Nana’s Carrot Cake

I can’t take credit for this gorgeous carrot cake that occasionally appears on my header image. My spouse (at the time) made that using a family recipe. This recipe is on the thinnest piece of paper ever. It was clearly typed on a typewriter, but I have no idea how the paper didn’t disintegrate when moving through the typewriter! I always handle it like I’m handling something from a museum archive. I have no idea why I’ve never imported it into Paprika.

You can do this recipe in a tube pan or two 9-inch rounds. We do the rounds.

Ingredients (Cake)

• 2 cups flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 cup oil
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
• 2 cups finely grated carrots (about 3 large carrots)
• 4 eggs

Ingredients (Frosting)

• 2½ sticks butter*
• 1 (8oz) package cream cheese*
• 1 box powdered sugar (if you make your own like I do, use 16 oz by weight or about 3½ cups measured)
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts

* There is a debate on these two ingredients. It doesn’t say softened on Nana’s typed recipe, and my then-spouse said don’t soften it because the recipe doesn’t say so. I don’t think that will work and you need to soften it. Let your judgment be your guide!

Instructions (Cake)

Preheat oven to 350° if using a tube pan or 325° if using rounds.

Grate carrots, and let them drain.

Sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. (You can sift directly into your mixer bowl) Set aside.

Combine oil and sugar. Add to the flour mixture and mix well. Add eggs one at a time. Beat well after each addition.

Add the carrots and nuts.

Pour batter into greased pans. Nana’s tip: Don’t grease the sides! How would you like to climb a greased pole?

Bake for 55-60 minutes (tube pan) or 40 minutes (9-inch rounds).

Instructions (Frosting)

Combine butter and cream cheese. Beat until light and fluffy.

Gradually add the powdered sugar while beating.

Add vanilla and the nuts. Nana’s recipe says to add the nuts into the frosting, but we prefer to cover the icing with the nuts.

Baking 101: Let the cake cool before you frost it, or your frosting will melt and you’ll be sad!

Frost the cake and sprinkle the reserved nuts on top.

Nana’s tip: Use a wet knife to cut a fresh cake.