3000 miles 'til dinner.

This cake has been in my repertoire longer than the  Old-fashioned Chocolate Cake  and no doubt the second most requested cake! 

Prep time:  30 minutes

Pans:  2-9” pans (OR) 1-9x13”  (OR) at least 36 cupcakes (OR) 2 bread pans

Oven temp:   325 degrees, middle rack

Baking time:  25-45 minutes  (baking time will vary, depending on pan choices)

♥PANTRY, FRIDGE, MARKET♥♥

1 1/2  C.  corn or canola oil

4 large eggs

2 1/2 C. light or  dark brown sugar

1 T.  pure vanilla extract

3 C.  unbleached flour

2 t. baking soda

1 t. sea salt

1/2 t. allspice

1/2 t. clove

1 T. cinnamon

1 C. coarse chopped walnuts

3 C. grated carrots, lightly packed

        Cream Cheese Icing

12 oz. cream cheese, room temp

1/2 C. unsalted butter, room temp

3 C. powdered sugar

2 t. pure vanilla extract

♥PREP

Whisk together in large bowl: oil, eggs, brown sugar and vanilla 

Sift together: flour, soda, salt, allspice, clove and cinnamon and whisk in to wet mix.

Stir in: walnuts and grated carrots

Prepare pans:  oil pans and line bottom with with parchment paper (set pan on parchment and trace with a pencil, then cut circle).  Option: if no parchment paper on hand,  oil and dust pans with flour

♥BAKE - 325 degrees, middle rack

Test for doneness: insert toothpick into center. Cake is done when only a few crumbs are clinging to the pick

Remove from oven, cool for 10 minutes, run knife around edge of cake, then turn out on rack to continue cooling. 

♥Cream Cheese Icing ♥ In mixer or food processor, whip cream cheese and butter until soft and creamy. Add powdered sugar, one cup at a time. Continue to whip until light in texture.  Add vanilla.  Note: if icing is too soft, refrigerate until firm. 

♥♥ WAYS TO “just wing it” ♥♥               consider or substitute

*sub nuts:  coarse chopped pecans (OR) no nuts*sub: 1/2 grated carrots, 1/2 grated zucchini (skin on)

*consider:  adding 2 C. semi-sweet chocolate chips to the cake batter

*consider: rather than icing, serve sweetened whipped cream on the side

♥ Helpful Hints♥

*cake freezes well (best frozen without icing)

*icing is very rich so consider frosting only the middle and top layer, leaving sides of the cake bare

(MIL post)