This carrot cake is so yummy you will want to serve it to people you want to impress! Soft, yet dense with a sweetly spiced flavor and tiny bits (not shards) of carrot. Oh, and there's rum. ;)
I don't do raisins or pecans but you totally can. I think golden raisins would be a unique choice- soak in rum first.
Notes: Cake may be baked in a 9x13 inch rectangle or standard Bundt pan.
CARROT CAKE
Ingredients: 2 cups flour, 1/2 tsp. salt, 2 tsp. baking soda, 1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon, 1 cup sugar, 1 cup brown sugar, 1 1 /4 cups neutral oil, 1 Tbsp. rum or whiskey, 4 eggs at room temperature, 3 cups peeled and shredded carrots. For cream cheese frosting: 8 oz. cream cheese at room temperature, 2 cups powdered sugar, 1 tsp. vanilla, 2 Tbsp. milk or cream
1. Preheat oven to 350*. Grease Bundt pan or two 8-inch rounds.
2. Whisk first 4 ingredients together in a bowl. In separate large bowl, beat sugars and oil until smooth, then add eggs 1 at a time.
3. Add dry ingredients to wet, mixing well. Fold in rum and carrots until just combined, spoon into cake pan.
4. Bake for 45-55 minutes for a Bundt or 35-40 minutes for a 9 x 13. Tester should come out clean and sides of cake should be pulled away. Cake will be brown. Cool.
5. Make cream cheese frosting by beating all ingredients together until smooth.
6. Frost cake, then chill in refrigerator 1 hour before serving.
Tip: If you want to do a frosting layer inside, chilling your cake in the freezer for an hour will help you cut it cleanly. For more frosting, double the recipe.