Servings: 8-10
Cake Ingredients
2 cups pecans (8 ounces), divided I only use 1 cup
2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting the pans
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon I make it heaping
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup buttermilk If making this cake dairy free, use a couple tablespoons of non dairy milk and the rest non-dairy yogurt to bring it to 1/2 cup
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
4 large eggs
2 cups sugar
1 pound carrots, peeled and coarsely shredded I will occasionally get matchstick carrots because then I can be lazy
Steps to make the cake
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Butter or spray two 9-inch cake pans; line the bottoms with parchment. Butter the paper and flour the pans.
Spread the pecans on a baking sheet and toast for 8 minutes, until fragrant. Cool and finely chop the pecans.
I toast on the stove on medium heat in my cast iron skillet because I always burn them in the oven. And then I throw then in the food processor until they are finely ground. I HATE nuts in baked goods. Well, I learned that I hate the texture of nuts in baked goods. I enjoy the depth of flavor roasted pecan nut flour adds to this cake.
In a large bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.
I also add the finely ground pecans and coat the shredded carrots with the flour mixture at this point.
In another bowl (or a 2 cup measuring cup), whisk the oil, buttermilk, and vanilla.
Combine the eggs and sugar and beat with an electric mixer at high speed until pale, 5 minutes.
Beat in the liquid ingredients. Beat in the dry ingredients until just moistened. Stir in the carrots and half the pecans.
I beat in the liquid ingredients and then poured the whole thing into the dry ingredients and mixed by hand. It was a little sunken in the middle and some of the reviewers said they mixed 1/3 liquid, 1/3 dry and that helped but I’m pretty sure it took height out of the cake by deflating the eggs.
I also don’t reserve half the pecans because I will not put chunks of nuts on or in baked goods.
Divide the batter between the pans and bake the cakes for 55 minutes to 1 hour until springy and golden.
Let the cakes cool on a rack for 30 minutes, then unmold the cakes and let cool completely.
Vegan Cream Cheese Frosting Ingredients
1/2 cup vegan butter softened to room temperature I loved the flavor of Miyoko’s but it’s made with cashews, so make sure no one is allergic to cashews. Earth Balance will also work.
1 8-ounce container vegan cream cheese slightly softened such as Tofutti or Trader Joe’s softened for an hour
3-5 cups sifted powdered sugar
Steps to make the frosting
In a large mixing bowl, add softened butter and beat or whisk vigorously to combine. Then add vegan cream cheese and mix again until creamy and smooth.
Add sifted powdered sugar in 1 cup increments until thick and spreadable and to desired sweetness.
Refrigerate after frosting to keep fresh.
Assembling the cake
Peel off the parchment paper and invert cake layer onto a plate.
Spread with a slightly rounded cup of the frosting.
Top with the second cake layer right side up.
Spread the top and sides with the remaining frosting and top with the remaining pecans (if using).
Refrigerate the cake until chilled, about 1 hour.
Sara and I have known each other since we were UX babies at US Bank at the beginning of our careers. When she joined our team, I was on my way out, but she quickly became close friends with Kari so we initially all hung out together, but I got to know her better at Red Dot lunch (a monthly women in tech lunch I used to schedule), and then she talked me into coming to work for her at Best Buy.
I learned so much about what a good boss was and how to be a good boss from her. As a first time manager I was concerned that I couldn’t solve all my team’s problems and she pointed out the importance of helping the team solve their own problems only stepping in when that wasn’t possible. I appreciated how much she advocated for her team ensuring that we were included, that the women were getting the same pay as the men, and that we focused on doing the right thing even when it wasn’t comfortable.
She has talked me into interviewing to work for or with her a few times and I’m not sad about it at all. I have also talked her into helping me with a deliverable or taking on client work if she’s free because I know that deliverable will be so much better and the clients I connect her with will be impressed with how smart she is.
Over the years we have bonded over gardening, cooking, and eating really delicious food. During Covid we started getting together every other week to make sure we got out of our houses outside in nature. We are still doing it and have found so many lovely parks, gardens, and restaurants. My flower garden is starting to get overgrown so I want to redo it and Sara has shown me how to collect seeds from my plants and is talking me into doing more with native plants not just with her vast knowledge but also by sharing the seeds she has collected. I can’t wait to put it in practice.
The two pictures above is from a summer visit to the arboretum when Janine was in town and we drove the longer path and I learned there is a really cool sculpture garden there. I will forever laugh every time I go to the arboretum in future because Sara and I got caught in pouring rain while walking there a couple years ago. The signs at the arboretum are really great for a meander. But when it starts pouring rain, it is much more effective to follow the signal of a Tesla on the app on your phone even if you have to burst through some bushes to get back to the car. And then you have to sit in the car for a bit for the rain to let up so you can see to drive but the only thing you can dry off with are Kleenex’s, you will likely find it hilarious even at the time it happens. When I visit now I see the path just past the bushes we could have taken, but at that time it was not visible. Is this a metaphor for life? Probably.
I have made this cake for Sara a few times for her birthday. It’s the perfect time of year to enjoy it and I was so proud of myself last year for finding a really delicious dairy free cream cheese frosting that she could enjoy without regretting it later. Last year she brought it with her to visit Liam for family weekend at college. Sadly he’s allergic to the cashews in the Miyoko’s butter so ended his evening feeling awful hopped up on Benadryl. I had not thought to look for it in the ingredients but of course that makes sense. Thankfully it tastes just as good with Earth Balance butter without trying to kill anyone.
This is also the only baked good I will allow nuts in the batter but only if they are ground very fine to basically be flour. I really dislike the texture of nuts in baked goods, but the toasted pecans in this cake provide such good flavor. I may attempt the same process in other baked goods calling for nuts. We’ll see.
I also appreciate that Sara allows me to cook and bring her baked goods all the time without thinking it’s weird. She recognizes that I really enjoy it and so goes with the flow. Never feel bad if I bring you baked goods. Making them is my meditation but it would go to waste if it stayed at my house.
I did get to hang out with Sara, Nicole, and Stephanie on Sara’s birthday. We had theater tickets to Some Like it Hot and a brunch reservation at Diane’s Place in NE Minneapolis which was really delicious. I even brought her a cake I handed her as we left the restaurant. I love that she is my friend and hope we have many more years to nerd out together.
Supplies
(I’ll get a small cut if you click on these links and buy them)