Apple-Pecan Carrot Cake

Ingredients

• 0.7 cup mrs richardson's butterscotch caramel sauce 
• 2 teaspoons apple pie spice 
• 2 teaspoons baking soda 
• 0.8 cup buttermilk 
• 1.5 cups carrots grated
• 3 large eggs lightly beaten
• 2 cups flour all-purpose
• 2 cups apples i use 2 granny smith apples grated peeled
• 2.3 cups pecans divided lightly toasted finely chopped
• 2 cups sugar 
• 0.5 teaspoon salt 
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 
• 0.8 cup vegetable oil 

Equipment

• bowl
• oven

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 35
2. Sprinkle 1 1/3 cups toasted pecans into 2 well-buttered shiny 9-inch round cake pans; shake to coat bottom and sides of pans.
3. Stir together flour and next 3 ingredients.
4. Stir together eggs and next 4 ingredients in a large bowl until blended.
5. Add flour mixture, stirring just until blended. Fold in apples, carrots, and remaining 1 cup pecans.
6. Pour batter into prepared pans.
7. Bake at 350 for 30 to 35 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks 10 minutes.
8. Remove from pans to wire racks, and cool completely (about 1 hour).
9. Place 1 cake layer, pecan side down, on a serving plate.
10. Spread top of cake layer with 2/3 cup Apple Cider Caramel Sauce; top with remaining cake layer, pecan side down.
11. Spread Mascarpone Frosting over top of cake.
12. Drizzle 2 Tbsp. Apple Cider Caramel Sauce over frosting, and swirl sauce into frosting.
13. Serve immediately.