Carrot Cake Recipe

This delicious cake was on the cover of Southern Lady magazine recently. I decided to give it a try. It was absolutely delicious!

1 1/2 cups butter, softened

2 cups sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

6 large eggs, separated

2 1/4 cups all purpose flour

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup buttermilk

2 cups shredded carrot

1 1/2 cups finely chopped pecans

1 (8 1/2 ounce) can crushed pineapple, well drained

Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting (recipe follows)

1. Preheat oven to 350. Grease and flour 3 (9-inch) cake pans.

2. In a large bowl, combine butter, sugar and vanilla. Beat at medium speed until fluffy. Add egg yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition.

3. In a small bowl, combine flour, baking soda, and salt. Gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture.

4. In a large bowl, beat egg whites at high speed until stiff peaks form. Fold beaten egg whites into butter mixture until well combined. Gently stir in carrots, pecans, and pineapple. Spoon batter into prepared pans. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool in pans for 10 minutes. Remove from pans, cool completely on wire racks.

5. Spread Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting evenly between layers and on top and sides of cake.

Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting

12 ounces cream cheese, softened

3/4 cup butter, softened

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

8 cups confectioners' sugar

1. In a large bowl, beat cream cheese, butter, vanilla and cinnamon at medium speed with a mixer until creamy. Gradually beat in confectioners' sugar until smooth.