The Best Carrot Cake … Ever?

Well, it has honey in it, so it’s off to a good start

Before she became an award-winning celebrity chef, Trisha Yearwood was a multi-platinum-selling country music artist. Her debut single, “She’s in Love with the Boy,” reached No. 1 on the Billboard singles chart and helped propel her debut album to double-platinum status.

Since then, Trisha has released 15 more albums, had several No. 1 country hits, won three GRAMMY Awards and multiple Country Music Awards, and has been inducted into the Grand Ole Opry.

She’s also an amazing cook. In 2008, she released her first cookbook, “Georgia Cooking in an Oklahoma Kitchen,” with her mom, Gwen. It reached the New York Times Best Sellers list and led to more popular cookbooks from the duo.

Trisha’s success with her cookbooks led to an Emmy-winning TV show, “Trisha’s Southern Kitchen,” which airs on the Food Network.

One of her latest creations, “Trisha Yearwood’s Honey Carrot Cake,” has been creating big buzz on social media over the past several weeks, and we know why: It has honey in it!

That, and all sorts of delicious ingredients. It’s easy to make and, yes, it is absolutely scrumptious. Try it out for yourself.

Trisha Yearwood’s Honey Carrot Cake via FoodNetwork.com

Ingredients

• Unsalted butter, for the pan
• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for the pan
• 1 cup whole wheat flour 
• 2 tsp baking powder 
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon 
• 1/2 tsp ground allspice 
• 1/2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg 
• 1/2 tsp fine salt 
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil 
• 1/2 cup applesauce 
• 1/2 cup honey (We use AUNT SUE’S® Organic Honey)
• 1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract 
• 2 large eggs 
• 1 cup grated carrots (about 2 large carrots) 
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans 
• 1/2 cup shredded sweetened coconut 

Cream Cheese Glaze

• 2 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
• 3 tbsp unsalted butter, at room temperature 
• 1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar 
• 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract 
• 2 to 3 tbsp milk 

Directions

For the carrot cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour a standard-size loaf pan and line with parchment to overhang the edges by a few inches.

Stir together the all-purpose and whole wheat flours, baking powder, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg and salt in a medium bowl; set aside. Combine the vegetable oil, applesauce and honey in a mixer bowl and beat on medium until smooth, about 1 minute. Add the vanilla and eggs and beat until light, about 1 minute. Add the flour mixture and beat on low just until combined. Add the carrots, pecans and coconut and beat just to incorporate. Spread the batter into the prepared pan.

Bake until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean with just a few crumbs, 55 to 65 minutes. Cool on a rack for 15 minutes, then unmold and cool completely.

For the cream cheese glaze: Beat the cream cheese and butter in a medium bowl until smooth. Beat in the confectioners’ sugar until smooth. Stir in the vanilla. Stir in the milk, a tablespoon at a time, to make a thick, spreadable glaze. Spoon the glaze over the cake and spread to the edges.