Fried Pies & Fireflies: Kimberly's Carrot Cake

This is a favorite family recipe of my friend Kimberly.
She and her sister Jennifer grew up with my 3 kids.
Our families were close and we share great memories.
Now she has 2 little cuties of her own!
I thought I'd add her wonderful Carrot Cake recipe to my Easter Recipe Collection and just slip my layer
of cheesecake in the middle...sigh...hope you enjoy!

Kimberly's Carrot Cake

2c. sugar

4 eggs

2c. self rising flour

1 & 1/2 c. oil

3TBSP vanilla

3tsp cinnamon

3 med carrots, grated

Cream sugar , eggs, and oil.

Add vanilla and mix in dry ingredients.

Add grated carrots and beat well.

Pour into 2 greased and floured 9 inch cake pans.

Bake for 30mins @ 350 degrees.

Cool completely on wire rack.

Cheesecake Layer

2--8 oz cream cheese, at room temperature

1 1/2 cups sugar

2 eggs

1/3 cup heavy cream

1 tsp vanilla

Cream the cream cheese, sugar and eggs

until smooth and creamy.

Add the heavy cream and vanilla and blend well.

Pour into 8 inch spring-form pan--

(I line the bottom of mine with parchment paper).

Bake 350 degrees 45 minutes until center is set.

Run knife around the outside but

leave in pan until completely cool.
It's best if you refrigerate this layer
overnight before assembling the cake.

Cream Cheese Frosting

1 cup butter

1 TBSP vanilla

2-- 8oz pkg cream cheese

2 lbs confectioners sugar

1 cup walnuts or pecans, chopped

Cream butter and cream cheese;

slowly blend in confectioners sugar.

Add vanilla and walnuts; beat well.

Frost cooled cake.

**********
The delicious ingredients...

Start by adding the sugar and oil in your mixing bowl...

the four whole eggs and then the 4 egg yolks...

Add the vanilla, cinnamon, flour and carrots...

Beat well and pour into your 2--9" cake pans...

Bake on 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until the cake tests done...

Cool completely on wire rack...

For the icing, cream the butter and cream cheese until smooth...
Add the confectioners sugar...

Frost the top of on layer...

Carefully add the cheesecake layer...

Like so!

You may have to trim around the edges a bit...
It's ok to eat the cheesecake edges you had to trim...
Trust me...your kitchen is a "test kitchen" and you're the "tester" :)

On a side note...you can also eliminate this step and not put the cheesecake layer in...it will still be an amazing cake!

But if you don't want to put the cheesecake layer in...
what's wrong with you???