Carrot snack cake with cream cheese
Instructions:
- Buttercream cake:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour;
- 1 teaspoon baking powder;
- 1 teaspoon baking soda;
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon;
- 1⁄2 teaspoon ground ginger;
- 1⁄2 teaspoon fine sea salt;
- 1⁄2 cup vegetable oil;
- 1⁄4 cup well-shaken buttermilk;
- 1⁄2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract;
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature;
- 1⁄2 cup granulated sugar;
- 1⁄2 cup packed light brown sugar;
- 2 cups coarsely shredded carrots;
- 1⁄2 cup pecan pieces (about 2 ounces);
- 1 cup peeled and finely grated golden beets or additional carrots.
- Frosting:
- 6 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature;
- 4 tablespoons (1⁄2 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature;
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract;
- 2 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar.
- For the cake: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a 9-inch round cake pan.
- Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, and salt in a medium bowl. Whisk together the oil, buttermilk, and vanilla in a small bowl.
- Beat the eggs, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until light and fluffy in a large bowl with an electric mixer set to high speed, about 5 minutes. Beat in the oil mixture. Add the flour mixture and beat only until it disappears into the batter. Use a rubber spatula to fold in the carrots, pecans, and beets.
- Bake until a tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, the top springs back when lightly pressed in the center, and the sides begin to pull away from the pan, 30 to 35 minutes. Cool the cake in the pan on a wire rack for 30 minutes and then turn out onto the rack to cool to room temperature before frosting.
- For the frosting: Beat the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla until smooth and creamy in a medium bowl with an electric mixer. Add the confectioners’ sugar, 1⁄2 cup at a time, beating until smooth after each addition.
- Spread the frosting over the top of the cooled cake, leaving the sides bare.