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Jack’s Carrot Cake
Jack’s Carrot Cake is a super moist, decadent carrot cake loaded with all sorts of delicious ingredients including carrots, raisins, pineapple, applesauce, coconut, and walnuts.
Ingredients
1 cup raisins
2 tablespoons dark rum
Butter and flour to prepare cake pans
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 cups granulated sugar
1/4 cup vegetable oil
3 whole eggs
1 cup unsweetened apple sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
2 cup grated carrots (large holes on box grater)
1 cup crushed pineapple including juice (do not use pineapple in syrup)
1 cup sweetened shredded coconut, plus 2 tablespoons for garnish
1 cup walnuts chopped, plus 2 tablespoons for garnish
Frosting
1 cup butter (2 sticks), softened
2 8-ounce packages cream cheese, softened
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 pounds powdered sugar
Instructions
- Place the raisins and rum in a microwave safe bowl and microwave on high for one minute. Set aside.
- Prepare two 9” round, high-sided cake pans.
- Place a cake pan on parchment, open side up and draw a circle around the bottom with a pencil. Cut the circle out and repeat for the second pan. Rub butter all over inside bottom and sides of each pan. Press each circle into the bottom of each buttered pan. Then butter the top of the parchment of each pan. Finally spoon some flour into each pan and turn and shake to completely cover the butter, on bottom and sides, shaking out excess. Set these aside.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Mix all dry ingredients in a medium bowl by whisking flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, cream sugar and oil for one minute on medium high speed.
- With mixer running on medium, add in one egg at a time, making sure each egg is mixed in before adding the next.
- Add in apple sauce and vanilla and mix to combine, then scrape bowl and mix again.
- With mixer running on low, slowly add in the dry ingredients until combined.
- Add in the carrots, coconut and pineapple and mix to combine.
- Remove bowl from mixer and fold in the nuts and reserved raisins.
- Divide the batter evenly between the two pans. Bake in center rack for 35 to 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into center, comes out clean. *See tips.
- Cool on a rack in the pan for ten minutes then invert onto a cooling rack and cool completely. Peel off and discard parchment while still warm.
- While the cake is baking, make the frosting.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, whip softened butter and cream cheese until smooth and blended.
- Add vanilla and powdered sugar and mix gently on lowest speed a few turns at a time to stop the sugar from powdering up, or simply add it gradually with mixer running. Once the sugar is wet, whip on medium high to a smooth creamy consistency.
- If you used the Wilton Bake Even Strips then each cake should be flat. If not, shave some cake off of the top of each to make them flat.
- Dab a little frosting on the bottom of your cake dish and lay one of the cakes onto the center of the dish. This will stop the cake from sliding.
- Add frosting to the first layer at about a quarter inch thick and then place the second cake over.
- Frost the top and sides to a smooth even consistency then fill a pastry bag with a large star tip with the remaining frosting.
- Make your own decorative edge and design, or follow the picture we provide.
- Mix the two tablespoons of chopped nuts and coconut then sprinkle onto the exposed part of the cake top.
- Serve immediately or refrigerate. Keep refrigerated for storage.
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Notes
I like a heavily frosted carrot cake, you may not. If you prefer to make less frosting, use 1 ½ sticks of butter, 1 ½ packages of cream cheese, 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla and 1 ½ pounds of powdered sugar.
Helpful hint: Use these Wilton Bake Even Strips around each baking pan to ensure even baking and a flat layer cake.
Find it online: https://www.afamilyfeast.com/carrot-cake/
