J. Alexander’s Carrot Cake

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J. Alexander’s Carrot Cake

Adapted from J. Alexander's. Most professional kitchens use convection ovens. If using a convection oven, reduce oven temperature to 300 degrees.

Course Dessert

Ingredients

Cake Syrup

  • 1 cup sugar
  • ½ cup buttermilk
  • 6 oz unsalted butter room temperature
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract

Cream Cheese Frosting

  • 6 oz unsalted butter room temperature
  • 8 oz cream cheese room temperature
  • 2 cup confectioner's sugar

Cake

  • 2 cup all purpose flour
  • 1 tbsp baking soda
  • 1 tbsp cinnamon
  • 2 cup sugar
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • 3 eggs large
  • ¾ cup canola oil plus more for pan
  • ¾ cup buttermilk
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 8 oz can crushed pineapple drained
  • 2 cup julienned carrots
  • 3 oz shredded coconut about 1 cup
  • 1 cup pecan pieces
  • 1 recipe cake syrup (see above)
  • 1 recipe cream cheese frosting (see above, or buy store bought)

Instructions

Cake Syrup

  1. Using a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, combine Cake Syrup ingredients. Cook, stirring occasionally, until sugar is dissolved.

Cream Cheese Frosting

  1. Using the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment on medium speed, combine Cream Cheese Frosting ingredients, mixing until smooth and free of lumps.

Cake

  1. Generously grease a 9×13-inch cake pan, set aside. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Mix flour, baking soda, cinnamon, sugar and salt in a large mixing bowl.

  2. Mix remaining ingredients in a separate medium bowl. Combine the wet ingredients with the flour mixture, mixing well.

  3. Transfer batter to prepared pan. Bake approximately 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cake should be 1 ½-inch thick.

  4. While the cake is still hot, poke holes all over the top with a large fork. Pour the Cake syrup over the top, allowing cake to soak up the syrup. Refrigerate cake until completely cool.

  5. Frost with Cream cheese frosting. Refrigerate cake to let frosting set.