Easy Carrot Cake

If you watch cooking shows or bake at all, you've all heard that baking is an exact science.  You must follow recipes exactly and measure precisely.  Yeah, right.

Well, being the rebel that I am, I never follow anything exactly.  The food scientists will probably balk at my Carrot Cake recipe.  It's pretty simple, just takes a little more pep than something out of a box.  This will make a large 9" x 13" cake and a small 4" x 8" loaf to freeze for another time.  Or pour the whole batter into the large cake pan and make a thicker cake.  Or divide it up between whatever size cake pans you have - square, round, whatever.  Of course the bake time will have to be adjusted.

Prep ahead: Amounts are approximate:
4 cups grated of carrots
2 cups chopped walnuts
1 cup raisins
Spray the baking tins with spray oil or use Crisco to grease them
Preheat the oven to 350 - 375 (My oven is a Sears Dent-and-Scratch Store propane gas and the door is slightly off so 375 is what I set my oven to get a good 350.  Adjust accordingly.

Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl: (amounts are approximate, but don't go wild)
4 cups all purpose flour (plus reserve an additional 1/2 cup in case batter is too wet))
2 scant cups of sugar (scant so I think its fewer calories)
1/2 tsp salt
4 tsp baking powder
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp cloves
1/2 tsp ground ginger
oh a dash more of cinnamon, won't hurt

Combine wet ingredients, separately: (amounts are pretty much as listed)
1 cup vegetable oil (canola or whatever)
4 large eggs (You may need a little more flour if the eggs are very large or jumbo).
1 cup orange juice
2 tsp orange extract

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and mix with a wooden spoon or whatever just until evenly moist. The batter should be heavy and thick, but not dry; if too moist because you have jumbo eggs, add up to 1/2 cup more flour.
Add the carrots, nuts and raisins and mix just until evenly distributed.  Scoop the batter into the cake pans (or loaf pans or muffin tins) and bake in a preheated oven at 375.  Ovens can vary in temperature so be sure to adjust: 30 to 35 minutes for large muffins and up to 55 to 60 minutes for a large cake.  Test with a dry knife after 35 or 40 minutes - if the batter sticks to the knife give it another 10 minutes - test again, it may need 5 more minutes.

Simple cream cheese frosting:  2 packages room temperature cream cheese or Neufchatel.  1 1/2 cups sugar (plus or minus) - you need not use confectioner's sugar- granulated is just fine.  1 tsp or more of lemon extract.  Beat with electric mixer or by hand.  Taste test - if you like it sweeter, add more sugar.  Add food coloring if you like.

Cut a big slice and enjoy!