Carrot Layer Cake With Cream Cheese Frosting

Absolutely the best carrot cake I've ever made - and I've made a lot! If carrot cake could be considered 'sophisticated', I think this one would qualify.

• Ready In: 1 hr 20 mins
• Serves: 10

Ingredients

• Cake

• 1 3⁄4 cups sugar
• 1 1⁄4 cups  vegetable oil
• 1⁄4 cup  orange juice
• 2  teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1  teaspoon  finely grated orange zest
• 4  large eggs
• 2  cups all-purpose flour
• 2  teaspoons baking powder
• 2  teaspoons baking soda
• 1  teaspoon salt
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1  teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1⁄4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 3  cups  finely grated peeled carrots
• 3⁄4 cup  chopped pecans
• 1⁄2 cup raisins (optional - I never seem to use them) (optional)

• Frosting

• 2 1⁄2 cups powdered sugar
• 12  ounces cream cheese, room temperature
• 1⁄2 teaspoon  lemon extract
• 1⁄3 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 3  teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions

1. For cake: Preheat oven to 325°F.
2. Lightly grease two 9-inch-diameter cake pans with 1 1/2-inch-high sides.
3. Line bottom of pans with waxed paper or parchment.
4. Lightly grease waxed paper.
5. Using electric mixer, beat sugar, vegetable oil, juice, vanilla extract and zest in bowl until combined.
6. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition.
7. Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg into sugar and oil mixture.
8. Stir in carrots, chopped pecans and raisins.
9. Pour batter into prepared pans, dividing equally.
10. Bake until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean and cakes begin to pull away from sides of pans, about 45 minutes.
11. Cool in pans on racks 15 minutes.
12. Turn out cakes onto racks and cool completely.
13. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Wrap tightly in plastic and store at room temperature.) For frosting: Using electric mixer, beat all ingredients in medium bowl until smooth and creamy.
14. Place 1 cake layer on platter.
15. Spread with a bit less than 1/2 the frosting.
16. Top with the remaining cake layer.
17. Using icing spatula, spread remaining frosting in decorative swirls over sides and top of cake.
18. Serve cake cold or at room temperature.