Classic Carrot Cake

Isn't it nice to get a vegetable serving in by eating a cake? I love carrot cake (I love alliteration too - maybe that's why). It's always been my favorite. My wedding cake was a carrot cake - all three layers. It was delicious and this recipe reminds me of it, so I have happy memories every time I eat it. And, in my opinion, if there is one type of cake that should never be made from a box, it's carrot cake. The dehydrated, shriveled carrots in a box mix just don't cut it.

Cake:

1 1/2 cups oil
4 eggs
2 cups sugar
3 cups grated raw carrots
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp salt
2 cups flour

Combine oil, eggs, and sugar. Mix well. Add carrots. Sift dry ingredients together and add. Pour into a cake pan and bake at 375 for 30-35 minutes.

Frosting:

1 pkg cream cheese (8 oz), softened
3/4 cube butter, softened
1 lb. powdered sugar (about 4 cups or half a bag)
1 tsp vanilla

Beat all ingredients together until smooth.

I'm not really a nut person, but if you are, go ahead and sprinkle some chopped nuts on top. It doesn't really matter if you use regular or baby carrots other than it is easier to grate the regular carrots (particularly if you are grating by hand - this cake became much easier to make once I got a Cuisinart).