Carrot cake recipe for Adrianna.

For baby brother's first birthday party I made a carrot cake, because they are the greatest. Adrianna helped me with the frosting and sampling of the mini cake I made in ramekins and wanted the recipe, so here it is, it is super simple, and super yummy:

for the cake:

1 cup vegetable oil
2 cups flour
1 tbsp ground cinnamon
1 3/4 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground nutmeg
3/4 tsp ground ginger
3/4 tsp salt
4 eggs
2 1/2 cups FINELY grated carrots
2 cups brown sugar
3/4 cup raisins
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
optional: 2/4 cup walnuts

for the frosting:

8 oz cream cheese - softened
5 oz unsalted butter - softened
2 cups confectioners' sugar
2 tsp vanilla paste
1/2 tsp salt

Start by soaking the raisins in water, preheating the oven to 350 F and cutting out parchment paper for the bottom of the baking pans (two 8 or 9 inch rounds). Oil and flour the pans. Whisk dry ingredients together. Mix wet ingredients together, then slowly add dry ingredients, mixing on low until just blended. Divide batter evenly between pans. Bake until cake tester comes out clean, 30 - 33 minutes. Cool pans on rack for 20 minutes, then remove the cakes from the pans and let cool completely before frosting.

Beat the cream cheese and butter together, then add sugar, vanilla and salt and beat until fluffy. Frost and assemble layers of the cake, then refrigerate for at least 4 hours before serving.