Carrot Cake

After middle school one day, I sat in our family room eating a snack while fixated on the television. A Carrot Cake was to be made and I had never seen the process. Sure, I've eaten veggie sweet breads and savory pies, but carrots? I've had it before too, but making it was a different story. For the 10-minute segment I saw carrots being peeled and folded into a batter, frosting being made and set aside and a finished cake "magically" being pulled out from beneath the studio kitchen's faux kitchen counter. I needed to make this, I thought. Years later, Carrot Cake has become a fond memory of youth and after a recent visit to Tartine, another sweet treat I wanted to share!

Ingredients

Servings: 16

Prep Time: ~1hr 15min

Cake

1 Cup Vegetable Oil

4 Eggs

16oz Carrots, peeled, approx. 8-9

2 Teaspoons Cinnamon

1 Teaspoon All-spice

1 ½ Cup Sugar

2 Cups Flour, All-Purpose

2 Teaspoon Baking Powder

2 Teaspoons Baking Soda
1 Teaspoon Salt

1 Cup Raisins

1/2 Cup Hazelnuts

Cream Cheese Frosting

1 8oz package Cream Cheese, room temperature

4 Tablespoons Butter, unsalted, softened

2 Teaspoons Vegetable Oil

2 Cups Powdered Sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cake: Peel carrots and set aside. Combine oil, eggs, cinnamon, all-spice and sugar. Mix in carrots.  In a large mixing bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.  Fold in the sweetened carrot mixture until well-mixed.  Stir in the remaining ingredients (raisins and hazelnuts) to flour mixture.  Divide into two greased 9" cake pans and bake at 350 degrees, for 30-35 minutes until inserted knife comes out clean.

Frosting: Cream the cream cheese, butter, oil and sugar together until smooth. Set in fridge to thicken.  Using a serrated knife, cut the tops off of both cake layers. Frost only when the cake is cooled. Refrigerate to harden, decorate as desired.