3-Layer Carrot Cake with Lemon Buttercream Frosting
Description
This 3-layer food processor carrot cake with pineapple and walnuts is spread with a tangy cream cheese-based lemon buttercream frosting.
Ingredients
•
1 tablespoon butter, softened
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1 pound cooked carrots, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
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3 cups all-purpose flour
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2 1/2 cups white sugar
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1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped walnuts
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1 (8 ounce) can unsweetened pineapple, drained
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1 cup corn oil
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4 eggs
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1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
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1 tablespoon baking soda
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1 tablespoon vanilla extract
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1 teaspoon salt
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1 pound cream cheese, at room temperature
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1 1/4 cups butter, at room temperature
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1 tablespoon lemon juice
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2 teaspoons vanilla extract
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5 2/3 cups confectioners' sugar
Directions
1
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Butter three 9-inch round cake pans. Line bottoms with wax paper; grease wax paper with butter.
2
Combine cooked carrots, flour, white sugar, walnuts, pineapple, corn oil, eggs, cinnamon, baking soda, 1 tablespoon vanilla extract, and salt in a large bowl.
3
Pour carrot mixture into a food processor, and blend, working in batches if necessary, until smooth. Divide batter among prepared cake pans.
4
Bake cakes in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the centers comes out clean, about 35 minutes. Cool in the pans for 5 minutes before inverting onto wire racks to cool completely, about 1 hour.
5
Beat cream cheese, 1 1/4 cup butter, lemon juice, and 2 teaspoons vanilla extract together in a large bowl until smooth. Gradually beat in confectioners' sugar until frosting is smooth.
6
Place 1 cake layer on a serving plate and spread with 1/4 of the frosting. Place a second cake layer on top of the first; spread 1/4 of the frosting on top. Place third cake layer on top; frost top and sides with remaining 1/2 of the frosting.