HONEY BUTTER CARROT CAKE WITH TOASTED PECANS AND CITRUS CREAM CHEESE ICING

By stepjo7269

keyingredient.com

Ingredients

• Cake:
• Butter or nonstick spray
• 2 cups (500 mL) all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 tsp (7 mL) baking powder
• 1/2 tsp (2 mL) baking soda
• 1 tsp (5 mL) ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp (2 mL) ground nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp (1 mL) ground clove or allspice
• 1/2 tsp (2 mL) salt
• 3/4 cup (175 mL) butter, softened
• 1/2 cup (125 mL) honey
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup (250 mL) granulated sugar
• 1 tsp (5 ml) vanilla
• 3 cups (750 mL) finely grated carrot
• 1 apple, peeled and grated
• 1 cup (250 mL) toasted pecans, coarsely chopped
• Icing:
• One 250 g package regular cream cheese
• 1/2 cup (125 mL) butter, softened
• 2 tbsp (25 mL) honey
• 2 tbsp (25 mL) finely grated orange, lemon or lime zest (or a mixture of all three)
• 2 tsp (10 mL) lemon juice
• 3 1/2 sifted icing sugar
• Directions:
• ●Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C).
• ●Butter two 9-inch (23-cm) layer pans or coat with nonstick spray; line bottom with circle of parchment or waxed paper.
• ●Stir flour with baking powder, baking soda, spices and salt.
• ●In another bowl, using an electric mixer, cream butter until lighter in colour and slightly fluffy. Slowly beat in honey, then eggs, one at a time. Beat in sugar and vanilla. Add flour mixture to butter mixture in thirds, stirring until just absorbed.
• ●Stir in carrots, apple and pecans.
• ●Divide batter between pans; smooth tops.
• ●Bake in oven centre for 35 to 40 minutes or until a cake tester inserted into cake centre comes out clean. Cool on a rack for 10 minutes; then turn out to finish cooling on rack.
• ●To make icing, beat cream cheese with an electric mixer until smooth. Gradually beat in butter, then honey, zest and lemon juice. Gradually add icing sugar until thick enough for spreading.
• ●Spread between stacked layers, then over sides and top.

Preparation

Step 1

●Sprinkle with any extra zest or chopped pecans.