pat's Recipe

Gingered Carrot Cake

Category: Cakes

1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
2 cups sugar
4 large eggs
1 Tbsp lemon zest
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
3 cups grated carrot
1 lemon (for slice)
Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting (recipe follows)
Garnish: chopped pecans, lemon slice

Preheat oven to 350. Spray 3 (9-inch) round cake pans with nonstick baking spray. Dust with flour.
In a large bowl, combine oil, sugar, and eggs; beat at medium-high speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Add lemon zest, beating until combined.
In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, ginger, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Gradually add to oil mixture, beating until combined. Stir in grated carrot. Spoon batter evenly into prepared pans, and bake for 18 to 22 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Let cool in pans for 10 minutes. Remove from pan and cool completely on wire racks. Spread lemon cream cheese frosting evenly between layers and on top and sides of cake. Garnish if desired....coat the entire side of cake with pecans....twist the lemon slice and add to the cake top.

makes 1 9-inch cake

lemon cream cheese frosting:

1 cup butter, softened
1 8 oz pkg cream cheese, softened
1 tbsp lemon zest
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
6 cups confectioners sugar

In a large bowl, beat butter, cream cheese, lemon zest, and lemon juice at medium speed with a mixer until creamy. Gradually add sugar, beating until smooth.