Simple Carrot Cake

Carrot cake is perhaps the easiest cake to make. Either make it into a fancy one to serve after an elegant meal or simply cut a piece of cake to have for a snack with a cup of coffee. This cake is also a good way to convince the children to eat vegetables. Omitting the cream cheese frosting will make this carrot cake quite healthy and still enjoyable. I give directions for both preparing the carrot cake with or without a basic cream cheese frosting.

Ingredients:
Dry ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tbs baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp pumpkin spice
Wet ingredients
3 eggs
3/4 cup sunflower oil
2 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
Additional ingredients:
2 cups grated and finely chopped carrots
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup golden raisins

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°.
Grease and flour the bottom of a 9 inch square or 9 inch diameter round cake pan.

 

Combine the dry ingredients in a mixing bowl and sift well. Set aside.
In another bowl, use a handheld mixer to beat oil, both types of sugar, vanilla, and eggs together. Stir in carrots, raisins, and walnuts. Beat well. Stir in the dry ingredients evenly into the carrot mixture.

Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan and bake in the preheated oven for 45 to 55 minutes or until well risen and firm to the touch.
Remove the cake from the oven for 10 minutes and remove from cake pan and let cake cool completely before frosting.

Cream cheese frosting ingredients:
One 8 oz. package of cream cheese (room temperature)
1/4 cup coconut milk
1/2 tsp vanilla
2 cups powdered sugar

Directions for the frosting:
Combine all the cream cheese frosting ingredients in bowl. Use a handheld blender to mix ingredients until smooth.