Easy Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients

Cake

• - 2 cups all-purpose flour
• - 2 tsp baking soda
• - 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• - 1 tsp salt
• - 4 eggs
• - 1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
• - 3 cups grated carrots
• - 1 cup walnuts, toasted and chopped (optional)
• - 1 cup golden raisins (optional)

Frosting

• - 2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, room temperature
• - 1 stick salted butter, room temperature
• - 1 (16-ounce) box powdered sugar
• - 1 tsp vanilla
• - 1/2 cup walnuts or pecans

Directions

1. 1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
2. Grease and flour 3 (9 inch) round pans and line bottom with parchment paper.
3. 2. In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Add eggs and vegetable oil. Mix until combined. Add carrots, walnuts, and raisins.
4. 3. Pour into pans. Bake for approximately 40 minutes. Remove from oven and cool for 5 minutes. Remove from pans, place on waxed paper and allow to cool completely before frosting.
5. For the frosting
6. 1. Add all ingredients, except nuts, into a medium bowl and beat until fluffy using a hand mixer. Stir in the nuts. Spread frosting on top of each cake layer. Stack the cakes on a serving plate and serve.
7. 2. Tip: Instead of putting the nuts into the frosting, you can leave it out and sprinkle it over the top and sides of the cake for a finishing touch.