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A purple carrot cake with purple piped carrot s on top.
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Purple Carrot Cake

Carrot cake with a twist...purple carrots!
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword Cake, cream cheese frosting, purple carrot
Budget Splurge
Prep Time 55 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Cooling time 30 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 25 minutes
Servings 12
Calories 664kcal

Equipment

  • Electric stand mixer
  • Large bowl
  • Cake pans 8" round
  • Offset spatula
  • Small bowl
  • Baking spray
  • Medium bowl
  • Parchment paper

Ingredients

For the cake:

  • 2 cups sugar
  • 1 ⅓ cups vegetable oil
  • 3 extra-large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1 ½ teaspoons salt
  • 1 cup raisins
  • 1 8 ounce can crushed pineapple, drained well
  • ½ cup angel flake coconut
  • 1 cup chopped pecans divided
  • 1 pound carrots grated
  • Purple food coloring

For the cream cheese frosting:

  • 2 8 ounce packages cream cheese, softened
  • 2 sticks unsalted butter softened
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 cups confectioners' sugar

For the buttercream frosting:

  • ½ cup butter 1 stick, softened
  • 1 ½ - 2 cups confectioner’s sugar
  • 1-2 tablespoons milk heavy cream, or half-and-half

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
  • Spray 2 (8-inch) round cake pans with baking spray. Line with parchment paper.

For the cake:

  • Beat the sugar, oil, and eggs together in the bowl of an electric mixer. Add the vanilla.
  • In a medium bowl mix together the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt. Whisk well.
  • With the mixer on low-speed, gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. By hand fold in the raisins, pineapple, coconut, and half of the pecans.
  • Gently fold in the carrots until well incorporated. Stir in a couple drops of purple food coloring if desired.
  • Divide the batter equally between the 2 prepared pans. Bake for 55 to 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
  • Remove the cakes from the oven and allow to cool completely, still in the pans on a wire rack.

For the cream cheese frosting:

  • Mix the cream cheese, butter and vanilla in the bowl of an electric mixer until just combined. Gradually add the confectioner's sugar and mix until creamy and smooth.
  • Remove the completely cooled cakes from the pans and peel the parchment paper off.
  • Place 1 layer with the flat side up, plate or cake pedestal. Place small stops of waxed paper under the edge to keep the plate clean.
  • Using an offset spatula, spread the top with frosting just to the edges. Place the second layer on top, flat side up.
  • Using a pastry bag filled with cream cheese frosting, fill in the space between the layers.
  • Ice the sides of the cake with frosting and pat finely chopped nuts on the sides.
  • Spread frosting on the top of the cake. Use a star tip to decorate the bottom and top edges.

For the buttercream frosting:

  • Place softened butter into the bowl of an electric mixer. Turn the mixer on a medium setting and cream the butter until it is smooth.
  • Add the confectioner's sugar, ½ cup at a time, turning the mixer onto the highest speed setting after each addition.
  • Add milk, heavy cream or half-and-half until the frosting has reached the preferred consistency. For a firmer frosting, add more confectioner's sugar, ¼ cup at a time.
  • For a softer frosting, add more milk or cream, a tablespoon at a time. Divide the frosting into two bowls, ⅔ in one bowl and the rest in the other. Using gel food coloring tint the larger amount of frosting purple and the other green.
  • Make carrot shapes from the purple and green buttercream icing using a round tip and a leaf tip. Practice on wax paper before trying this on your cake.
  • Serve cake at room temperature for best consistency.

Nutrition

Serving: 1slice | Calories: 664kcal | Carbohydrates: 124g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 62mg | Sodium: 591mg | Potassium: 329mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 90g | Vitamin A: 6625IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 42mg | Iron: 2mg