Carrot Cake

To make this delicious, moist cake look really professional, put a marzipan carrot in the center. You can buy them at many pastry or candy shops.

INGREDIENTS

Fine, dry bread crumbs, for dusting pans

1/2 pound carrots

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar

2 large eggs

1/2 cup corn oil

1 teaspoon vanilla

3/4 cup walnut pieces

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup raisins, steamed over boiling water for 10 minutes

Cream Cheese Frosting (recipe follows)

2 8-inch round cake pans

6 to 10 servings

Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter cake pans, line bottoms with parchment paper and butter paper. Dust pans with bread crumbs.

Cut carrots into lengths to fit feed tube horizontally. Use shredding disc to shred carrots and reserve them.

Process sugars, eggs, oil and vanilla with metal blade until smooth, about 15 seconds. Add walnuts and dry ingredients and pulse until combined, about 6 times, stopping once to scrape down work bowl. Use spatula to stir in raisins and carrots.

Divide batter between prepared pans and bake in preheated oven until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean, about 35 to 40 minutes. Cool in pans for 2 to 3 minutes and turn out onto wire racks to cool completely. Remove paper.

Spread frosting between layers and on top and sides of cake.

Cream Cheese Frosting

This quick and easy frosting is delicious on carrot cake, but it's also good on many other cakes.

INGREDIENTS

1/2 pound cream cheese, in pieces

1/2 stick butter, in pieces

1 cups confectioner's sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 8-in. frosts layers listed at left

Use metal blade to process cheese and butter until combined, about 10 seconds. Add sugar and process until smooth, about 5 seconds. Add vanilla and process until smooth, about 15 seconds.