Best Carrot Cake

Best Carrot Cake

Ingredients:
Cake
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
            *
3 large eggs
2 cups sugar
3/4 cup vegetable oil
3/4 cup buttermilk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
          *
2 cups grated carrot
1 (8-ounce) can crushed pineapple, drained
1 (3 1/2-ounce) can flaked coconut
1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts


Buttermilk Glaze
Ingredients:
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

Buttermilk Glaze: 
Boil first five ingredients in a large Dutch oven over med.-high heat. Boil, stirring continuously for 4 minutes. Remove from heat, and stir in the vanilla.

Cake Directions:
Line 3 (9-inch round) cake pans with wax paper; lightly grease and flour wax paper and flour wax paper. Set aside.

Stir together the first 4 ingredients. 

Beat eggs and next 4 ingredients at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth. Add flour mixture, beating at low speed until blended. Fold in carrot and next 3 ingredients. 

Pour batter into prepared cakepans.

Bake at 350° for 25 to 30 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. 

Drizzle Buttermilk Glaze evenly over layers; cool in pans on wire racks 15 minutes. 

Remove from pans, and cool completely on wire racks. Spread Cream Cheese Frosting between layers and on top and sides of cake.

Cream Cheese Frosting
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 (3-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
3 cups sifted powdered sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract