Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

I have a feeling I'm going to be doing a lot of baking in the next little while.

First of all, the holidays are coming–gifts to bake, potluck parties, treats for the office, and that sort of thing. I'm in the mood to bring back a bunch of recipes I haven't made in a long time.

Secondly, I've promised the students I work with that I would make something special for each of their birthdays. After I committed myself, I found out a good chunk of them have birthdays within the next thirty days beginning today.


So Steven, this is for you. Carrot cake with cream cheese frosting. Yum! I think it's the perfect cake for a brisk fall day, and this is one of the best carrot cake recipes I know. And it's amazingly healthy, too, with three whole cups of carrots. Well, maybe not so much. But it's gotta help, right?

Give this recipe a try, and enjoy!

The finished cake. I know I'm not a food photographer, but you get the idea.

The birthday boy, Steven, with his cake. And 

the reviews are in: everyone agrees this is an

incredible carrot cake. It disappeared in no

time flat.

Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Cake:

Ingredients:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
  
• 2 cups sugar
  
• 1 tsp. baking powder
  
• 1 tsp. baking soda
  
• 1 tsp. salt
  
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
  
• 3 cups finely shredded carrot
  
• 1 cup cooking oil
  
• 4 eggs
  

Grease and lightly flour two 9-in. round baking pans (or one 9x13-in.). In a mixer bowl combine the first 6 ingredients. Add next 3 ingredients, beating with electric mixer till combined. Beat on medium speed for 2 minutes. Turn into pans. Bake in a 325˚ oven for 40 minutes or till done (50 to 60 minutes for 9x13-in. pan). Cool on a wire rack. Remove layers from pans after cooling 10 minutes. Cool well. Frost with Cream Cheese Frosting. Serves 12 to 15.

Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients:

• 1 8-ounce package cream cheese
  
• ½ cup butter
  
• 2 tsp. vanilla
  
• 4 cups powdered sugar
  

In a mixer bowl beat together cream cheese, butter, and vanilla till light and fluffy. Gradually add powdered sugar, beating till smooth. Spread over cooled cake. Cover and store in the refrigerator. If you'd like sprinkle chopped nuts of your choice on top.