Carrot Cake

By á-3842

Ingredients

• 8 medium-size carrots
• 1 cup ( 250 mL) coarsely chopped walnuts or pecans
• 1 cup ( 250 mL) raisins
• 1-1/2 cups ( 375 mL) brown sugar
• 1 cup ( 250 mL) vegetable oil
• 4 eggs
• 1 tsp ( 5 mL) vanilla
• 2 cups ( 500 mL) all-purpose flour
• 1-1/2 tsp ( 7 mL) baking powder
• 1-1/2 tsp ( 7 mL) baking soda
• 1 tsp ( 5 mL) each of cinnamon and allspice or 2 tsp (10 mL) cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ( 2 mL) salt
• 4 oz ( 125g) pkg cream cheese
• 1/4 cup ( 50 mL) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1-1/2 cups ( 375 mL) sifted icing sugar
• 1 tsp ( 5 mL) vanilla
• Whole pecans (optional)

Preparation

Step 1

1.Preheat oven to 350F (180C). Grease three 8-inch (20-cm) round cake pans. Line bottoms of pans with circles of waxed paper. Grease again. Peel carrots, then grate using medium grating disc of a food processor or a hand grater. Measure out 4 cups (1 L). Stir carrots with walnuts and raisins in a medium-size bowl.
2.Measure sugar, oil, egg and 1 teaspoon vanilla into a large mixing bowl. Beat mixture with an electric mixer just until blended. Measure flour, baking powder, baking soda, spices and salt into a large bowl. Stir with a fork until blended. Make a well in centre of dry ingredients. Pour in egg mixture. Stir just until moist. Then fold in carrot mixture.
3.Immediately spoon batter into prepared pans, dividing equally. Smooth tops. Bake in centre of preheated 350F (180C) oven until cake bounces back when touched lightly in centre and edges are pulling away from side, from 25 to 30 minutes. Remove pans from oven and place on a rack to cool for 10 minutes. Then turn out cakes and finish cooling on racks.
4.Place cream cheese and butter in a large mixing bowl. Beat until creamy. Gradually beat in sifted icing sugar. Stir in 1 teaspoon vanilla. Spread icing over top of each cooled cake. Stack cakes to form a triple-layer cake. Sprinkle with chopped nuts, if you like. Cake will keep well, lightly covered, in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Tightly wrapped, cake can be frozen for 1 month or more.
Sheet cake instructions
Butter a 9x13-inch (3-L) rectangular baking pan or coat with cooking spray. Prepare batter and turn into pan, smoothing top. Bake in centre of preheated 350F (180C) oven until cake bounces back when touched lightly in centre and edges are pulling away from side, from 40 to 45 minutes. Cool cake completely in pan on a rack before icing.