Triple-Layer Carrot Cake With Cream Cheese Frosting

Simply the best carrot cake!! This is a once-a-year indulgence in our household, but it's worth every last crumb! The cake is so moist, and the frosting is wonderful! Rave reviews every time. From Bon Appetit, October 2004.

• Ready In: 1 hr 30 mins
• Serves: 10
• Yields: 1 Cake

Ingredients

• CAKE

• 2  cups sugar
• 1 1⁄2 cups  vegetable oil
• 4  large eggs
• 2  cups all-purpose flour
• 2  teaspoons baking powder
• 2  teaspoons baking soda
• 1  teaspoon salt
• 1  teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 3⁄4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 3  cups  finely grated peeled carrots (about 1 pound)
• 1⁄2 cup pecan pieces
• 1⁄2 cup seedless raisin

• FROSTING

• 4  cups powdered sugar
• 2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, room temperature
• 1⁄2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 4  teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Directions

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