Overloaded Carrot Cake with Orange Cream Cheese Frosting
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 55 minutes
Servings: 10
Ingredients
Directions
Preheat oven to 300° F.
Candied Orange Peel Instructions 1. Use a grater on one orange to get 2 tsp orange zest, set aside. Use a vegetable peeler from top to bottom of orange, cut into thin strips. 2. Bring 1 cup water and 1 cup sugar to simmer, stir until dissolved. Remove from heat. 3. Allow orange peel and allow to cool completely. 4. Dry orange peels on a cooling rack or paper towels. 5. Sprinkle with 1/4th cup sugar.
Prepare three (3) cake pans with parchment paper, spray with Cooking Spray with flour. OR prepare one 9x13 baking dish by spraying with Cooking Spray with flour.
Spread chopped pecans on a large baking sheet and toast for 7-8 minutes, set aside to cool. Increase oven to 350°F.
Sift flour with baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk eggs lightly and stir in oil. Add remaining 1/2 cup granulated sugar and brown sugar. Stir until very well incorporated. Stir in carrots, raisins, coconut, ½ cup toasted pecans, and drained pineapple.
Pour wet ingredients into the bowl of dry ingredients. Stir until all are well incorporated.
Divide evenly between the three (3) prepared 8-inch cake pans or pour all batter into 9x13 baking pan.
Bake at 350° F oven for 20-35 minutes for round cake pans or 45-55 minutes for 9x13 baking dish OR until a toothpick inserted comes out just barely clean. Do not over bake.
Remove from oven; allow to cool 10 minutes and remove cakes from the pans to cool. Refrigerate for ½ hour.
Orange Cream Cheese Frosting Instructions 1. In a medium mixing bowl, beat butter and cream cheese until light and fluffy. 2. Add vanilla, powdered sugar, grated orange peel, and fresh orange juice. 3. Beat until smooth.
Frost the Cake: For Round cakes, place first layer on bottom of serving dish. Top with a layer of Orange Cream Cheese Frosting, top with second layer, frosting, third layer, frosting. Cover outside with frosting. For 9x13 pan cake, frost top with Orange Cream Cheese Frosting.
Top with Pecans and Candied Orange Peels. Spread toasted pecans around sides and top of round cakes and over the top of 9x13 cake. Decorate with Candied Orange Peels on top.
