Dessert - Cake and Icing

Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Icing
from Great American Home Baking
A nut-sprinkled cream cheese icing is the perfect foil for this moist, not-too-sweet carrot cake.
25 minutes preparation
40 minutes baking

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2/3 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 2/3 cup milk
• 3 medium carrots, grated
• 1/2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts (about 2 ounces)

Preheat oven to 3500 F. Grease a 9-inch round cake pan. Dust with flour; tap out excess.

Mix together flour, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt.

Beat together butter and sugar at medium speed until light and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. At low speed, alternately beat flour mixture and milk into butter mixture. Stir in carrots and nuts. Pour batter into prepared pan.

Bake cake until top springs back when lightly touched and a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 40 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack to cool for 10 minutes. Turn cake out onto rack to cool completely. 

Icing

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
• 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar

Beat together butter and cream cheese at medium speed until completely smooth. Beat in vanilla. Beat n  confectioners' sugar until well blended. 

Topping

• 1/4 cup finely chopped walnuts (about 1 ounce)
• 2 tablespoons firmly packed light brown sugar

Mix together nuts and brown sugar.

Place Cake on serving plate. Spread icing over top and sides. Sprinkle with nut mixture.

Makes 10 servings