Best Ever Carrot Cake

Ingredients for cake:
· Butter and flour for coating pans
· 2 cups all-purpose flour
· 2 cups sugar
· 2 teaspoons baking soda
· 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
· 1 teaspoon salt
· 4 eggs
· 1 ½ cups vegetable oil
· 3 cups grated carrots
· 1 ½ cups chopped pecans, optional

Ingredients for frosting:
· 2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, room temperature
· 1 stick salted butter, room temperature
· 1 (16 ounce) box powdered sugar
· 1 teaspoon vanilla
· ½ cup chopped pecans, toasted

Directions for cake:
1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour 3 (9-inch) round pans; Line bottom of the pans with parchment paper.
2) In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Add eggs and vegetable oil. Using a hand mixer, blend until combined. Stir in carrots and pecans.
3) Pour into pans. Bake for approximately 40 minutes. Remove from oven and cool for 5 minutes. Remove from pans, place on waxed paper and allow to cool completely before frosting.

Directions for frosting: 

1) Combine all ingredients, except nuts, into a medium bowl and beat until fluffy using a hand mixer. Spread frosting between each cake layer and on top and sides of cake. Sprinkle nuts on top of cake.