Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

What I LOVE about this recipe is how easy it is. And, other than the carrots (I usually buy the baby carrots for munching), I always have the ingredients on hand. Once the carrots are finely shredded (and with a food processor, that takes just a couple minutes!) this cake comes together very quickly. It's not a fussy cake.

The presentation is spectacular when you make a three layer cake. However, out of simplicity, we usually just make it in a 9 x 13" pan. A square piece doesn't look as great, but the taste is all there!

Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
(San Francisco a la Carte)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour 3- 8" round cake pans.*

Finely grate:
8-9 carrots to make 4 C of grated raw carrot

Thoroughly stir together, and set aside:
2 C flour
2  C sugar
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 TB cinnamon

In a large mixing bowl beat:
4 eggs until frothy

Slowly beat in:
1 C canola oil

Gradually add the dry ingredient mixture, beating until smooth.

Add, and blend:
4 C finely grated raw carrots

Pour into the prepared pans. Bake for 30 minutes or until a toothpick entered into the center comes out clean. (In my Pampered Chef 9 x 13 stoneware pan, it takes about 45 minutes.)

Cool cakes completely before frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting

Blend well:
8 oz softened cream cheese
4 TB softened (NOT melted) butter
2 C powdered sugar
1 tsp real vanilla extract
1/2 tsp lemon extract

Spread some frosting over each layer, also sprinkling with:
chopped pecans

Assemble the layers and decorate the top with whole or chopped pecans.**

*Or 2 round pans, or one 9 x 13 baking dish.

**While I prefer the nuts, my daughter does not, so I made this cake nut-free.