It is the Mister's Birthday.. and he wants Carrot Cake!

I promised him I'd give him whatever his precious heart desired.. Since carrot cake is not my favorite, he thought his birthday would be the perfect day to have a cake I probably wouldn't make otherwise. I'm just the type who doesn't want veggies in my cake!
There was a time I even thought having carrot cake at a birthday party was insulting to the guests. Hello?! Chocolate and Vanilla are universally accepted as appropriate birthday cakes! ANYWAYS.. this is the first ever carrot cake I've made. I called my Grandmother for the recipe.  It is actually pretty good, and very easy. It's moist, sweet, and the icing... well, that is of course the best part.

For the cake.. we have a nice little cast:
2 cups sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs
2 cups flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground cinnamon
2 cups grated carrots

Preheat oven to 350F

Mix together the sugar, oil and eggs in a large bowl. In another bowl sift together flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda and cinnamon. Add to first mixture and combine. Then add those carrots and mix well. Pour into a greased and floured 9" round pan and bake at 350F until done. 25-40 minutes.. depending on the pan you use. I used the round so I could make this a layerd cake! Cool completely.

For the frosting.. I'm just using my go-to recipe for Cream Cheese Vanilla Frosting with a slight variation..

1 stick regular unsalted butter (maybe a little more)
1 8 oz package of cream cheese ( I had a tub and probably used closer to 10 or 11 oz. I needed ALOT of frosting)
2 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla or go crazy and use a real vanilla bean (it's so much tastier)
1 cup pecans chopped finely
option: Add a little cinnamon. I didn't want to overkill with the cinnamon since I'm not a fan.

In large bowl, cream together butter and cream cheese until they reach an even consistency. Add sugar and vanilla and blend, then mix in the nuts. Spread on cooled carrot cake.

I have to admit.. it is pretty darn tasty.
Enjoy this!

And yes I made the cake in my husbands big cozy flannel,
and stole bits of the frosting throughout the whole process!
Oh and I LOVE it!