Carrot Cake

Yesterday was Cake Baking Friday and I made my famous carrot cake for my family.  I've been making this cake for years and years and it is hands down my families favorite dessert. When I tell them I am making it, they immediately perk up and always ask....'is it your famous one?'...as if I would sneak in a different recipe!

But first I will show you the results of the glass bread tube from yesterday.  Before using it, you must butter the inside entirely.  I used a recipe for Italian bread that came with it.

I doubled the recipe so I would have an extra loaf.  I'm not terribly impressed with the glass tube but the bread was outstanding.

It was crisp on the outside and very tender on the inside.  I'm not sure if it was the recipe or the tube so I will have to try it again.  I should have kept that extra loaf to compare them but I gave it away. Also, it is easy to clean and the bread slips right out.

 Back to the cake.  In the bowl of your mixer, beat 1-1/4 C. of vegetable oil with 2 C. sugar.  In a separate bowl combine 2 C. plus 2 T. flour, 2 tsp. baking powder, 1 tsp. baking soda, 1 tsp. salt and 1 tsp. cinnamon.  Whisk this together and add it to the sugar and oil. Beat in 4 large eggs.  Add 4 cups of grated carrots, 1 cup of baking raisins, 1 cup of chopped walnuts and 1 cup of coconut.  Mix just until combined. Pour the batter into two 9 inch buttered, floured and parchment lined pans.  Bake them at 350 degrees for roughly50 minutes or until a toothpick stuck in the middle comes out clean.

 Turn them out onto racks to cool.

 Place one, top side down, on a plate and place wax paper around the edges.

 Frost with cream cheese frosting.  Beat 6 oz. cream cheese with 1 cup softened butter and add 2 tsp. vanilla and about 5 C. confectioners sugar.  You might need to add a couple tablespoons of milk to make it spreadable. Finally, use your nifty cake decorating tips to decorate it nicely and then forget to take a photo of it.  Take my word for it, it looked nice when it was done.