Blue Ribbon Carrot Cake with Buttermilk Glaze and Cream Cheese Frosting

Blue Ribbon Carrot Cake

We were invited to a dinner at a friend's home and one of his favorite cakes is a carrot cake, so we're taking this for dessert. I love carrot cakes because of they are so moist and I don't care for dry cakes; in addition to all the wonderful spices. The extra buttermilk glaze puts this recipe over the moon. Try it sometime.
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6 cups grated carrots

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup golden raisins

4 eggs

1-1/2 cups white sugar

1 cup vegetable oil

2 teaspoons vanilla

1 cup crushed pineapple, drained

3 cups all-purpose flour

1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1-1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1 cup pecans, toasted and chopped

In a medium bowl, combine grated carrots and brown sugar. Set aside for 60 minutes, and then stir in raisins. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour three 8-inch cake pans (OR two 10-inch pans). In a large bowl, beat eggs until light. Gradually beat in the white sugar, oil and vanilla. Stir in the pineapple. Combine the flour, baking soda, salt and spices, stir into the wet mixture until absorbed. Finally stir in the carrot mixture and the pecans. Pour evenly into the prepared pans. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes in the preheated oven, until cake tests done with a toothpick. Drizzle Buttermilk Glaze evenly over layers; cool in pans on wire racks 15 minutes. Remove from pans, and cool completely on wire racks. Spread Cream Cheese Frosting between layers and on top and sides of cake.

Buttermilk Glaze

1 cup sugar
1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 cup buttermilk

1/2 cup butter or margarine
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla
Bring first 5 ingredients to a boil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Boil, stirring often, 4 minutes. Remove from heat, and stir in vanilla.

Cream Cheese Frosting

3/4 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 (3-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
3 cups sifted powdered sugar
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla
Beat butter and cream cheese at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Add powdered sugar and vanilla; beat until smooth.