Blue Ribbon Carrot Cake

By Leland

Ingredients

• Glaze:
• Cake
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 t baking soda
• 2 t cinnamon
• 1/2 t salt
• 3 eggs
• 3/4 cup vegetable oil
• 3/4 cup buttermilk
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 2 t vanilla extract
• 1 8 oz crushed pineapple, drained
• 2 cups carrots, grated
• 3 1/2 ounces shredded coconut
• 1 cup seedless raisins
• 1 cup pecans coarsely chopped
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 t baking soda
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1 t light corn syrup
• 1 t vanilla extract
• Frosting:
• 3/4 cup butter at room temperature
• 1 8 ounce package cream cheese at room temperature
• 1 t vanilla extract
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon freshly-squeezed orange juice
• 1 t orange peel, grated

Preparation

Step 1

CAKE
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees

Sift flour, soda, cinnamon and salt together: set aside.
In a large bowl, beat eggs. Add oil, buttermilk, sugar and vanilla and mix well. Add flour mixture, pineapple, carrots, coconut, raisins and pecans and stir will.

Bake for 45-55 minutes

BUTTERMILK GLAZE:
In a small saucepan over high heat, combine sugar, soda,buttermilk, butter and corn syrup. Bring to a boil. Cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Remover from heat and stir in vanilla. Set glaze aside until cake is baked.

Remove cake from oven and slowly pour glaze over the hot cake. Cool cake in pan until glaze is totally absorbed, about 15 minutes.

FROSTING:
In a large bowl, cream butter and cream cheese until fluffy. Add vanilla, powdered sugar, orange juice and orange peel. Mix until smooth. Frost cake and refrigerate until frosting is set Serve cake chilled