Carrot Cake & Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting

mmmm.... Carrot Cake.
Now, I love a good carrot cake. Not the old spice cake carrot cakes like my mom used to make. I like a Carrot cake that is light and moist and has pineapple, walnuts and raisins in it.

I also, as I've said many times, Love Pinterest. It's a bit of an addiction, and I sure wish I could do everything I see/pin on there, but I can't, and so instead I resign myself to stalking other People's Pinboards and trying one or two new recipes a week.

Ambitious you say? Well yes, but I don't have small children at home. Even if I still bake like it's for a large family!!!

Last weekend I was invited to a friends house for dinner, and assigned the "Dessert" to bring. Well, honey I can do a dessert! Especially when I have several Pinterest boards dedicated to sweet decadent creations that are almost too sinful to indulge in. 

 

 The first step was to gather all of my supplies - and yes, my tablet, browsing to pinterest, and then to the recipe I want to use, is one of my supplies! LOL I am thrilled with my tablet, and so thankful for it. An online, electric recipe book with a million different recipes and ideas at my fingertips? What's not to be thrilled about? 

  

My new 9x2 alumninum pans that I picked up at the local bakery supply store. Shiny and clean, heavy duty and ready for a hefty project like Carrot Cake! 

My new secret weapon- Prep Pan release. The guy at the supply store said this is better than the Wilton Cake Release. Since it was $7.99 for the can, We'll definitely see!

My Fancy, Schmancy Red Artisan KitchenAid that I bought a few weeks ago.
Isn't she lovely? Isn't she wonderful.... isn't she beautiful.. make her mine!
 (haha insert me singing around the kitchen to Stevie Wonder)

ok snap out of it! Carrots - the recipe called for 2 cups of grated carrots. So I cut some nice fat ones I got from the Farmer's market and then used my food processor to get a nice shred on them :) 

 

In a separate bowl from my mixer, I combined the Carrots and coconut. Yes, there's coconut in this recipe. Don't skimp it's soooo goooooooooood! 

Another must have tool - my Pampered Chef measuring spoons. I love these! I can measure everything with two little spoons - My teaspoon measure, and my Tablespoon measure.

Clean up is a cinch and I never lose just one needed size. Ever. 

The Original Recipe is from "Mom on TimeOut" - a fabulous blog! In Honor of the fact that this is Trish's "Nana's" recipe she's sharing, I will be giving full credit where credit is due. Family Recipes are the BEST recipes and from now on I will be calling this "Nana's Carrot Cake".  I've made a couple little tweaks, like with what Frosting I used. And the fact that I "almost" added raisins. The first time I make a recipe, I like to work as close as possible to the original format, and wait till the 2nd time to change it up a bit. Next time, I'm adding a cup of raisins. Yes in-deedy. 

ok here we go. 

Nana's Carrot Cake

One (all these ingredients go into the Mixer bowl)
1 1/4 c oil (or applesauce as Trish used. I used Oil)
2 c sugar
3 eggs
Two (into a nearby large bowl)
2 c flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
Three (into another nearby large bowl)
2 c grated carrots
1 c coconut
1 c chopped nuts (optional)
1 tsp vanilla
1 c Dole crushed pineapple (not drained!)
{use the pineapple in JUICE not syrup}

Preheat your oven now to 350 degrees. 

Combine the first ingredients in your mixer bowl, and mix away. Start it on low, and then just let all the ingredients stir together on medium until well combined.

Now, combine all of ingredients #2 on the list into another bowl. This helps to incorporate all the ingredients together before hitting the wet mixture and keeps an even texture to your cakes (and cookies, and pies and whatever else your little heart fancies).

Switch your whip hook out, and replace with your batter hook. While you're combining the #2 ingredients into your #1 ingredients, you can wash your whip hook and set it in the fridge for later. (don't worry I'll explain! I promise!)

ok now, take all of your #2 dry ingredients and incorporate into your wet ingredients.  

Gently, and just till it's combined.

oops. spilled a little flour.
It helps if you take the mixer bowl off the mixer before you start pouring in your dry ingredients. The 4qt bowl is a little small. I may invest in the 5 qt eventually, but for now - I'm happy with the 4qt.

Time to mix in the #3 ingredients. mmmmmm carrots, coconut and pineapple. What is better than this? Add them in and continue to mix gently with the batter hook.

ok now, prep your pans... haha get it? PREP your pans? yeah... I thought it was funny too! LOL no seriously generously grease your pans. Which I used PREP as you can see from the pic above, but I found a great recipe for Pan grease. It was online, but I didn't save the site, so forgive me for not having the info - if it's your recipe - then lemme know and I'll give you credit!

Pan Grease
1 Cup Flour
1 Cup Crisco (I'd use butter flavored)
1/2 cup vegetable oil

Mix well until combined and store in air tight container. I'd probably refrigerate it since I wouldn't use it every day. For now, I'm using the $8 can of Prep I bought from the Bakery supply store. Until it's gone. Then I'll try this stuff. It looks like it really works!


Fill your pans, half the batter in each pan. Then bake them for 35 - 40 minutes or until a toothpick comes clean when inserted in the center. Let them cool completely before attempting to remove them from the pan. Once they are completely cool, then you can flip them out onto a cooling rack.

And now... for the best part. The Cream Cheese Frosting!

And my confession. I did not use the original frosting recipe that came with Nana's Carrot Cake. I'm sorry. I'm a rebel that way. This recipe just seemed so much more right for the taste I was going for. And truly I was rewarded. Everyone LOVED it. it was the right decision. So I'm sharing it here!

Mrs Humble's Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting 
Ms. Humble's Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting
16oz cream cheese, room temperature
1 1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup heavy cream, cold. Higher the fat content, the better (I'm using 40% Ultra)

{I followed her instructions pretty much exactly - except that I did put my whipping beater, and the silver whipping bowl in the fridge for a few minutes to chill. It helps the whipped cream to form better!}

Beat the cheese, sugar and vanilla until smooth and fluffy. In a separate bowl, beat the heavy cream to nearly stiff peaks, then add the whipped cream into the cheese mixture and quickly and briefly beat to combine. Do not over beat. 

Time to Frost! YES! I assembled mine on a cake board - and then slid into a cake box so that I could transport it easily. The baking supply store sells the cake boards for like 50 cents and the box for $1.44. So for under $2 I get a great, professional presentation. People ask if I made my cakes, or bought them! LOL

I. LOVE. THAT.  I know... I'm sorry... but I do! :)

And there you have it folks - Nana's Carrot cake, courtesy of Trish over at "Mom on Timeout" and Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting courtesy of "Not so Humble Pie" 

Enjoy!

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