Surprise Carrot Cake

Total Time Prep: 25 min. Bake: 55 min. + cooling
Yield 16 servings
Contest Winner
Test Kitchen Approved
A cousin gave me this carrot cake recipe. It's a wonderful potluck pleaser with its "surprise" cream cheese center. My husband and our two young children love it, too! —Lisa Bowen, Little Britian, Ontario

Ingredients

  • 3 cups shredded carrots
  • 1-3/4 cups sugar
  • 1 cup canola oil
  • 3 large eggs, room temperature
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup chopped pecans
  • FILLING:
  • 1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1 large egg, room temperature
  • FROSTING:
  • 1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
  • 1/4 cup butter, softened
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 4 cups confectioners' sugar

Directions

  1. In a large bowl, beat the carrots, sugar, oil and eggs until well blended. In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt; gradually beat into carrot mixture until blended. Stir in the pecans. Pour 3 cups batter into a greased and floured 10-in. fluted tube pan.
  2. In a small bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Beat in egg. Spoon over batter. Top with remaining batter.
  3. Bake at 350° for 55-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack to cool completely.
  4. For frosting, in a small bowl, beat the cream cheese, butter and vanilla until fluffy. Gradually add confectioners' sugar until smooth. Frost cake. Store in the refrigerator.

Nutrition Facts

1 slice: 570 calories, 30g fat (10g saturated fat), 92mg cholesterol, 442mg sodium, 71g carbohydrate (55g sugars, 2g fiber), 6g protein.

A cousin gave me this carrot cake recipe. It's a wonderful potluck pleaser with its "surprise" cream cheese center. My husband and our two young children love it, too! —Lisa Bowen, Little Britian, Ontario
Recipe Creator

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