Rainbow Carrot Cake by Monica Sapp-Willis

Wet Ingredients:
3 cups peeled and grated rainbow carrots
1/2 cup applesauce w cinnamon
1/2 cup canola oil
2 eggs

Cream Cheese Frosting
1 tbsp butter, chilled
1 (8 oz) package cream cheese
1 lb package powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp lemon zest

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Using cooking spray, evenly coat 2 round, 8-inch cake pans and lightly dust with flour.
2. Mix all dry ingredients together in a large mixing bowl.
3. Mix all wet ingredients together in a separate bowl. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and mix well (note: batter will be very stiff).
4. Spread the batter evenly into TWO round, 8-inch baking cake pans.
5. Bake at 350 degrees for about 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of each cake pan comes out clean. Let cool on a wire rack.
6. Meanwhile, prepare the frosting. Beat butter and cream cheese at high speed of a mixer in a large bowl until fluffy. Gradually add powdered sugar, vanilla and lemon zest beat at low speed until just blended. Cover and chill.
7. To frost the cake, place 1 cake layer on a large plate. Spread about 1/3 the cream cheese icing on top of the layer; spreading carefully from the center out to just the edges of the cake layer (it is easiest to use a large knife). Top with the second cake layer and repeat, however this time use all the remaining icing and spread the icing over the sides/edges of the cake layer.