Usually, when I cook something it takes me days or even weeks to blog about it; I am so backlogged in deliciousness I can’t catch up! However, I am so in love with this I had to tell you about it right now (literally, I just made these last night)! I have become somewhat of the dessert queen at work, so when my friend Devon told me her favorite cake was carrot cake (which coincidentally is one of mine also), I began the search for the perfect recipe to make for her birthday. I am happy to report, I found it! One of my co-workers told me these were so good it made them wanna slap their mama, now depending on the person that’s quite the compliment! The original recipe was for a cake, but I am a sucker for cupcakes (they are so user friendly!), so of course I opted to make those instead. So, if you are looking for the moistest, most deliciously spiced carrot cake, look no further my friend. Enjoy 😉

Amazingly Delicious Carrot Cake   (Print Me)

Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 1/4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/8 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp salt
1 lb medium carrots (about 6 to 7 carrots), cleaned and peeled
1 1/2 c. granulated sugar/splenda
1/2 c. packed light brown sugar
4 large eggs
1 cup unsweetened apple sauce (if you don’t mind all the fat, you can replace apple sauce with oil)
1/2 cup vegetable oil

Cream Cheese Frosting: (if you make a cake using 2 – 9″ pans you should double this)
8 oz cream cheese, softened but still cool
5 Tbsp unsalted butter softened, but still cool
1 Tbsp sour cream
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar (4 1/2 ounces)

Pecans (optional)

Directions:
Adjust your oven rack to the middle position and preheat oven to 350º. Prepare muffin cups with liners (or grease and flour two 9-inch round pans), and set aside). Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and salt in large bowl; set aside. In a food processor (or using a hand shredder) shred the carrots (you will have about 3 cups); set aside. Using a stand mixer or in large bowl using hand-held mixer, beat sugar, brown sugar, and eggs on medium-high until thoroughly combined (about 45 seconds). Reduce speed to medium; with the mixer running, add the apple sauce and oil in slow, steady stream to incorporate. Increase the speed to high and mix until batter is light in color and well emulsified (about 45 seconds to 1 minute longer). Turn off mixer and stir in carrots and dry ingredients by hand until incorporated and no streaks of flour remain.

Pour batter into prepared pans and bake until toothpick or skewer inserted into center of cake comes out clean, (about 40 minutes for 9 inch pans, or 20 minutes for cupcakes) rotating pan halfway through baking time. Cool cake to room temperature in pan on wire rack, about 2 hours.

When the cake is cool, mix the cream cheese, butter, sour cream, and vanilla at medium high speed until well combined (about 30 seconds), scraping down bowl with rubber spatula as needed. Add confectioners’ sugar and mix until very fluffy (about 1 minute). Frost and top with pecans if desired.

Source: My Kitchen Cafe