Last Monday was my hubby’s birthday, and his all-time favorite is carrot cake.  I used this wonderful recipe by browneyedbaker, which is an original Dorie Greenspan recipe with the addition of cloves, nutmeg and allspice.

Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
(recipe adapted from Dorie Greenspan by browneyedbaker)
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground allspice
¾ teaspoon salt
3 cups grated carrots
1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts
1 cup shredded coconut (sweetened or unsweetened)
½ cup raisins
2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup canola oil
4 eggs

Frosting
8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
4 ounces (½ cup) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 pound (3¾ cups) powdered sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.  Grease and flour cake pans.

Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, allspice and salt.  In another bowl, combine the carrots, chopped nuts, coconut and raisins.

Using a mixer, beat the sugar and oil together on medium speed until smooth. Add the eggs one by one, and continue to beat until the batter is smooth. Reduce the speed to low and add the flour mixture, mixing only until the dry ingredients disappear. Gently mix in the chunky ingredients. Divide the batter among the pans.

Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, rotating the pans from top to bottom and front to back midway through baking, until a cake tester inserted into the centers comes out clean; the cakes will have just started to come away from the sides of the pans. Transfer the cakes to cooling racks and cool for about 5 minutes, then run a knife around the sides of the cakes and unmold them. Invert and cool to room temperature right side up. (The cakes can be wrapped airtight and kept at room temperature overnight or frozen for up to 2 months.)

To make the frosting: Beat the cream cheese and butter together until smooth and creamy. Gradually add the sugar and continue to beat until the frosting is velvety smooth. Beat in the vanilla extract until well-combined.

To assemble, stack the layers, spreading a generous amount of frosting between layers and then cover the top and sides. Garnish and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving.This cake was delicious!  It was very moist and the spices were just right.  I chose not to add in the coconut and raisins.  A healthy tip: replace at least half of the oil with applesauce!
We all enjoyed eating this cake, and I think the birthday boy was happy!

Until next time,
Muncho Mom