This Carrot Cake recipe is just dreamy.  At least exactly the way I like it… Not too sweet, not too spicy but with a little punch, moist, with lots of delicious texture and easy to make.  Oh yeah, and the cream cheese frosting is stellar!  You can alter the quantities of white sugar and/or spices to suit your tastes.  Also, you can make it with grated zucchini instead of carrot for a nice twist.

Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 cups, all-purpose flour
• 5 cups of grated carrots, not packed
• 1 cup of chopped walnuts or unsalted sunflower seed kernels
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
• Grated orange zest, about 1 tbsp *optional but yummy
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/3 cups of sugar
• 1/4 cup of packed dark brown sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 3/4 cup ounces plain yogurt
• 3/4 cup vegetable oil
• Cream Cheese Frosting

Process:

Preheat oven to 350°F (I make mine 375°F because it works better at higher altitudes).

Butter and flour two baking pans, 8-9 inch.  Round or square works.  Or you can use a large pyrex or baking pan (9X15 or so inches).  I recommend also putting a round of parchment paper or waxed paper at the bottom of the pan and butter-flour that too.  It will make removal of the cake really really easy.

Mix flour the flour, baking powder, baking soda, spices and salt in a large bowl.  Add the orange zest and the carrots to this mix to coat the carrots very well.

In another bowl combine the sugar, brown sugar, yogurt and eggs.  Wisk together until very smooth.  Or you can do it with a mixer a little faster.  While still whisking, add the oil little by little until smooth again.  Pour this mixture into the bowl with the flour and carrot mix and stir it until well combined.  Don’t beat it to death… it’s better to fold the solids into the liquids carefully rather than using the mixer.  You don’t want to mush the carrots.  Finally, add the walnuts or sunflower seed kernels (some times I add some raisins in too) and fold into the batter.

Pour the mix into the prepared pan(s) and bake for about 45 minutes. Check it at about 40 minutes or a bit before.  You can insert a toothpick into the middle and if it’s still too lumpy when taken out, lower the heat a bit to 325°F and bake another 15-20 minutes.  Watch the cake closely and make sure it doesn’t brown too much on top and that it doesn’t dry out.  You want to cook it just until the toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Take the cake out and let it cool a bit.  Take it out of the baking pan into cooling racks and let it cool completely.  Decorate with cream cheese filling/frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients:

• 1 8oz package of cream cheese (or tub), room temperature
• 1/2 stick of butter, room temperature
• 1/2 cup of yogurt or sour cream
• 1 cup of powdered sugar (or more if you like it sweeter)
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon of orange zest *optional, and it will have your frosting have orange flecks on it but great flavor

Process:

In a bowl mix, first with a wooden spoon then with a whisk,  all the ingredients well until well combined and smooth.  If you want to do it with a mixer, cream the cheese and butter and yogurt, then add the vanilla and zest, and then the sugar in 2 or 3 additions.  I would recommend putting the frosting in the fridge for a little while before you spread it on the cake so it gets a bit thicker.  Also, once you put it on the cake, make sure you refrigerate if not eating right away.