The Best Carrot Cake

Ingredients

• * Butter, for pans
• * 2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for pans
• * 2 cups sugar
• * 2 teaspoons baking soda
• * 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• * 1 teaspoon salt
• * 4 eggs
• * 1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
• * 3 cups grated carrots
• * 1 1/2 cups chopped pecans, optional

Steps

1. Frosting:
2. 2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, room temperature
3. 1 stick salted butter, room temperature
4. 1 (16-ounce) box powdered sugar
5. 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
6. 1/2 cup chopped pecans
7. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour 3 (9-inch) round pans; Line bottom of the pans with parchment paper.
8. In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Add eggs and vegetable oil. Using a hand mixer, blend until combined. Add carrots and pecans, if using.
9. Pour into pans. Bake for approximately 40 minutes. Remove from oven and cool for 5 minutes. Remove from pans, place on waxed paper and allow to cool completely before frosting.
10. For the frosting:
11. Add all ingredients, except nuts, into a medium bowl and beat until fluffy using a hand mixer. Stir in the nuts. Spread frosting on top of each cake layer. Stack the cakes on a serving plate and serve.