Carrot Cake

Ingredients

CAKE

1 cup Sugar

3/4 cup Light Brown Sugar

1/4 cup Butter, Melted (1/2 stick)

1 cup Vegetable oil

3 large Eggs

1 1/2 teaspoons Vanilla

2 1/2 cups Flour

2 teaspoons Cinnamon

2 teaspoons Baking Soda

1 1/2 teaspoons Salt

1/4 teaspoons Nutmeg

1 cup Golden Raisins

3/4 cup Chopped Pecans

1 Lb Shredded Carrots

3/4 cup Crushed Pineapple, Well Drained

FROSTING

8oz Cream Cheese softened

1 cup Butter softened (2 sticks)

2 teaspoons Vanilla

3 cups Powdered sugar

Optional decorations

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour two 9inch round cake pans then line bottoms with parchment paper.

2. Using an electric mixer, beat together sugars, melted butter, oil, eggs, and vanilla in a large mixing bowl until well mixed and batter lightens (about 2 minutes)

3. In a small bowl, sift together flour, cinnamon, soda, salt, and nutmeg. Take one tablespoon of mixed dry ingredients and place in a separate bowl along with raisins and pecans then toss together to coat. Set aside

4. Gradually add dry ingredients to wet ingredients, mixing until just incorporated. Fold in reserved raisin mixture, carrots, and pineapple to batter by hand until well mixed. Divide batter evenly between cake pans and bake for 45 to 50 minutes or until a tooth pick inserted into the center comes out clean. Center should be set and spring back to touch. Let cake layers cool completely before removing from pans.

5. While cake is cooling prepare the frosting by combining cream cheese and butter in a bowl. Using an electric mixer, beat together until well mixed. Beat in vanilla. Add one cup of powdered sugar at a time and mix at low speed until well incorporated and frosting is creamy.

6. Once cakes are cool, remove from pans. Place first layer, bottom side up, on serving plate and frost. Place second layer, bottom side down, on top of first layer and frost entire cake. Decorate top of cake with pecan halves.