Carrot Cake
 
Ingredients
For Cake:
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • ½ cup brown sugar, packed
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 cup cooking oil (vegetable, canola)
  • 4 eggs
  • 4 cups shredded carrots (8 full sized carrots)
  • 1 cup raisins (optional)
  • 1 cup walnuts (optional) (extra for decorating)
For Frosting:
  • 16 ounces cream cheese, softened
  • ½ cup salted butter, softened
  • 2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
For Cake:
  1. Preheat the oven to 325°F.
  2. Grease and flour three 9-inch round cake pans for a layer cake or a 9 x 13 baking pan for a sheet cake very well.
  3. Stir flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon with an electric mixer.
  4. Add the vegetable oil and eggs and beat on low speed until the dry ingredients are moistened, then beat on medium speed for about a minute until the batter looks consistent.
  5. Fold in the shredded carrots, raisins, and walnuts by hand using a spatula.
  6. Pour the batter into the prepared pans evenly.
  7. Bake for 38-45 minutes for a layer cake and 48- 55 minutes for a sheet cake or until a toothpick comes out clean (remember to rotate your pans for a layer cake).
  8. Let the cake cool in the pan for 8 minutes and then invert it onto a cooling rack. If needed run a knife around the sides to loosen it from the pan.
  9. Let the cake(s) cool completely before frosting.
For Frosting:
  1. Cream your softened cream cheese and butter together in an electric mixer until there aren’t any lumps left.
  2. Add in vanilla extract.
  3. Add sifted powdered sugar a little at a time.
  4. Beat frosting until completely smooth.
Assembly for a Layer Cake:
  1. Put down one cake on a platter.
  2. Frost that layer then slide the next layer onto the first.
  3. Frost that layer and then slide the third cake onto the second.
  4. Now spoon the rest of the frosting onto the top and pull it down the sides being careful to not rub the cake to avoid getting crumbs in the frosting.
  5. Run the knife or straight-edged spatula around the side to smooth the frosting out.
Assembly for Sheet Cake:
  1. Spoon all of the frosting onto the top and pull it down the sides being careful to not rub the cake to avoid getting crumbs in the frosting.
  2. Run the knife or straight-edged spatula around the side to smooth the frosting out.
For Decorating:
  1. Pipe carrots onto the top with icing, use walnuts to decorate the sides of the cake, or write a message on the top for a special occasion.
  2. Voilà!
Recipe by Birch Tree Baking at https://www.birchtreebaking.com/carrot-cake-2/