Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Buttercream Frosting

🧂 Ingredients

• ¾ cup coconut oil

  (or butter)
• 4 large eggs

  (at room temperature)
• 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 ½ cups light brown sugar

  (packed)
• 2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon ground ginger
• ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon orange peel

  (dried)
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 3 cups carrots

  (grated, 3-4 medium to large carrots)
• ½ cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup cake flour
• 8 oz cream cheese

  (1 package)
• ½ cup butter

  (1 stick)
• 4 cups confectioners sugar
• 2 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
• ¼ cup walnuts

  (optional, for topping)

Instructions

• 1 Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and prepare two 8-inch round cake pans using
  a non-stick baking spray or grease them and coat them in flour.
• 2 In a large mixing bowl, or the bowl of your stand mixer, combine ¾ cup coconut
  oil, 4 large eggs, 2 teaspoon vanilla extract, and whisk to combine.
• 3 Add the 1 ½ cups light brown sugar, 2 teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon baking
  soda, baking spices (1 ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, ½ teaspoon ground ginger, ½
  teaspoon ground nutmeg), dried 1 teaspoon orange peel, and ½ teaspoon salt then
  combine thoroughly.
• 4 Mix in the ½ cup unsweetened applesauce and grated 3 cups carrots, and stir
  until all of the carrots are moistened and evenly distributed in the wet batter.
• 5 Add the 1 cup all-purpose flour and 1 cup cake flour and stir until just
  combined; do not over-mix the carrot cake batter. The batter will be wet (runny)
  and lumpy.
• 6 Pour batter into prepared cake pans, distributing the batter evenly between the
  two cake pans. Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 25-28 minutes or until an inserted
  toothpick comes out clean.
• 7 Remove from the oven and allow the cakes to cool slightly in the pain before
  inverting them to transfer to a wire cooling rack. Allow the carrot cake layers
  to cool completely before frosting them.
• 8 In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of your stand mixer, cream together the 8 oz
  cream cheese and (softened, room temperature) ½ cup butter with a hand mixer or
  your stand mixer.
• 9 Add 2 teaspoon vanilla bean paste and 4 cups confectioners sugar in gradual
  portions until fully incorporated. *If your frosting is too runny, add more
  confectioners' sugar. If it is too firm to spread easily on your cake, then
  drizzle some heavy cream in gradually until you achieve your desired
  consistency.
• 10 If necessary, cut any excess 'dome' from the tops of your layers so that the
  cake layers are even. Stack your cake with the first layer face down, giving you
  a nice, smooth surface to work with. 
• 11 On the first cake layer, add enough frosting for a roughly ¼ inch layer (more or
  less, depending on your preference) and smooth the edges of the cake layer using
  a straight or offset spatula.
• 12 Stack the second cake layer and add more frosting (for a thicker top layer) and
  spread evenly over the top. Spread a thin layer on the sides and scrape evenly
  for a semi-exposed 'naked' look, if desired.
• 13 Place walnuts in a Ziploc bag and crush slightly, sprinkle the ¼ cup walnuts on
  the top center of your frosted cake.

Nutrition Info