Carrot Cake

Ingredients:

For the cake:

• 6 extra-large eggs
• 2¼ cups vegetable or olive oil
• ¾ cups plus 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
• ¾ cup lightly packed light brown sugar
• 2¼ cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1½ teaspoons baking soda
• 2½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
• ¾ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• Pinch of ground cloves
• ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
• 1½ pounds carrots, peeled and finely grated
• ¾ cup golden raisins (optional)
• ¾ cup chopped pecans (optional)
• For the cream cheese frosting:
• 4 cups confectioners’ sugar
• 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, at room temperature
• 2 sticks (1 cup) butter, softened
• 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

Directions:

For the cake, preheat the oven to 350˚F. Grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans.

With a hand or stand mixer, mix the eggs and oil. Add the sugars and mix well. In a medium bowl, mix the rest of the cake ingredients except the carrots (and raisins and nuts, if using). Add the flour mixture to the sugar mixture and mix well. Add the carrots (and raisins and nuts, if desired) and mix until incorporated.

Divide the batter evenly between the pans, scraping all the batter from the bowl with a rubber spatula. Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool in the pans for 15 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

For the frosting, in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine all the ingredients. Whip on low speed for a while. When the sugar is incorporated, turn the mixer speed up and beat until smooth, scraping the sides of the bowl often. (If making ahead, cover and refrigerate; re-whip before using.)

Spread the frosting over each cooled cake layer, then assemble the carrot cake.