Carrot Cake

Annie Bananie asked me to make her mom a birthday cake a few weeks ago. Of course I obliged. Her favorite cake was carrot cake, so after some research, I used a Martha recipe from John Barricelli. Unfortunately I can't comment on the cake because I didn't have any, but I did get great reviews from Bananie's family! 

Carrot Cake

Martha 

1 1/2 cups unsalted butter

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup pecan halves

1 pound large carrots, peeled

3 large eggs

1/3 cup nonfat buttermilk

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2 cups sugar

2 tablespoons freshly grated ginger

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 cup raisins

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Butter two 8-by-2-inch round cake pans. Dust with flour, and tap out any excess. Set aside. Spread pecans in a single layer on an ungreased baking pan, and toast in oven until lightly golden, about 7 minutes. Remove from oven and let stand until completely cool. Reduce oven temperature to 300 degrees. Finely chop pecans and set aside.

Using the smallest hold of a box grater, grate carrots. Place carrots, eggs, buttermilk, vanilla, sugar and ginger in a large bowl; mix until well combined.

Into a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Using a rubber spatula, fold the flour mixture into the carrot mixture until combined. Fold in the butter and toasted pecans.

Divide cake batter between the two cake pans, and bake until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean, about 1 hour. Remove pans from oven, and transfer to a wire rack to cool, about 15 minutes. Turn cakes out onto rack; let stand until completely cool. Frost and decorate as desired.

Orange Cream Cheese Frosting

Martha

3/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

3 8-oz bars cream cheese, room temperature

3 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted

1 tablespoon freshly grated orange zest

2 tablespoons freshly grated ginger

Pinch of salt

Place butter in bowl of electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat on medium-high speed until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add cream cheese and beat until well combined and fluffy. Add sugar, orange zest, ginger and salt and beat for 5 minutes.