Pioneer Carrot Cake

Have you heard of the Pioneer Woman? She is just fabulous! I got this recipe from her, as I have been recently reading her blog. This recipe sounded outstanding, so I added it to my list of Easter recipes to try out for Easter dinner at my parent's house this past weekend (we celebrated a week early since many family members were out of town on the actual day of Easter this year).

Ingredients
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 cinnamon
2 cups grated carrots

Ingredients for Icing
1 stick butter, softened
8 oz cream cheese, softened
1 pound powdered sugar (one box)
2 tsp vanilla
1 cup pecans, finely chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix together sugar, oil and eggs in large bowl. In another large bowl sift together flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and cinammon. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix well. Add carrots and mix well.

Grease either a 9 x 13 pan or a bundt pan. Pour cake mix into pan and place into oven. Bake for 25 min for a sheet cake or 50 min for a bundt cake. Now, I have to tell you, I used a bundt pan and my toothpick didnt come out very clean at 50 min, so I put it back in for another 5 mins. I think that was too long as it turned out a bit dry, so I definately would follow the directions next time for 50 minutes.

Let cake cool completely.

While it's cooling, make your icing my creaming together butter and cream cheese. Add sugar and vanilla and blend well. Mix in nuts. Spread on cooled cake.

ENJOY!