Salted Pecan Carrot Cake with Bourbon Maple Buttercream Frosting

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups pecan halves, rough chopped

1 tbsp butter, melted

1/8 tsp kosher salt

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2 tsp baking soda

1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 cup granulated sugar

1 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup canola oil

3 large eggs, room temperature

3/4 cup buttermilk

2 tsp vanilla extract

3 cups carrots, peeled and grated

1 cup golden raisins

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Rough chop pecans, toss in melted butter and salt then spread on a baking sheet and toast in the oven for 10 minutes, stirring once. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Set aside.

In a mixer cream butter and sugars until blended. Stir in oil and beat until blended and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, until blended.

Change to paddle attachment. Alternate adding flour mixture and buttermilk until it is all incorporated. Stir in vanilla. Fold in carrots, golden raisins, and 1 cup of the salted pecans (reserve the remainder for garnish).

Pour batter into 9x 13 pan greased with butter.

Bake at 350 for 45 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool completely and then top with Bourbon Maple Buttercream Frosting and garnish with remaining salted pecans, finely chopped.

Bourbon Maple Buttercream Frosting

Ingredients

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 cup powdered sugar

1/4 cup B&E’s Trees Bourbon Barrel Aged Maple Syrup

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1/8 tsp kosher salt

Directions

With a hand mixer cream butter until smooth. Add powdered sugar a bit at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl with a rubber scraper as you go. Beat on high speed until light and fluffy. Add maple syrup, vanilla, and salt. Beat on high speed for about 30 seconds until light and fluffy.