the Farm

In case you missed them, here’s all the #EasterRecipes to date:

Monday

• Deviled Ham Bites by A Kitchen Hoor's Adventures
• 30 Minute Dinner Rolls by Amy's Cooking Adventures
• Easy Pecan Sticky Buns by Corn, Beans, Pigs & Kids
• Easy Citrus Ham by Jolene's Recipe Journal
• Sausage and Vegetable Strata by A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Prosciutto Wrapped Asparagus With Lemon Herb Sauce by Tip Garden
• Strawberry “Carrots” by Family Around The Table
• Easter Malted Milk Dip by Hezzi-D's Books and Cooks
• Easter Egg Cooking and Dyeing Tips and Tricks by Palatable Pastime

Tuesday

• Italian Easter Bread by Palatable Pastime
• Carrot Cake Pancakes by Sew You Think You Can Cook
• Torta Salata Pasquale by A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Dill Roasted Radishes by A Kitchen Hoor's Adventures
• Roasted Parmesan Asparagus by Family Around The Table
• Praying Arm Pretzels by Amy’s Cooking Adventures
• Creamy Coconut Mini Tarts by Making the Most of Naptime

Wednesday

• Carrot Cake Cinnamon Rolls by Sew You Think You Can Cook
• Cinnamon Crescent Rolls by Tip Garden
• Tomato Asparagus Quiche by Caroline's Cooking
• Peeps Whoopie Pies by Palatable Pastime
• Rosemary Garlic Herb Rib Roast by Family Around The Table
• Honey butter Peas and Carrots by Jolene's Recipe Journal
• Pea and Pasta Salad by A Kitchen Hoor's Adventures
• Roasted Eggplant Salad by A Day in the Life on the Farm

Thursday

• Baked Eggs with Tomatoes by A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Spring Herb Brie Bake by A Kitchen Hoor's Adventures
• Carrot Cake Energy Balls by Sew You Think You Can Cook
• Classic Peanut Butter Confetti Bars by Making the Most of Naptime
• Easter Muddy Buddies by Family Around The Table
• Honey Cinnamon Quick Bread by Amy's Cooking Adventures
• Linda's Famous Carrot Cake by Cooking With Carlee
• Mini Easter Cheesecake Bites by Hezzi-D's Books and Cooks