Pumpkin Carrot Cake

This incredibly moist and flavorful cake gives you the best of so many fall flavors. It screams Thanksgiving!

Pumpkin Carrot Cake

Serves 8

Ingredients

Cake:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/4 cups sugar
• 1 1/2 cup carrot, grated
• 1 cup pumpkin puree
• 3/4 cup walnuts, chopped
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon, plus extra for garnish
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon allspice
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• walnuts or pecans, optional, garnish

Frosting:

• 2 (8 oz.) packages cream cheese, room temperature
• 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice
• water, optional (to turn frosting into a thick glaze)

Steps:

1. Preheat oven to 350º F and line two 8-inch cake pans (or three, depending on how thick you want your cakes) with parchment paper.
2. Combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon, baking powder, nutmeg, allspice and salt in a medium bowl and whisk together.
3. In a separate bowl or mixer, beat together eggs, sugars, vegetable oil, pumpkin puree and vanilla extract until combined.
4. Gradually mix the dry ingredients into the wet, but stir until only just incorporated. (Dough will be thick.)
5. Fold in grated carrots and chopped walnuts, then evenly divide batter between cake pans.
6. Place cake pans in oven and bake for 55-60 minutes, or until cakes are browned and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
7. Remove cakes from oven and let cool 20 minutes before turning out on a wire rack to finish cooling.
8. To make the frosting: beat together cream cheese and butter until smooth, then gradually add in powdered sugar until desired consistency and sweetness is reached. Note: add 1-2 tablespoons water to make frosting more of a thick glaze.
9. Mix in vanilla extract and lemon juice, then, once cakes have cooled completely, frost (and stack) cakes.
10. Garnish with cinnamon and pecans or walnuts, serve and enjoy!

Recipe credit: 12 tomatoes