Carrot Cake

Number of Servings: 15

Ingredients:

For Cake

• 2 cups (250 grams) all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 1/4 cups (295 ml) canola or other vegetable oil
• 1 cup (200 grams) granulated sugar
• 1 cup (200 grams) lightly packed brown sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 4 large eggs
• 3 cups (300 grams) grated peeled carrots (5 to 6 medium carrots)
• 1 cup (100 grams) coarsely chopped pecans
• 1/2 cup (65 grams) raisins

Creamy Frosting

• 8 ounces (225 grams) cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1 1/4 cups (140 grams) powdered sugar
• 1/3 cup (80 ml) heavy whipping cream
• 1/2 cup (50 grams) coarsely chopped pecans

Instructions:

• Heat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (176C).
• Grease two 9-inch round cake pans and line the bottom with parchment paper then grease the top of the paper. Or, grease and flour the bottom and sides of both pans.
• In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking soda, salt, and the cinnamon until well blended.
• In a separate bowl, whisk the oil, sugars, and vanilla.
• Whisk in eggs, one at a time, until combined.
• Switch to a large rubber spatula.
• Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl then add the dry ingredients in 3 parts, gently stirring until they disappear and the batter is smooth.
• Stir in the carrots, nuts, and raisins
• Divide the batter between the prepared cake pans
• Bake until the tops of the cake layers are springy when touched and when a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, 35 to 45 minutes
• Cool cakes in pans for 15 minutes then turn out onto cooling racks, peel off parchment paper and cool completely. (If you find that a cake layer is stuck to the bottom of the pan, leave the cake pan upside down and allow gravity to do its thing)
• In a large bowl, beat cream cheese with a handheld mixer on medium speed until creamy, about 1 minute
• Beat in the powdered sugar, a 1/4 cup at a time until fluffy
• Pour in cream and beat on medium speed for 1 minute
• Chill covered until ready to frost cake
• When the cake layers are completely cool, frost the top of one cake layer, place the other cake layer on top
• Decoratively swirl the top of the cake with remaining frosting, leaving the sides unfrosted
• Scatter nuts on top