Instructions

Carrot Cake Layers:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line four 7 inch pans or three 8 inch round pans with parchment rounds, and grease with non-stick cooking spray.
2. In a large bowl, mix together the brown sugar, granulated sugar, and oil until combined.
3. Add in the eggs, 2 at a time. Stir until the batter is smooth.
4. Mix in the spices (cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves), scraping the sides of the bowl while mixing.
5. Add the baking soda, baking powder, and salt into the batter, and mix in.
6. Add half of the flour, and mix until just combined. Be careful not to over mix!
7. Stir in the canola oil, vanilla extract, and buttermilk.
8. Mix in the remaining flour. Once the ingredients are fully combined, fold in the grated carrots.
9. Divide batter evenly between the prepared cake pans. I like to use a digital kitchen scale to weigh my pans, and ensure they all have the same amount of batter. This guarantees your layers will bake to be the same height.
10. For 7-inch cake layers, bake for 25 minutes. If you made three, 8-inch cake layers, bake for about 27 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
11. Allow the pans to cool for 10 minutes, then run an offset spatula around the perimeter of the pans to separate the cake layers from the pan.
12. Place cake layers in the freezer for 45 minutes, to accelerate the cooling process. Once the layers are fully cooled, carefully flip the pans and remove the layers from the pans.
13. Use a serrated knife to level the tops of the layers.

Cream Cheese Buttercream Frosting:

1. While the cake layers bake and cool, make the cream cheese frosting.
2. Beat the butter and cream cheese on a medium speed for 30 seconds with a paddle attachment, until smooth.
3. Add in the vanilla and salt, and beat on low until the ingredients are fully incorporated.
4. Slowly mix in the powdered sugar on a very low speed, 1 cup at a time. Alternate with small splashes of cream. 
5. If the frosting is too thick, add in additional cream (1 teaspoon at a time). If the frosting is too thin, add in more powdered sugar (quarter of a cup at a time).
6. Place 1 cup of frosting in a separate bowl, and color it green with gel food coloring. Place in a piping bag fitted with a Wilton 1M or 2D frosting tip.
7. In a separate bowl, add 2 cups of frosting and color it orange with gel food coloring. Place in a piping bag fitted with a large round piping tip, or an opening cut about 1.5 cm wide.
8. Cover the uncolored cream cheese frosting with a piece of plastic wrap, to prevent a crust from forming until you're ready to use it.

To Assemble The Cake:

1. Stack and frost cake layers on a greaseproof cake board, using a dab of frosting to help stick the first cake layer to the board.
2. Stack the cake layers, adding an even layer of cream cheese frosting between each cake layer.
3. Frost the top and sides of the cake with a moderately thick layer of frosting (thicker than a crumb coat), to fully cover the cake layers.
4. Smooth using a bench scraper, then chill the cake in the fridge (20 minutes) or freezer (5 minutes) until the frosting is firm to the touch.
5. Pipe vertical lines of orange frosting on the sides of the cake to look like carrots.
6. Pipe green frosting swirls around the top perimeter of the cake to look like carrot tops.