Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

I was one of those children whose dinner plate continually exhibited a dividing line between all the components of the meal.

The meat could not touch the starch which could not touch the vegetables.  If these battle lines were crossed, by a daring stray pea or a rebellious grain of rice, my meal was ruined.  I stubbornly refused to eat the contaminated offenders.

While I have, luckily, outgrown this oddity, I still must admit I will never, ever desire vegetables to find their way into my dessert.

However, I was overruled over the Fourth of July holiday, as the request for carrot cake was served and dutifully delivered.

The crumb of this cake is soft, crumbly and spicy, with the little hand-grated flecks of carrots lending their orange hue.

For me, the cream cheese frosting is what truly elevates the experience of this cake.  I also suspect that the frosting is the craving source for lovers of carrot cake.

I adamantly refuse to accept people actually enjoy vegetables in their desserts.

Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
cake slightly adapted from Smitten Kitchen
frosting from Dolcetto Confections

Ingredients
For the Carrot Cake
2  cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 cups granulated sugar
1 1/4 cups canola oil
4 large eggs
3 cups grated, peeled carrots

For the Cream Cheese Frosting
16 ounces cream cheese, softened
4 ounces (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
2 cups confectioner's sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Preparation Instructions
For the Carrot Cake
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Prepare two 9" cake pans with non-stick spray.

Whisk flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg together in medium bowl.  Set aside.

In bowl of stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, combine sugar and oil until well blended.

Add eggs, one at a time, to sugar-oil mixture, scraping bowl as needed between additions.

Add flour mixture.  Paddle until well combined.

Remove bowl from mixer and fold in grated carrots until evenly combined.

Divide batter evenly between the two prepared cake pans.

Bake until center is set and cake tester emerges cleanly from center, about 40 minutes.

Cool cakes for 15 minutes in pans, then turn out onto a cooling rack.  Allow cakes to cool completely before frosting.

For the Cream Cheese Frosting
Combine cream cheese and butter in bowl of stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment.  Paddle until very smooth.

Add confectioner's sugar and vanilla.  Paddle until combined, scraping down sides as needed.

Paddle on high until aerated and fluffy, about 5 minutes.

Assembly
Place flat side of one cake layer on serving dish.  Spread a nice layer of cream cheese frosting on top of layer.

Place second cake layer on top of frosting.  Cover cake with remaining frosting.