Best Carrot Cake

Ingredients

Cake

• 2 cups firmly packed finely grated fresh carrots
• juice of 1 large orange
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup light olive oil
• 1 cup liquid honey
• 1/2 cup crushed pineapple, drained
• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
• 3/4 cup raisins

Cream Cheese Icing

• 4 oz cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
• 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp orange zest

Directions

Cake

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Line an 8 inch round cake pan with parchment paper and grease the parchment paper with butter.
3. In a mixing bowl, use a wooden spoon to stir together the grated carrots, orange juice, vanilla, olive oil, honey, and crushed pineapple until well blended.
4. In a second mixing bowl, combine the flours, baking soda,cinnamon and allspices and stir in the raisins.
5. Mix the dry ingredients into the carrot mixture,a little at a time,using a wooden spoon and stirring until just until the it is mixed.
6. Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan.
7. Place into preheated oven and bake 40-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
8. Remove from oven, let cool for 5 minutes, then remove from pan onto a cooling rack.
9. Wait until cool before icing.

Cram Cheese Icing

1. In a bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese until creamy.
2. Add the confectioners' sugar vanilla extract and orange zest and beat until combined.
3. Place the cake onto a cake plate and frost.
4. Keep any leftover cake, covered and in the refrigerator.