Carrot Walnut Cake (Recipe)

Ingredients

3 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup butter or margarine, softened

1 cup packed light brown sugar

1 cup granulated sugar

4 eggs

1 tablespoon grated orange peel

2 tablespoons orange juice

3 cups finely shredded carrots (1 pound)

1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts

1 cup raisins

Cream Cheese Frosting:

1 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened

1 1/2 cups sifted powdered sugar

1 teaspoon grated lemon peel

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1/2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts (optional)

Whole walnuts (optional)

Steps

1. Preheat the oven to 350°.  Lightly grease and flour a 10-inch tube pan; set aside.

2. In a medium mixing bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt; set aside.

3. In a large mixing bowl, combine the butter or margarine, brown sugar and granulated sugar.  Beat with an electric mixer on medium to high speed about 4 minutes or until light and fluffy, scraping the bowl occasionally.  Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well (about 1 minute) after each addition.

4. Combine the orange peel, orange juice, the 2 teaspoons lemon peel and the 2 tablespoons lemon juice.  Add the juice and the flour mixtures alternately to the butter-sugar mixture, beginning and ending with the flour mixture.  After each addition, beat at low speed just until smooth.

5. Using a wooden spoon, stir in the carrots, walnuts and raisins.  Mix well.

6. Pour the batter into the prepared pan, spreading evenly.  Bake in the 350° oven for 60 to 65 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.

7. Cool the cake in the pan on a wire rack for 20 minutes.  Then, loosen the edge of the cake and remove it from the pan.  Cool completely on the wire rack.

8. Meanwhile, to make the Cream Cheese Frosting: In a medium mixing bowl, combine the softened cream cheese, powdered sugar, the 1 teaspoon lemon peel and the 1 tablespoon lemon juice.  Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth and creamy, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed.

9. When cool, carefully transfer the cake to a serving plate.  Spread with the frosting.  Decorate with the chopped walnuts and the whole walnuts, if desired.  Store the cake, tightly covered, in the refrigerator until serving time.

Tips:

Use a fine-not-coarse-grater for the carrots so the flavor and moisture are evenly distributed throughout the cake.  A food processor also works well for this purpose.

If desired, for the garnish, sift the nuts after chopping them to remove the fine particles.