Incredible Carrot Cake!

This recipe comes from Great American Brand Names cookbook.  I make this quite often - you can tell because the page has little dried up bits of carrot stuck to it.  Carrot cake is essentially an excuse to eat cream cheese frosting, and this cake has fruit and nuts and is moist and sweet.  Try it!

Preheat oven to 325F.

Oil and flour 13x9 inch baking pan.

Mix in large mixer bowl:
   2 c. all purpose flour
   1 1/2 c. sugar
   2 tsp baking soda
   1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
   1/2 tsp nutmeg
   1/2 tsp salt
   1 c. cooking oil
   3 eggs
   1/2 c. milk
   2 c. shredded carrot  

I am fortunate to own the veggie shredder attachment to my Kitchenaid mixer (thanks mom!) so I peel fresh carrots and shred them finely.

Beat on low speed until ingredients are moistened.  Beat on  med speed for 2 minutes.

Stir in:
   1 c. flaked coconut
   3/4 c. chopped walnuts
   1/2 c. raisins

Pour into prepared pan.
Bake 55 minutes.
Cool completely on wire rack.

Frosting:
blend 6oz package room temp cream cheese with 4 tbsp softened butter into a creamy paste.
Stir in 4 tbsp milk and 1/4 tsp vanilla.
Stir in 2 c. confectioner's sugar, half cup at a time.
Keep stirring until lumps are gone.

Spread on cooled cake.  If not serving right away, store in fridge overnight.




This recipe obviously has too many ingredients to be suitable for the express lane, but it really is easy. Just mix a bunch of stuff and pour in the pan and let the oven make it into cake! Mmmmm cake!  Frosting is easier if you use a wooden spoon or paddle to stir with.