Preheat the oven to 350˚F convection or 375˚F conventional. Spray 2, 8 inch cake pans with nonstick cooking spray. Line the bottom with a parchment circle. To make your own, trace the pan on a piece of parchment then cut out a circle.
Whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and salt in a medium bowl and set aside.
Add the lemon juice to the vegetable oil and set aside.
Peel and shred the carrots on a box grater on the medium size. Squeeze out the excess juice from your carrots using cheesecloth or paper towels; discard or drink it! Don't skip squeezing the carrots unless you are using store-bought, pre-shredded carrots.
Prepare the cake:
In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip together the eggs and sugar to the ribbon stage. This is when the batter will hold a ribbon on its surface before slowly disappearing.
With the mixer running on high, slowly pour in the vegetable oil mixture and whisk until completely emulsified (i.e. you can’t see any oil). It will deflate a bit but it will still look like a light, yellow cloud.
Remove the bowl from the stand mixer and fold in the dry ingredients mixture all at once, just until streaky.
Fold in the walnuts and carrots until there are no more lumps of flour and the batter is just combined. Please don’t over mix. If you think it’s done, it is.
Divide between the two pans. If you are feeling extra or just want to ensure they bake evenly, use a scale to make sure the batter is perfectly divided.
Bake 25 minutes or until you can gently press on the center and feel resistance. It shouldn’t feel like liquid under there! There is too much oil to use the cake tester. I know, the stress! But you’ve got this.
Cool cake layers 5 minutes in pan then turn out onto wire rack and cool upside-down. Yes, upside-down! Let cool completely before frosting.
Prepare Buttercream:
Cream together cream cheese, butter, and sugar until smooth.
Add lemon juice and extract. If it gets too warm, chill it. Just pop the whole bowl and attachments in the fridge and give it an hour.
Beat with a paddle until light and smooth.
Assemble:
Add about a ⅓ cup frosting on the first layer and spread until evenly covered. Layer on the second cake. Use as much buttercream as you want to cover the outside!
Slice and serve!
Video
Notes
Flavor Tips - I use horse carrots if I can find them. They are bigger, juicier and more flavorful than the skinny ones in the bags!Technique - Be sure to add the oil slowly and let it emulsify with each addition. This keeps the cake moist but not greasy. Variations - Experiment with different spice mixes, nuts and raisins! Storage - Store fully prepared cakes at room temperature for one day, in the refrigerator for up a week or frozen for up to 2 months.Yield: Makes 2 layer, 8” Cake.