Sprout's Carrot Cake

Day one of our Spring Works is in the books. I got to sleep in until 3. The rest of the week will begin with a 2:30 alarm, but my alarm is set to play Christian music when it goes off so that's a really nice way to begin the day, even if it is at 2:30 in the morning.

Yesterday I fixed biscuits, gravy, scrambled eggs, sausage, and fruit for breakfast. For dinner I made Salisbury steak with gravy, mashed potatoes, green beans, Soft and Fluffy One Hour Rolls, and salad.

Our girl shared this recipe with me a few weeks ago and I fixed it for the crew for dessert. Lots of "What kind of cake is this?" and "Dang, that's good cake!" comments as well as a few groans were overheard so it earns a place in my forever cookbook as well as a blog post. I thought I had a pretty good Carrot Cake recipe, but I think it's been replaced. And if you have Carrot Cake haters in your midst, just call it something else...I'll bet they'll have a change of heart. 😉

Here's the link to the recipe she shared with me: Best Carrot Cake
 As usual, I'm posting it here as well so I'll have a record of it and I'm changing the name.

Sprout's Carrot Cake

2 C flour
2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp cinnamon
3 large eggs
2 C sugar
3/4 C vegetable oil
3/4 C buttermilk
2 tsp vanilla
2 C grated carrots
1 8 oz can crushed pineapple, drained
3 1/2 oz flaked coconut
1 C chopped pecans

*Spray 3 cake pans with baking spray. (The original recipe says to line the pans with wax paper and then spray the wax paper. I didn't do that, but I probably should have.) Stir together flour, soda, salt, and cinnamon in a bowl. In a 2nd bowl, beat eggs, sugar, vegetable oil, buttermilk, and vanilla until smooth. Add flour mixture and mix until well incorporated. Fold in carrots, pineapple, coconut, and pecans. Pour batter into prepared cake pans. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Drizzle warm buttermilk glaze evenly over warm cake layers while they are still in the pan. Cool in pans on wire rack for 15 minutes. Remove from pans and cool completely on cooling racks. Spread with cream cheese frosting.

Buttermilk Glaze

1 C sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 C buttermilk
1/2 C butter
1 Tbsp light corn syrup
1 tsp vanilla

*Bring sugar, baking soda, buttermilk, butter, and corn syrup to a boil over medium heat. Bring to a boil, stirring often for 4 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in vanilla.

Cream Cheese Frosting
3/4 C butter, softened
1 - 8 oz package cream cheese, softened
1 - 3 oz package cream cheese, softened
3 C sifted, powdered sugar
1 1/2 tsp vanilla

*Beat butter and cream cheese until creamy. Add powdered sugar and vanilla, beat until smooth.

Now I only had 2 round cake pans, but our girl assured me that's all she had and it worked out fine. Alas, mine did not. I found myself on the verge of a Carrot Cake Catastrophe:

I thought those pans looked a little full and sure enough they spilled over. Good thing I thought to pop a foil lined cookie sheet under them. My layers fell in a little and they weren't even so it didn't make the prettiest cake,

but it all worked out in the end and it was definitely worth it because it was one heck of a delicious cake. Cut the pieces small - it's a really rich cake. You can always go back for 2nds. I'll worry about how far I'll have to walk to work it off later.

So thanks kiddo! You're becoming quite the aficionado in the kitchen! P.S. She's bringing her Mama sourdough starter!