Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

My husband is home for the Christmas season so I made him a carrot cake. His birthday is coming up but he  actually don't want to celebrate it so I just baked one of his favorite cake today. I used to make my special carrot cake recipe but he did not like it so I just make the basic recipe. Carrot cake is one of my family's favorite cake and is really very easy to make. You can omit the nuts, or just put all of it in the cake mixture or sprinkle on the frosting. Try it at home and your kid's will gonna like it.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
• 2 1/2 cups carrots, finely grated
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg (optional)
• 4 large eggs
• 1 1/2 cups white sugar
• 1 cup vegetable or other oil
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Cream Cheese Frosting:

• 1/4 cup unsalted softened butter
• 227 grams (8 ounces) cream cheese
• 2 cups (230 grams) sifted confectioners (powdered or icing) sugar
• 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest (optional)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C). 
2. Grease and flour 2 ( 9-inch-round, 2-inch-deep) pan and line the bottoms with a circle of parchment paper. 
3. Toast the walnuts or pecans in the oven for about 5 minutes or until lightly browned and fragrant. Chopped finely. Set aside
4. Peel and finely grate the carrots. Set aside.
5. In a bowl whisk together all the dry ingredients.
6. In another bowl beat the eggs using electric mixer until frothy ( for about 1 minute). Gradually add the white sugar and beat until the batter is thick and light colored (about 3 - 4 minutes). Add the oil and then beat in the vanilla extract, continue to beat until fully incorporated.
7. Add the flour mixture 4 batches and beat just until incorporated.
8. With a large rubber spatula fold in the grated carrots and 1/2 cup chopped nuts.
9. Divide the batter between the two prepared pans and bake 25 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from oven and let cool. After about 15 minutes invert the cakes onto the wire rack, remove the pans and peel off the parchment paper.
10. Cool completely before frosting. 

Cream Cheese Frosting:

1. In bowl, beat the cream cheese and butter on low speed just until blended. 
2. Gradually beat in sifted powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and lemon zest.mix until thoroughly blended.and smooth.
3. Keep refrigerated and use as needed.

To assemble: 

1. Place one cake layer onto your serving plate. Using a spatula, spread  evenly approximately 1/3 of  cream cheese frosting on top of the first layer of cake with topside down. Sprinkle with some chopped nut. 
2. Center second layer on top of first layer. Using both hands, press firmly but gently, all layers together to get one firm cake. Spread the remaining frosting to cover top and sides of cake. Sprinkle with the remaining chopped nuts.