dan's mile high birthday carrot cake
My husband had a recent birthday, and asked me to surprise him with a dessert for his birthday that I had never made. So knowing that he loves carrot cake, I CREATED this special recipe for his big day. It is a 4 layer cake with nuts and pineapple, with a Fall Themed Cream Cheese Frosting using Instant Pumpkin Pie Spice Pudding mix with Greek Yogurt Butter, Heavy Whipping Cream & Vanilla Bean Paste, garnished with nuts and Candy Corns. It is moist tasty delicious and full of nuts & flavor. Quite impressive if you ask me. My SPECIAL DESSERT BIRTHDAY CREATION for my hard working Husband.
prep time
45 Min
cook time
35 Min
method
Bake
yield
16 or more depending on portion size
Ingredients
- 6 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 1 1/2 cups light brown sugar
- 2 1/4 cups canola oil
- 4 cups white lily all purpose flour (or cake flour)
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
- 1 1/2 teaspoons nutmeg
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 11/2 tablespoons vanilla bean paste or extract
- 3 cups grated carrots lightly packed
- 1 can 20 oz. crushed pineapples undrained
- 2 1/2 cups nuts of your choice (i used black walnuts)
- 1/2 cup candy corn & chopped nuts as garnish (optional)
- PUMPKIN SPICE CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
- 2 boxes pumpkin pie spice instant pudding mix (3.4 oz.)
- 2 packages softened cream cheese (1 lb)
- 1/2 pound greek yogurt butter or regular
- 2 pounds powdered sugar(confectioners sugar)
- 1 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 1/2 tablespoons vanilla bean paste or extract
- 1/2 to 3/4 cups heavy whipping cream
How To Make dan's mile high birthday carrot cake
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Step 1Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. GREASE AND FLOUR 4 (9 INCH) ROUND OR SQUARE CAKE PANS. I chose to use Bakers Joy cooking spray that has flour in the spray. -
Step 2Using a medium size bowl, add a sifter or strainer over the bowl. Then add the flour, cinnamon nutmeg, baking soda, & baking powder . Sift and set aside till needed. Add kosher salt, mine did not go through strainer, stir in to blend with other ingredients. NOTE SIFTING MAKES THE CAKE LIGHTER. SET ASIDE TILL NEEDED.
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Step 3Grate carrots then measure out 3 cups and set aside till needed.
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Step 4Add the eggs to mixing bowl and beat till blended together.
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Step 5Then add both sugars, and oil and beat till blended together.
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Step 6Now add in the flour mixture in 3 intervals beating well after each addition. Then add in the vanilla Bean paste or extract, and beat till blended.
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Step 7Add the grated carrots, undrained crushed pineapples, and nuts, and stir till blended.
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Step 8Divide and pour batter evenly among the 4 cake pans. Bake in preheated 350 degree F. oven for 30 to 35 minutes or until toothpick inserted into center of cake comes out clean. Or cake begins to pull away from sides of pan.
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Step 9Cool in pan about 5 minutes or so, then invert cakes onto cooling rack and allow to cool completely.
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Step 10While cakes are cooling prepare cake frosting by adding the softened butter and cream cheese to large bowl, then beat well till mixed together. Now add in the pudding mix and about half of the powdered sugar, and slowly begin to blend together, then gradually add in the remaining powdered sugar alternately with heavy whipping cream a little at a time, add in the vanilla bean paste, and nutmeg, and stir till completely blended and creamy, or desired spreading consistency is reached. Add more whipping cream if a creamier spreading consistency is needed.
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Step 11Garnish if desired with your choice of garnish, I used candy corns and chopped nuts.
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Step 12Slice and enjoy. This slice was so big that my husband and I shared it together.
- Last Step: Don't forget to share! Post a picture of your finished recipe here and on your favorite social network. Don't forget to tag Just A Pinch and include #justapinchrecipes!
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