Carrot Cake with Honey

I got this recipe from allrecipes online. Not that it is the only place, but when I decided I wanted the first birthday cake to be made with honey, it was the only one I could find.

INGREDIENTS
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1 1/2 cups honey
3/4 cup buttermilk
3 eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups finely grated carrot
1 (8 ounce) can crushed pineapple, drained
1 cup chopped walnuts

DIRECTIONS
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9x13 inch baking dish.

In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger.

In a large bowl, stir together the honey, buttermilk, eggs, oil and 2 teaspoons of vanilla until well blended.

Add the flour mixture to the buttermilk mixture, and stir until all of the dry ingredients are absorbed. Stir in the carrot, pineapple, and walnuts by hand. Pour into the prepared pan.

Bake for 50 minutes in the preheated oven, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool completely before frosting with cream cheese frosting.


The frosting I wasn't thrilled with. It has a different texture which day of is fine and delicious. The day or two after it isn't so great. Maybe I should have refrigerated the cake. I also considered using butter for some of the cream cheese...but I haven't tried it yet.

INGREDIENTS
2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup honey
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

To make the frosting, mix together the cream cheese, honey and 1 teaspoon of vanilla until smooth and well blended. Spread over the cooled cake.