Charm City Carrot Cake

Total Time: 1 hr 15 mins Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 45 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 12
• 3 cups flour
• 1 1/4 cups sugar
• 3/4 cup light brown sugar
• 1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 4 eggs, at room temperature
• 1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups carrots, finely shredded and packed into the cups
• 8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup butter, at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 3/4 cups powdered sugar, sifted

Recipe

• 1 heat the oven to 350 degrees f.
• 2 into a large mixing bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and salt.
• 3 in the bowl of a stand mixer or in a medium bowl using a hand mixer, whip the eggs until they thicken and ribbons form when the beater is lifted, 3 to 5 minutes. slowly add the oil and vanilla extract to the whipped eggs.
• 4 gently fold the liquid mixture into the dry ingredients to form the batter; it may feel a little thick. add the shredded carrots and gently but evenly fold them into the batter.
• 5 pour the batter into two (8-inch) round pans lined with parchment. bake until the cakes are puffed, golden and set, and a toothpick inserted comes out clean, 35 to 45 minutes. rotate halfway through for even baking. remove and set aside on racks to cool before unmolding.
• 6 in the bowl of a stand mixer or in a large bowl using a hand mixer, beat the cream cheese and butter until well blended and lightened in texture. beat in the vanilla until blended.
• 7 slowly beat in the powdered sugar until the icing is smooth and spreadable, then frost the cake.