Shareena's Carrot Cake

For the past few years, our Easter celebration can't be without my carrot cake. I've been doing a different version of this cake each time. This year, I decided to mix in some pecan pieces with the cream cheese icing and lessened the sugar content in the batter by half from my original recipe. I thought this made the cake taste better and balanced it out with the sweetness of the cream cheese icing. Also adding more applesauce and cutting the vegetable oil in half made this cake more fluffier and airy.

Last year, I had walnuts mixed in with the batter and did a tropical version with shredded coconuts in the icing and pineapple chunks in the cake for Barry's parents holiday celebration the year before that. No matter how much I alter each of them, they seem to turn out good. But I liked this version the most! ;-) It's light and moist...you don't feel guilty taking a bite of this highly nutritious cake...as carrots are soooo good for you! Hehehe ;-) LOL

Ingredients:
CAKE:
2 cups of sugar (I only used 1 cup this time, much better I must say)
1 stick of butter (softened, but not melted)
2 large eggs
½ cup of vegetable oil
1 cup of applesauce
4 cups of grated carrots (about a pound of carrots)

2 ½ cups of Flour
1 tsp of baking powder
1 tsp of baking soda
1 tsp of cinnamon
1 tsp of ginger powder
1 tsp of nutmeg or allspice

Optional ingredients for the batter:
1 cup of chopped walnuts
1 cup of raisins
½ can of pineapple chunks (drained) or about one cup

CREAM CHEESE ICING
2 packages of 8oz. cream cheese (at room temperature)
2 ½ cups of confectioner sugar
3 tsp of vanilla
1 stick of butter

Optional:
Chopped Nuts (used Pecan Pieces this year)
Shredded Coconuts

Directions:
CAKE:
Beat sugar, butter, eggs, vegetable oil and applesauce together with an electric mixer or mix them all in a stand-up mixer. Then fold the grated carrots in the batter.

Combine all the dry ingredients (flour and seasonings) in a separate bowl. Then gradually mix the dry ingredients to the wet mixture. Mix well.

Pour the batter in a well-greased baking pan. You can also use a wax paper or parchment paper to be placed on the bottom of the pan to prevent the cake from sticking.

Rectangular Cake: Use one 13"X9" baking pan
Round Cake: Use two 10" or 11" round pan for a layered version

Bake at 325 degrees F for 45 minutes or until golden brown and the cake tester runs dry. Cool cake. Then spread the icing on top and in between if you're layering your cake. Refrigerate for at least 24 hours or leave it at room temperature.

ICING:
Whip all ingredients together. Cover and leave it at room temperature. This will make it easier to spread the icing on the cake.