Cream Cheese Stuffed Carrot Cake with Orange Glaze ๐Ÿฅ•๐Ÿฐ๐ŸŠ:

Ingredients ๐Ÿฅ•
โ€“ For the Carrot Cake:
โ€“ 2 cups all-purpose flour ๐Ÿž
โ€“ 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder ๐Ÿง
โ€“ 1 teaspoon baking soda ๐Ÿง
โ€“ 1/2 teaspoon salt ๐Ÿง‚
โ€“ 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon ๐ŸŒฟ
โ€“ 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg ๐ŸŒฟ
โ€“ 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger ๐ŸŒฟ
โ€“ 1 cup granulated sugar ๐Ÿง‚
โ€“ 1 cup packed brown sugar ๐Ÿง‚
โ€“ 1 cup vegetable oil ๐Ÿซ’
โ€“ 4 large eggs ๐Ÿฅš
โ€“ 2 cups finely grated carrots ๐Ÿฅ•
โ€“ 1 cup crushed pineapple, drained ๐Ÿ
โ€“ 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional) ๐Ÿฅœ

โ€“ For the Cream Cheese Filling:
โ€“ 8 oz cream cheese, softened ๐Ÿง€
โ€“ 1/2 cup granulated sugar ๐Ÿง‚
โ€“ 1 teaspoon vanilla extract ๐Ÿฐ

โ€“ For the Orange Glaze:
โ€“ 1 cup powdered sugar ๐Ÿง‚
โ€“ 2-3 tablespoons fresh orange juice ๐ŸŠ
โ€“ 1 teaspoon orange zest ๐ŸŠ

Preparation ๐Ÿณ
1. Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350ยฐF (175ยฐC). Grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans or line them with parchment paper. ๐Ÿ•’๐Ÿ”ฅ

2. Prepare Cream Cheese Filling: In a medium bowl, beat together the softened cream cheese, granulated sugar, and vanilla extract until smooth. Set aside. ๐Ÿง€๐Ÿง‚๐Ÿฐ

3. Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger. ๐Ÿž๐Ÿง๐Ÿง‚๐ŸŒฟ

4. Mix Wet Ingredients: In another large bowl, beat together the granulated sugar, brown sugar, and vegetable oil until combined. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in the grated carrots, crushed pineapple, and chopped nuts if using. ๐Ÿง‚๐Ÿซ’๐Ÿฅš๐Ÿฅ•๐Ÿ๐Ÿฅœ

5. Combine Ingredients: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined. ๐Ÿฅ•๐Ÿž

6. Assemble Cake: Divide half of the cake batter evenly between the prepared pans. Dollop the cream cheese filling evenly over the batter in both pans, then top with the remaining cake batter. Smooth the tops with a spatula. ๐Ÿฐ๐Ÿง€

7. Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cakes comes out clean. ๐Ÿ•’๐Ÿฝ๏ธ

8. Cool and Prepare Glaze: Allow the cakes to cool in the pans for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. To make the glaze, whisk together the powdered sugar, orange juice, and orange zest until smooth. Adjust the consistency with more orange juice if needed. ๐Ÿง‚๐ŸŠ

9. Glaze and Serve: Once the cakes are completely cool, drizzle the orange glaze over the top. Slice and serve your Cream Cheese Stuffed Carrot Cake! ๐Ÿ˜‹๐Ÿฝ๏ธ