Description[]
Source: Christmas With Southern Living 2003 - Southern Living
Two ingredients dress up canned frosting for this decadent layer cake. We offer you a double dose of candied nut garnishes, too. If you'd like to simplify, just choose one.
Ingredients[]
- 1 (18-ounce) package carrot cake mix
- 3 large eggs
- 1 cup water
- 1/3 cup vegetable oil
- 3 large carrots, grated
- 2 cups chopped pecans, toasted and divided
- 1 (1-ounce) can crushed pineapple, well drained
- 2/3 cup sugar
- 24 pecan halves
- 2 (16-ounce) containers homestyle cream cheese frosting
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- Praline Crumbles
Directions[]
- Grease 3 (8") round cakepans.
- Line with wax paper; grease wax paper.
- Set aside.
- Beat first 4 ingredients at low speed with an electric mixer 30 seconds.
- Beat at medium speed 2 minutes.
- Stir in carrot, 1 cup pecans, and pineapple.
- Pour batter evenly into pans.
- Bake at 350° for 20 to 22 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.
- Cool in pans on wire racks 10 minutes.
- Remove from pans, and cool completely on wire racks.
- Wrap cake layers in nonstick aluminum foil.
- Freeze 30 minutes. (This step aids in frosting the finished product.)
- Coat a sheet of wax paper with cooking spray; set aside.
- Place sugar in a large heavy skillet.
- Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, 5 to 10 minutes or until sugar melts and turns light brown.
- Remove from heat.
- Working quickly, drop pecan halves, a few at a time, into caramelized sugar, turning to coat.
- Using a fork, remove pecans to greased wax paper.
- Cool completely; remove from wax paper, and reserve for garnish.
- Combine frosting, vanilla, and remaining 1 cup pecans in a bowl.
- Unwrap layers, and spread frosting between layers and on top and sides of cake.
- Let cake stand 1 hour before serving.
- Sprinkle Praline Crumbles over top of cake, and garnish rim of cake with candied pecans.
Yield: 1 (3-layer) cake