1 ½cupschopped toasted walnutsdust with a little of the flour so nuts suspend better in the batter
1/4cupfinely chopped toasted walnuts for topping
zest of one orange
Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting
12ozcream cheese at room temperature
5tablespoonsbutter at room temperature
lemon zest and juice of one lemon
5cupspowdered sugar
2teaspoonsvanilla
Instructions
Carrot Cake
Grease and flour two or three cake rounds (I used 2)
Grate carrots (I used food processor)
Sift together all dry ingredients
Add zest to sugar, mix with hands
Whip oil and sugar together until light
Add eggs to sugar mixture
Add flour to sugar mixture in batches, mix thoroughly
Add carrots and walnuts
Pour evenly in prepared cake rounds, bake immediately
Bake for 25-30 minutes at 350 degrees
Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting
Mix lemon zest powdered sugar, set aside
Mix cream cheese and butter
Mix in powdered sugar
Add juice of lemon
Add 2 teaspoons vanilla
Cover with plastic, so that plastic is touching frosting, if you are not going to use immediately. Best if used within 30 minutes or you can refrigerate until you are ready to frost. Make sure to bring to room temperature before frosting.
Assembly
Even out the top of the cake. I like to place the cakes in the freezer for about 15 minutes prior to frosting.
Take out of freezer, and frost a crumb coat, frosting very thing layer of frosting on the cake just to catch the crumbs. Put one layer on top of the other. Place back in refrigerator for about 10 - 15 minutes, to harden. Then frost the whole cake.