Caramel Carrot Cake

This is not your ordinary carrot cake. The cake is studded with rum soaked raisins and pecan pieces. Frosted with maple vanilla swiss meringue buttercream, topped with caramel sauce, pineapple flowers and a spun sugar birds nest with two perfect eggs. 

Here's the yummy carrot cake recipe

Ingredients

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cups packed light brown sugar  
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tbsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
• 4 large eggs
• 2 tbsp vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups canola oil
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 2 3/4 cups peeled, shredded carrots
• 1 cup raisins (soaked in 1 cup of warm dark rum for at least one hour but preferably overnight)
• 2 cups chopped pecans, separated

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line three pans with parchment paper, and grease bottom and sides of pans with baking spray; set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, both sugars, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Whisk together to blend, breaking up any large lumps of brown sugar with your hand. In another large mixing bowl, combine eggs, vanilla, oil, and buttermilk. Whisk until well combined. Add the wet ingredients to the bowl with the dry ingredients and stir just until incorporated. Add in carrots, 1 cup of pecans, and raisins. Fold gently into batter with a spatula until incorporated.

Divide batter evenly between the prepared pans. Bake 30-35 minutes, or until cakes are golden brown and toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. I recommend rotating cakes halfway through baking. Transfer to wire racks and cool 5-10 minutes in the pans, then turn out cakes directly onto wire racks and cool completely.

Yields one 3 layer 8 inch cake. Enjoy!!