Antioch BR Signature Carrot Cake

Many years ago I fell in love with carrot cake. It has been a long standing relationship. A dear friend, Mrs. Vi Atchison has been bringing  it to functions for years and she is very famous for it. Over the years I have experimented with and tweaked her recipe just a bit to my liking.  I named it after my church because several members of the congregation have a deep affection for the confection!  Anyway, don't you think churches should have mascot cakes?

Antioch BR Signature Carrot Cake (Aunt Claire)

2 cups sugar

2 ¼ cup all purpose flour

2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

2 tsp. cinnamon

4 eggs

2 tsp. vanilla

1 cup oil

1 lb. carrots, peeled and grated
1 cup toasted pecans or walnuts (optional)

Mix sugar, flour, soda, salt and cinnamon in mixing bowl til combined. Add oil and eggs one at a time. Add carrots and vanilla. Mix until all ingts. are combined (don’t over mix).

Line the bottom of 3 cake pans with parchment paper that has been sprayed with cooking spray.  Divide batter to each pan and bake at 350 for 35-40 minutes. Tops should be brown and spring back when touched.  Try 35 min first then add more time if needed.

Cool for 15 min then turn cakes onto a rack and remove parchment. Let cakes continue to cool until room temp. Frost with cream cheese frosting and sprinkle toasted nuts all around and on top. Store in fridge.

Cream Cheese Frosting

8 oz cream cheese

4 tablespoons butter

1 box powdered sugar

2 tsp. vanilla

Bring butter and cream cheese to room temp.  Beat on high speed until combined. Add vanilla and sugar then beat until light and fluffy.

Do not use low fat cream cheese or diet butter. Also, I like real vanilla extract.

PS – you can use two cake pans instead of three but  you will def have to bake the full 40

PPSS- this cake uses soda instead of baking powder. It does not rise really high like a cake mix. I like to turn the layers over so that I frost the bottom sides ( the sides with parchment). It makes for a flatter more even look.

PPPSSS- Feel free to buy a 1 lb bag of baby carrots and shred them if you don't like peeling.