Moist Carrot Cake with Walnuts and Raisins

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon EACH: ground nutmeg, ground allspice, and sea salt
• 3 cups grated carrots
• 1 1/2 cups toasted walnuts (coarsely chopped )
• 1 cup shredded toasted coconut
• 1 cup raisins
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 1 cup cooking oil
• 4 large eggs
• 8 ounces cream cheese (at room temperature)
• 1/2 cup butter (at room temperature)
• 3 cups powdered sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• Chopped pecans or walnuts (to decorate)

Instructions

1. 1

   --- Carrot Cake ---

2. 2

   Dry ingredients: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans. In a medium-sized bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and sea salt.

3. 3

   wet ingredients: In a large bowl, cream the sugar and oil using electric beaters. Add the eggs and beat until smooth, 1 minute. Add flour mixture and beat till just combined.

4. 4

   Stir: Add the carrots, walnuts, coconut, and raisins and gently fold them into the batter.

5. 5

   Bake cake: Divide batter between the 2 prepared cake pans. Place both pans on the middle rack in your oven and bake for 30-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of the cakes comes out clean.

6. 6

   Cool cake: Remove the cakes from the oven and set them aside to cool for 5 minutes. Carefully run an off-set spatula or a knife around the edges of each cake to loosen them then carefully invert them onto a cooling rack to finish cooling completely.

7. 7

   --- Cream Cheese Icing ---

8. 8

   make frosting: Make the frosting once the cakes are completely cool. In a medium-sized bowl, beat the cream cheese and butter using electric beaters. Add the powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, and continue to mix until it's fully incorporated. Add the vanilla and beat to blend.

9. 9

   decorate cake: To assemble the cake, place one cake on a plate or cake stand. Spread some icing on top of the cake and then place the other cake on top. Frost the sides and top of the cake. If you'd like, sprinkle some chopped pecans or walnuts on top of the cake to decorate it.