Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Grease and flour three 9 inch cake pans. Line the bottom with a circle of parchment paper. Set aside.

Cream together butter and sugar.

Beat in eggs, one at a time.

In a small bowl, combine apple butter, vegetable oil and sour cream.

In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg.

Alternately add the apple butter mix and the dry ingredients to creamed butter and sugar. Mix well.

Stir in the grated carrots.

Divide the batter between the three prepared 9 inch cake pans.

Bake at 325 degrees for 35-40 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.

Allow the cakes to cool for 30 minutes in the pans, on a wire rack.

Carefully remove the cakes from the pans, peel off the parchment circles and cool completely on wire racks.

Once cool, use a serrated knife to cut off the rounded tops.

Spread about 2 1/2 cups of frosting (recipe below) on the bottom layer of the cake. Add the middle and top layers, frosting each with about 2 1/2 cups of the frosting.

Pour caramel ice cream topping around edges of the top layer, allowing it to drizzle down the sides.

Sprinkle the chopped pecans over the top of the cake.

Beat the cream cheese until smooth.

Mix in the powdered sugar.

Beat in the apple butter and vanilla.

Gently stir in the whipped topping.