Chocolate Carrot Cake

A really moist and delicious carrot cake. I omit the raisins because I do not care for them, but I left them in because the original recipe I was given have them. I make an orange cream cheese frosting to top it. It looks so nice next to the dark cake.This orange cream cheese frosting recipe is the same one I use- Orange Cream Cheese Frosting Use the frosting to both fill and frost the cake.

• Ready In: 1 hr 25 mins
• Serves: 12

Ingredients

• 1⁄2 cup butter, softened
• 1⁄2 cup  corn oil
• 2  cups sugar
• 4  eggs
• 4 (1 ounce)  unsweetened chocolate squares, melted
• 1  tablespoon orange zest, grated
• 1⁄3 cup  orange juice (fresh is recommended)
• 1  cup sour cream
• 2 1⁄2 cups flour
• 1  tablespoon baking powder
• 2  teaspoons baking soda
• 1  teaspoon salt
• 2  cups carrots, finely grated
• 1  cup dark raisin
• 6  ounces  semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350º F. Grease two 8 inch square baking pans. Dust with flour; tap out excess.
2. In a large bowl, beat together butter, oil, and sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in melted chocolate, orange zest, orange juice, and sour cream.
3. Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add to chocolate mixture, beating just enough to combine. Stir in carrots, raisins, and chocolate chips. Divide batter between prepared pans.
4. Bake 45 to 50 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted in center comes out clean. Let cakes cool in pans ten minutes, then unmold onto racks to cool completely. Fill and frost cakes with Orange Cream Cheese Frosting. Refrigerate until serving time.