3 Layer Carrot Cake with a Buttermilk Glaze and Cream Cheese Frosting

A BIG Slice of Heaven

Zena is my friend's Grouprecipe name and a few of us at this site got on the bandwagon for trying Zena's carrot cake. I honestly never thought anyone could come close to beating my own 6-layer carrot cake but with the addition of the buttermilk glaze. . .well the cake is out of this world! The flavor and moistness is phenomenal! I can not get over the taste of the cake. The frosting is hard to keep out of, the glaze gets caramel in color and flavor, and the carrot cake itself is beautiful. The choices are open as to whether you like walnuts or pecans, with or without coconut, and you could even throw in a few raisins if you like. The frosting is creamy enough to throw swirls into and the addition of toasted, crushed pecans (or walnuts) sprinkled on top is just playtime for the cake. I took slices to work to share and everyone unanimously said this is the BEST carrot cake ever eaten. I want to try making my own carrot cake again with the glaze and frosting from this recipe and compare to see if I am beat in all categories. This is one time that I really don't mind losing =D.

Ingredients:
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 cups canola oil
3/4 cup buttermilk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups grated carrots
1 (3 1/2 oz) package flaked coconut
1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts

Buttermilk Glaze:

1 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 cup butter milk
1/2 cup butter
1 teaspoon light corn syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Cream Cheese Frosting:
3/4 cup butter, softened
1 (8oz) pkg cream cheese, softened
1 (3oz) pkg cream cheese, softened
3 cups sifted powdered sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions:

Cake:
Line three 9 inch round cake pans with wax paper; lightly grease and flour wax paper; set aside pans.
Stir together first 4 ingredients.
Beat eggs and next 4 ingredients at medium speed with a mixer until
smooth. Add flour mixture, beating at low speed until blended.
Fold in carrots and next 3 ingredients.
Pour batter into prepared cake pans.
Bake at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes or until tooth pick comes clean out of center of cake

Buttermilk Glaze:
Bring first 5 ingredients to a boil in a large saucepan over medium high heat.
Boil, stirring often, 4 minutes.
Remove from heat, and stir in vanilla.
Drizzle glaze evenly over layers; cool in pans on wire racks 15
minutes. Remove from pans, and cool completely on wire racks.

Cream Cheese Frosting:
Beat first 3 ingredients at medium speed with a mixer until creamy.
Add powdered sugar and vanilla; beat until smooth.
Spread frosting between layers and on top and sides of cake.
Can Garnish top of cake with extra pecans or walnuts.