Carrot Apple Cake with Cream Cheese
Frosting
Ingredients:
Cake:
·
3 cups all-purpose flour
·
2 teaspoons baking
powder
·
2 teaspoons ground
cinnamon
·
1 teaspoon ground
ginger
·
teaspoon baking
soda
·
½ teaspoon salt
·
¼ teaspoon ground
nutmeg
·
¼ teaspoon ground
cloves
·
¼ teaspoon ground
allspice
·
¾ cup unsalted butter, softened
·
¼ cup vegetable oil
·
1 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
·
¾ cup white sugar
·
4 large eggs, at room
temperature
·
2 teaspoons vanilla
extract
·
1 cup buttermilk, at room temperature
·
1 ½ cups grated carrot
·
1 cup peeled and grated Granny Smith apple
·
¾ cup raisins (Optional)
·
¾ cup chopped pecans (Optional)
Frosting:
·
½ cup unsalted butter, softened
·
12 ounces cream
cheese, softened
·
4 ½ cups confectioners’ sugar
·
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla
extract
·
⅛ teaspoon salt
·
3 tablespoons heavy
cream, or as needed
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease two
8-inch square pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper.
2. Whisk flour, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, baking soda,
salt, nutmeg, cloves, and allspice together in a bowl; set aside.
3. Beat butter, oil, brown sugar, and white sugar together in
a large bowl with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a
time, beating well after each addition. Beat batter for an additional 2 minutes
after adding last egg. Beat in vanilla extract. Pour in half of the flour
mixture; mix on low speed until just combined. Pour in buttermilk; mix until
just combined. Pour in remaining flour mixture; mix until just combined. Fold
in carrot, apple, raisins, and pecans.
4. Divide batter evenly between the two pans. Spread into an
even layer in each pan.
5. Bake in the preheated oven until the top of the cake
springs back lightly when touched and a toothpick inserted near the center
comes out clean, 40 to 45 minutes.
6. Allow cakes to cool in pans for 20 minutes; remove to a
wire rack to cool completely, about 1 1/2 hours more.
7. Beat butter in a large bowl with an electric mixer until
completely smooth; beat in cream cheese until smooth and thoroughly combined.
Beat in confectioners’ sugar 1 cup at a time, mixing well after each addition;
beat in vanilla and salt. Add in heavy cream; beat on medium-high until
frosting is slightly fluffy, about 2 minutes.
8. Spread frosting onto one cooled cake layer. Stack layers;
frost top and sides.