Cinnamon Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

For many years I went without a birthday cake. I know, sad, right? I’m not sure if friends thought I’d make my own, or perhaps they were intimidated to bake one for me. I admit, it was a bit disheartening. Year after year, my birthday would come and go, almost like any other day of the year. That is, until one year, a brave soul and friend Judy Hanawalt baked me a cake.

INGREDIENTS

4 large eggs, room temperature

2 cups granulated sugar

1 cup oil

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoon baking soda

3 cups grated carrots, slightly packed

6 ounces crushed pineapple, slightly drained

2 cups flour

1-1/4 cups finely chopped walnuts

DIRECTIONS

Prepare three 8” round cake pans with non-stick spray and parachment paper. Spray the parchment paper once in place in the bottom of the pans. Set aside. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Beat together eggs, sugar, oil and vanilla until smooth. Mix in the dry ingredients. Stir in carrots, pineapple and nuts until combined. Pour into prepared pans.

Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until top is set and cake springs back when pressed lightly. Cool completely before removing from pans. Once cooled, trim the tops of the cakes to remove any “dome.” This will give you an even, stackable layer.

Cream Cheese Frosting

2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature

2 bricks (16 ounces) cream cheese, room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3-1/2 cups powdered sugar

Beat ingedients together until smooth and fluffy.

Use a metal, off-set spatular to spread frosting between the layers and over the top and sides. May be finished smooth or rustic textured.

The cake was so good, so delicious, and so moist. My heart swelled. I felt loved, and adored and happy. I remember that birthday. We sat on the bench swing on the front porch of my pale yellow 1909 Victorian home. We sipped tea, and thoroughly enjoyed the cake. I confided in her that this cake was the “sweetest” thing anyone had done for my birthday in many, many years. I begged for her recipe, and promised that if I ever made the cake, I would always give her credit.

During the years that I had my caffe and catering business, I baked that cake. It was a favorite of my customers, and was often baked for wedding and special occasion cakes. We adapted the recipe a bit to bake the batter as cupcakes. If ever there was a fool-proof recipe, this is it. Now, I know there are LOTS of carrot cake recipes on the web, perhaps even this one. But I am sharing this one here to honor my friend Judy. And to tell you, that if you don’t get a birthday cake…just go right ahead and make one for yourself. One as delicious as this will brighten your day, and truly give you reason to celebrate.