Ingredients

5 cups AP flour

2.5 tsp baking powder

2 tsp baking soda

2 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp fresh grated nutmeg

½ tsp ground cloves

1 tsp salt

6 cups carrots, peeled and grated

(about 2 pounds)

3 cups sugar

1 cup light brown sugar

8 fresh eggs

3 cups vegetable oil

Cream cheese frosting

24 oz cream cheese (3 bricks, softened but still cool)

15 tbs unsalted butter, softened but still cool)

2 tbs sour cream

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tbs vanilla bean paste

Juice from 1 lemon

3 cups powdered sugar

This recipe makes one - two layer, 9 inch cake. For the cake, heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 2 - 9 inch cake pans with non-stick spray, line bottom of cake pans with parchment paper and spray parchment.

Whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and salt in large bowl. Set aside.

Peel about 2 pounds worth of carrots using a vegetable peeler. Using the thicker grate on a box grater, grate by hand 6 cups of carrots. You can do this the day before to save time.

Using mixer, mix eggs with sugar and brown sugar until frothy, about 45 seconds. With mixer running slowly add oil until well emulsified. Stir in carrots, then dry ingredients, gently folding until no white streaks of flour remain.

Pour into the two prepared pans; I weigh mine for better accuracy and even cooking.

Bake until a toothpick comes out clean, 45 mins – 1 hour. Rotate pans halfway.

Cool cake to room temp in pan on wire rack, at least three hours.

For the frosting – When the cake is cool, process cream cheese, butter, sour cream and vanilla extract and paste until smooth. Scraping with silicone spatula as you go. Add powdered sugar until your desired sweetness and mix until fluffy.