Ingredients
Cake
- 4 large eggs
- 3/4 cup vegetable oil
- 1/2 cup applesauce
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 3 cups lightly packed finely grated carrots**
- 2/3 cup chopped pecans optional
Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 8 oz cream cheese, cold 1 – 8 oz package
- 3/4 cup granulated white sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream or heavy cream cold
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 9″ round cake pans with parchment paper, spray with baking spray or butter and dust with flour, set aside.
- In a mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger.
- In a large mixing bowl, with an electric mixer, combine vegetable oil, applesauce, eggs, granulated sugar, and vanilla.
- Slowly stir in dry ingredients and mix until well blended. Stir in pecans and grated carrots. Divide mixture evenly into the 2 prepared cake pans.
- Bake cakes in the preheated oven for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove from oven and allow to cool 5 minutes in the pans before removing to a wire rack to cool.
- Allow the cakes to cool completely before frosting Flip cakes upside down when frosting.
- Chill a large bowl for the whipped cream.
For the whipped cream cheese frosting:
- In a large chilled bowl, whip cream with a mixer until it forms stiff peaks.
- In another bowl, use a hand mixer to whip the cream cheese, sugar, salt, and vanilla until fully combined and creamy. Make sure the sugar has dissolved completely.
- Fold the cream cheese mixture into the whipped cream, then use mixer until it’s fully combined and fluffy.