Quart of Canned Carrots Cake

Did you know that today is National Carrot Cake Day?

A whole day dedicated to carrot cake?! Yes! Let's celebrate!!!

If you've visited here before, you may recall that I once shared with you the best idea that I ever had in my whole life... a fabulous way to store fresh carrots, a way that keeps them so fresh that they "snap" when you break them, for months! Really! You can read about it here.

But that doesn't mean that I don't pressure can some carrots, too. Because I do. Home canned carrots are nifty because you can whip them up into this fabulous cake...

But first, another carrot tip:If you have a little strainer like this, hold it over your jar of carrots and use it to drain your carrots... talk about nifty! Drained carrots in a jiffy!
By the way, I tend to be partial to simple, quick recipes. And this one is no exception. Combine your drained carrots and a few other ingredients in your blender, stir that into your flour and spices, and bake. It can hardly be easier than this...
QUART OF CANNED CARROTS CAKE

For the cake:
1 cup vegetable oil
1 quart canned carrots, drained
3 eggs
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1/4 teaspoon cardamom
1/4 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Butter a 9x13 inch baking pan. Process oil, drained carrots, eggs, sugar, and vanilla together in blender until smooth. Stir flour, baking powder, spices, and salt together in a large bowl with a wire whisk. Pour blender ingredients into dry ingredients and stir until just combined. Spread into buttered pan and bake for about 40 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely. Spread frosting on cake.

For the frosting:
1/2 cup (1 stick) softened butter
8 ounce package cream cheese
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 to 4 cups confectioner's sugar
optional: stir in a handful of finely chopped black walnuts

Use hand mixer to blend ingredients together in order given. Add 3 to 4 cups confectioner's sugar, until frosting is the consistency that you like. Stir walnuts in by hand, if using. Spread on cooled cake.