Cream Cheese Frosting
This icing is not especially sweet, making it a good choice for a carrot cake. If you want it sweeter, just beat in more confectioner's sugar.
This layer cake looks homespun and humble, but it's super-moist and full of spicy flavor. Toasted walnuts add richness.
Ingredients
- 2 cups unbleached flour
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1½ cups dark brown sugar, packed
- 1 1/4 cups vegetable oil
- 4 eggs
- 3 cups grated carrots (about 3 small or 2 large)
- 1 overripe banana, mashed
- 1 1/2 cups walnuts
- Cream Cheese Frosting
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease two 9-inch round cake pans or 1 9x12 pan and line with parchment paper. Toast walnuts on a cookie sheet for about 10 minutes. Cool, then chop finely or pulse in food processor until chopped. Pieces should be the size of coarse bread crumbs, but don't process into a paste.
Combine flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon in a medium-sized bowl. In a large mixing bowl, combine brown sugar and oil. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each. Stir in flour mixture just until blended. Fold in grated carrot, mashed banana and nuts.
Pour into two prepared baking pans. Bake for 25-35 minutes until middle springs back when touched. Set aside to cool on racks for 10 minutes, then turn out and cool completely. Frost with Cream Cheese Frosting.
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