Carrot Cake with Lemon Cream Cheese Icing
Ingredients
Cake Ingredients:
3/4 cup dried cranberries
3/4 cup orange juice or apple cider
2 cups white fine sugar
1 1/2 cups vegetable or olive oil
4 large eggs
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp baking soda
1 tbsp + 1 tsp ground cinnamon
3/4 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp all spice
1/4 tsp salt
3 cups carrots; grated
1/2 cup walnut or pecan pieces (optional)
Icing Ingredients:
8 oz. cream cheese room temp
1 cup unsalted butter room temp
Juice from 1 lemon
Zest from 1 lemon
4 cup icing sugar
Directions
Preheat oven to 350°F
In a 2-cup measuring cup soak the cranberries in the juice for about 20 min or until plump.
In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add eggs, oil, and sugar. Mix on high until creamy.
In a separate bowl add all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and all spice. Whisk the flour mixture until combined. With the mixer on low, add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients. Mix until smooth. Add the grated carrots, cranberries (including the juice). Mix on low until incorporated. Add in walnuts or pecans (optional).
Cut a piece of parchment paper to fit the bottom of 3 x 6" cake pans and place in each pan. Grease and flour the edges. Fill each cake pan 1/2 full.
Bake for 25 to 35 min or until a tooth pick comes out clean. Let cool for 10 minutes before removing from the pan.
In a stand mixer add cream cheese, butter, icing sugar, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Mix on low until smooth and creamy.
Once the cakes have cooled completely, add icing generously between the top layers letting it drip down the side. Add remaining icing to the top of the cake, allowing the icing to drip down the side of the cake.
Optional: coat the cake with extra pecan or walnut pieces.
Slice and enjoy!
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