This one is a winner. As a young’un I was never fond of carrot cake. But I’ve matured. Grown. Expanded. And not just emotionally and mentally.

This recipe requires a bit of effort, but it was well worth it with quite impressive results.

Ingredients:

4 eggs

1 1/3 c. vegetable oil

2 1/4 c. sugar

2 1/4 c. AP flour

2 tsp. baking soda

2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp. ground cloves

1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg

20 ou. carrots, finely chopped (approx. 3 1/4 cups)

1/2 c. chopped pecans, toasted

1 c. crushed pineapple, drained

White Chocolate Cream Cheese Icing:

1 1/2 pds cream cheese, room temp.

2 c. white chocolate chips, melted

3/4 c. unsalted butter, room temp

2 tsp. grated lemon rind (optional)

Pecans, toasted and cooled

Preheat oven to 350. Cut out parchment paper to fit the bottom of your round cake pans. Don’t spray parchment paper or sides with cooking spray, the parchment is enough.

Combine eggs and oil in bowl of mixer and blend for 2 minutes on medium speed. Add 1 cup sugar and mix for 2 additional minutes. Add remaining sugar and mix for 3 to 4 minutes.

Combine flour, soda, powder, salt, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg; add to egg mixture. Beat on low speed until blended. Add carrots, pecans and pineapple and mix until well combined.

Divide batter between pans and bake for 60 minutes or until they pass the toothpick test.

Run knife around edges of cake pans and remove from pans to let cool, or place in freezer until icing is mixed. Or you can refrigerate overnight. Whatever you want. I will say that frozen cake is easier to work with when frosting.

For icing, mix cream cheese until smooth. Meanwhile, melt chocolate in microwave, stirring frequently and until smooth. Blend this with the cream cheese a little at a time. Add butter one tablespoon at a time. Scrape bowl. Add lemon rind and mix in.

Remove cakes from wherever you hid them and ice top of first layer. Repeat until all three layers are stacked, then start on the sides and top. Press chopped pecans into the sides of the icing. Be patient with this step--it’s worth the effort!