King Arthur's Carrot Cake

By á-9642

Always a favorite, this dark, moist carrot cake appears regularly at King Arthur birthday parties.

Ingredients

• Cake:
• 1 1/2 cups vegetable oil, 10 1/2 ounces
• 2 cups sugar, 14 ounces
• 4 large eggs
• 1 tablespoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon cloves
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 2 cups King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour, 8 1/2 ounces
• 3 cups finely grated carrots, 11 1/2 ounces
• 1 1/2 cups chopped pecans or walnuts, 5 3/4 ounces
• Cream Cheese Frosting:
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, 8 tablespoons
• one package cream cheese, 8-ounce
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons vanilla OR 1/2 teaspoon Fiori di Sicilia
• 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 cups glazing sugar or confectioners' sugar, 10 to 14 ounces
• milk or cream to adjust consistency of frosting, if necessary

Preparation

Step 1

Cake:
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease two 9" round layer pans, or one 9" x 13" pan.

Beat together the oil, sugar, salt, eggs, and spices. Mix the flour with the baking soda, and stir in. Add the carrots and nuts, and mix until just blended. Pour into the prepared pan(s).

Bake the cake(s) for 35 to 40 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean, or with a few moist crumbs clinging to it. Allow the cake(s) to cool completely before frosting. (If you're using round layer pans, remove the layers from the pans after about 15 minutes, and place them on a rack to cool.

Frosting:
Beat the butter and cream cheese together until smooth. Add the salt and vanilla. Beat in the sugar. Add a teaspoon of milk or cream if the frosting is too stiff to spread; add additional sugar if it's too thin.

Frost the sheet cake right in the pan. For the layers, frost the top of one layer, top with the second layer, and frost the top and sides of the cake.

Yield: 1 cake, 16 to 24 servings