Pecan Carrot Cake

Ingredients:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 ¼ cups vegetable oil
• 1 cup granulated white sugar
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 4 large eggs
• 3 cups grated peeled carrots
• 1 ½ cup MNPG Pecan Pieces
• ½ cup raisins

For Creamy Frosting:

• 8 oz cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
• 1/3 cup heavy whipping cream
• ½ cup MNPG Pecan Pieces (for topping)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Prepare two greased 9”x13” glass baking pans.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking soda, salt and ground cinnamon until thoroughly combined.
4. In a separate bowl, whisk the oil, sugars, vanilla and eggs until combined.
5. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl then add the dry ingredients in the batter and mix until smooth.
6. Stir in the carrots, pecans and raisins.
7. Divide the batter between the two prepared baking pans. Bake until the tops of the cake are springy when touched and when a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, 35-45 minutes.
8. Cool cakes in pans for 15 minutes. Then turn cakes out onto wire racks and cool completely.
9. For the frosting, in a large bowl, beat cream cheese with a handheld mixer on medium speed until creamy, for about 1 minute.

• Beat in the powdered sugar, ¼ cup at a time until fluffy.
• Pour in cream and beat on medium speed for 1 minute.
• Chill covered until ready to frost cake.

10. When the cake layers are completely cool, frost the top of one cake layer, place the other cake layer on top.
11. Put the remaining frosting on the top of the cake.
12. Scatter pecans on top and serve immediately.