Double Decker Carrot Spice Cake—“It’s a mountain.”

Mr. Fuji’s birthday was yesterday. A couple of days ago when I asked him what kind of birthday cake he wanted, he responded with two words: “carrot cake.” I was thrilled. I try not to make cakes and pies unless I have a party, holiday, or some other sort of occasion to take it to, because I’m just too tempted to pull out a fork during the day and have “just one more bite.” I have been craving carrot cake. Thus Mr. Fuji’s request made it so I had a valid excuse to make a cake and eat it too.
When I told my mom earlier in the week what kind of cake I was making she told me that my dad had almost bought a carrot cake because he was craving it, but that my mom had talked him out of it. Today I had to drive out for a doctors appointment, putting me only 2 freeway exits away from my dad’s office. After my appointment I dropped by and left a Tupperware container with 2 moist slices of carrot cake in it for him. It’s so nice when one birthday request can satisfy so many coinciding cravings!
This recipe came about while I was in my second year of law school. Mr. Fuji requested carrot cake for his birthday that year and I spent some time zoning out during a particularly boring secured transactions class dreaming up this requested birthday cake. When I made the cake a few days later it luckily turned out just as I had seen it in my head: 2 layers, the cake a cross between a carrot cake and a spice cake, and a nice gooey coat of cream cheese frosting to adorn it.
Yesterday’s cake was no exception, turning out beautifully with a nice moist crumb. When I finished frosting it and it was sitting on the counter ready to be eaten, Squirrel saw it and said, “Oh, a cake! For Dada’s birfday?” When I nodded “yes” in response, she then matter-of-factly told me, “It’s a mountain.” I had to laugh, because indeed, from her vantage point, the cake was a towering mass of white frosting stretching up into the sky like a snow covered peak. So there you go, make yourself a mountain. I give you permission. I mean hey, it’s full of shredded carrots, which are good for you. So it stands to reason that you’re being healthy by eating a nice big piece, right? Right????

Tagged as: 2-layer cake recipe, carrot cake, carrot cake recipe, cream cheese frosting, cream cheese frosting recipe