CAKE
2 c Sugar
1 1/2 c Vegetable oil
4 lg Eggs
2 c All purpose flour
2 ts Baking powder
2 ts Baking soda
1 ts Salt
1 ts Ground cinnamon
3/4 ts Ground nutmeg
3 c Finely grated peeled carrots
-(about 1 lb)
1/2 c Chopped pecans (about 1/2
-oz)
1/2 c Raisins
FROSTING
4 c Powdered sugar
2 8-oz packages cream cheese,
-room temperature
1/2 c (1 stick) unsalted butter,
-room temperature
4 ts Vanilla extract
FOR CAKE: Preheat oven to 325’F. Lightly grease three 9-inch diameter
cake pans with 1 1/2-inch-high sides. Line bottom of pans with waxed
paper. Lightly grease waxed paper. Using electric mixer, beat sugar
and vegetable oil in bowl until combined. Add eggs 1 at a time,
beating well after each addition. Sift flour, baking powder, baking
soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg into sugar and oil mixture. Stir in
carrots, chopped pecans and raisins.
Pour batter into prepared pans, dividing equally. Bake until toothpick
inserted into center comes out clean and cakes begin to pull away from
sides of pans, about 45 minutes. Cool in pans on racks 15 minutes.
Turn out cakes onto racks and cool completely. (Can be made 1 day=7F
ahead. Wrap tightly in plastic and store at room temperature.)
FOR FROSTING: Using electric mixer, beat all ingredients in medium
bowl until smooth and creamy.
Place 1 cake layer on platter. Spread with 3/4 C frosting. Top with
another cake layer. Spread with 3/4 C frosting. Top with remaining
cake layer. Using icing spatula, spread remaining frosting in
decorative swirls over sides and top of cake. (Can be prepared 2 days
ahead. Cover with cake dome and refrigerate.) Serve cake cold or at
room temperature.
Yields
10 Servings