BEST CARROT SHEET CAKE

Ingredients

Carrot Cake:

2 Cups All Purpose Flour

2 Tsp. Baking Soda

2 Tsp. Ground Cinnamon

½ Tsp. Salt

3 Large Eggs

2 Cups Sugar

¾ Cup Vegetable Oil

¾ Cup Buttermilk

2 Tsp. Vanilla Extract

2 Cups Grated Carrots (3 Large)

1-8 oz. Can Pineapple, Crushed, Drained

1-3-1/2 oz. Can Sweetened Flaked Coconut

1 Cup Pecans or Walnuts, Chopped

Buttermilk Glaze:

1 Cup Sugar

1-1/2 Tsp. Baking Soda

1/2 Cup Butter or Margarine

1/2 Cup Buttermilk

1 Tbsp. Light Corn Syrup

1 Tsp. Vanilla Extract

Cream Cheese Frosting:

1/ 2 Cup Butter or Margarine, Softened

1-8 oz. Cream Cheese

1-3 oz. Cream Cheese

16 oz. Powdered Sugar, Sifted

1-1/2 Tsp. Vanilla Extract

Instructions for Cake

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Stir together first 4 ingredients. 
3. Beat eggs and next 4 ingredients at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth. 
4. Add flour mixture, beating at low speed until blended. 
5. Fold in carrots and next 3 ingredients. 
6. Pour batter into a greased and floured 13 x 9-inch pan. 
7. Bake for 30 minutes; cover pan loosely with aluminum foil to prevent excess browning and bake 13 more minutes or until a wooden pick inserted into center comes out clean. 

Instructions for Buttermilk Glaze

1. Bring sugar, baking soda, butter, buttermilk, and corn syrup to a boil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat.  Boil, stirring often, 4 minutes or until mixture is golden brown. 
2. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract. 
3. Drizzle Buttermilk Glaze evenly over cake; cool completely in pan. 

Instructions for Cream Cheese Frosting

1. Beat butter and cream cheese at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. 
2. Add powdered sugar and vanilla extract; beat at high speed 10 seconds or until smooth. 
3. Spread Cream Cheese Frosting evenly over cake. 

Servings: 12 Each

RECIPE FROM SOUTHERN LIVING MAGAZINE, MARCH 2012