My 1st Carrot Cake

 

How about that bowl of freshly grated carrots?  This recipe calls for carrots, duh, and instead of just doing the convenient thing, buying shredded carrots, I buy whole organic carrots. I know my kiddo will want them and I'll sacrifice the time and effort so we can have them in the cake. Oh brother! If you want to do that too, go ahead. Or, you can save yourself a little time and a huge mess and just buy the carrots already grated.  

 

This recipe came from one of my mom's garage sale adventures.  She found a book compiled completely of brand name recipes. I'm sure I've said this before, brand name recipes are always good. Those companies want you to use their products so they work hard to create easy delicious recipes. 

Inside Great American Brand Name Recipes Cookbook were many 80's gems, including this carrot cake from Crisco, that's been lightly adapted.  It's been a while since a recipe told me to use a 9x13 pan. I'm not going to complain though. That's the easiest cake to make. I don't have to split and fill anything or carefully ice the sides. Just bake it in the pan, cool, and slather cream cheese frosting. 

 

Ingredients for Cake

2.25 cups flour

1.5 cups sugar

2 tsp baking soda

1.5 tsp ground cinnamon

.5 tsp ground nutmeg

.5 tsp salt

1 cup veggie oil

3/4 cup sour cream

3 eggs

.5 cup milk

2 cups shredded carrots or 4 whole carrots

1.5 cups sweetened flaked coconut

3/4 cup sliced almonds

1.25 cup raisins

Ingredients for Cream Cheese Frosting

1 stick of room temp butter

8 ounces of room temp cream cheese

3.75 cups of powdered sugar

2tsp vanilla

Directions

Preheat oven to 325. Butter a 13x9 baking pan. 

Mix flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt in a large bowl. 

Add oil, sour cream, eggs, milk, and milk.

On low speed mix ingredients until they are all moist. Make sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl.

Beat on medium speed for two minutes.

Fold in coconut, almonds, and raisins.

Pour into the 9x13 pan.

Bake for 55 minutes. I checked mine at 45 minutes. Test the cake by inserting a knife or toothpick into the center of the cake. If it comes out clean, it's ready to go.

Cool completely.

Cream Cheese Frosting

In your stand mixer or with your electric beaters, combine the butter and cream cheese. 

Add the vanilla extract and 1 cup of powdered sugar.

Mix. When it's combined, add another cup of powdered sugar. 

Repeat until all the powdered sugar is incorporated. 

Then beat on medium for two minutes or until light and fluffy. 

Slather this on top of your carrot cake after the cake has completely cooled and store in the refrigerator.