Award Winning Carrot Cake

by Linda J.
(Ottawa, Ontario)

This recipe won an award in my office Carrot Cake Contest. It's the best carrot cake I've ever tasted -- whether made in someone's home, in a bakery, or in a restaurant. And it's very easy to make!

2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp salt
2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
4 eggs
3 cups grated carrots
1 cup chopped walnuts (optional; I never use them)

Combine the dry ingredients (the first 5 in the list).
In another bowl, mix the sugar, oil, eggs, carrots, and walnuts well.
Add the flour mixture to the wet mixture and mix well.
Pour into a greased tube pan OR 9" x 13" pan OR 2 loaf pans.
Bake at 350 for about an hour -- stick in a fork or toothpick to check for doneness.

The cream cheese icing is, of course, half the appeal of carrot cake (for me, anyway)! Here's what the recipe originally called for:

500 grams of cream cheese (about a pound), softened
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 tsp orange juice
3 to 4 cups icing sugar

But when I used the above amounts, it made way, way too much icing. So I always make half:

250 grams icing sugar (about half a pound), softened
1/4 cup butter, softened
1/2 tsp orange juice
about 2 cups icing sugar

Cream together the cream cheese, butter, and juice.
Add icing sugar gradually, until you have a nice consistency.

If you make the cake in a tube pan, you'll have enough icing for a 2-layer cake.