Southern Living's Best Carrot Cake

Truly our best-ever carrot cake recipe, make this classic favorite for a crowd and you might not have any leftovers to bring home ~ Tina Cornett; Styling: Leslie Byars Simpson

INGREDIENTS​

Carrot 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
8 oz crushed pineapple; drained
3 1/2 oz. flaked coconut
1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts

ButterMilk Glaze
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

Cream Cheese Frosting
3/4 cup butter or margarine, softened
11 oz cream cheese
3 cups sifted powdered sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

CARROT CAKE
Line 3 (9-inch) round cakepans with wax paper (or parchment); lightly grease and flour paper. Set pans aside.
Stir together 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 toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

BUTTERMILK GLAZE
Bring first 5 ingredients to a boil in a medium size pot over medium-high heat. Boil, stirring often, 4 minutes. Remove from heat, and stir in vanilla.

CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
Beat butter and cream cheese at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Add powdered sugar and vanilla; beat
until smooth.
Yield: 1 (9-inch) cake

DECORATING
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.