#18 Layered Carrot Cake

This recipe comes from Taste of Home (August/September 2005, p. 27) and it is the ultimate carrot cake recipe.

Should you make extra cream cheese icing? Hell to the yeah!

I made this cake for my grandma's birthday this year.

Ingredients:

• CAKE
• 1 package yellow or golden cake mix
• 1 3.4 oz or 102 g package instant vanilla pudding mix
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 4 eggs
• ⅔ cup orange juice
• ½ cup vegetable oil
• 3 cups grated carrots
• ½ cup raisins
• ½ cup chopped walnuts
• ORANGE CREAM CHEESE FROSTING:
• 1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
• ½ cup butter, softened
• 3 cups confectioners' sugar
• 1 to 2 tablespoons orange juice
• 1 tablespoon grated orange peel

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, combine the cake mix, pudding mix and cinnamon.

2. Whisk the eggs, orange juice and oil; add to dry ingredients. Beat until well blended. Stir in the carrots, raisins and nuts (batter will be thick).

3. Pour into two greased and floured 9-in. round baking pans. Bake at 350° for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely.

4. For frosting, in a large bowl, beat cream cheese and butter until fluffy. Add the confectioners' sugar, orange juice and peel; beat until smooth. Spread frosting between layers and over top and sides of cake. Store in the refrigerator.

(Serves 12)

NOTES This recipe can be found online at http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/Layered-Carrot-Cake Instead of raisins I add dried cranberries or Craisins. I also like lots of icing so sometimes I double the recipe.