1 Double Layer White or Yellow Cake Mix
3 Large Carrots (shredded)
1 Large Apple (chopped finely, with skin - without core)
2/3 cup water
3/4 cup unsweetened apple sauce
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
2 Tbsp mayonaise
3 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 Tbsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger (or all spice)
1 tsp white sugar
1 cup broken pecan halves (save 8 to 10 whole pecan halves for decorating top of cake)
Icing:
1 8oz package cream cheese (microwave on high for 20 seconds)
1/4 cup butter (room temperature)
2 1/4 cups icing sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
pinch of salt (1/8 tsp)
Method (for cake):
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease (x2) 9 1/2" round baking pans and line with parchment paper.
Mix all cake batter ingredients (except the pecans) with beaters on medium speed for about 2.5 minutes (scraping down sides of bowl) then fold in pecans, saving 8 to 10 for decorating top of cake after icing. Divide batter between 9 1/2" rounds, bake for 42-45 minutes on middle rack of oven. When you can smell the cake, and it starts to pull away from the sides of the pan - it is done. Your toothpick will probably not come out overly dry as this is a very moist cake, being such, it will not rise very much either. Let cakes cool in pans on wire racks for 10 minutes before turning out to completely cool. Don't forget to remove the parchment paper.
Method (for icing):
Remove cream cheese from packaging and place cream cheese in a glass bowl. Microwave on high for about 20 seconds. Add butter, salt and vanilla - cream together with electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add icing sugar and beat on low speed until well blended. Once cake is cool, add 1/2 icing between cake layers and 1/2 on top. This icing is rich so you need only cover the middle and top layers (ignoring the sides of the cake). Place pecan halves on top to decorate.
Enjoy!
