Baking: Bill's Big Carrot Cake

This Carrot Cake recipe comes from Dorie Greenspan's "Baking from my home to Yours" Cook Book.

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp ground cinnamon
3/4 tsp salt
3 cups grated carrots (9 carrots grated with food processor shredding blade,
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 cup shredded coconut
1/2 cup raisins or craisins
2 cups sugar
1 cup canola oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
4 large eggs
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-Preheat the oven to 325f. Butter three 9x2 inch round cake pans, flour the insides and tap out the excess.

- Wisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt.

-In another bowl, mix together the carrots, coconut, nuts and
raisins, set aside.
-In a large bowl, whisk together the oil and sugar until smooth, add
the eggs one at a time, whisking well after each addition. Whisk
until smooth.( or use a stand mixer)
-Add the flour mixture and mix in until it just disappears, gently
fold in the carrot mixture.
-Divide the batter among the prepared baking pans.
-Bake for about 40-50 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean. Transfer the cakes to cooling racks and cool for 5 minutes, then run a knife around the sides of the cakes and unmold them. Invert and cool to room temperature right side up.


Cream Cheese Icing:

8 ounces cream cheese at room temperature
1 stick (4 ounces, 8 Tbsp) unsalted butter at room temperature
1 pound (3 3/4 cups) powdered sugar, sifted
1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice- or Lemon Extract
1/2 cup shredded coconut (added to half the icing and used to fill the cake)
finely chopped toasted nuts or toasted coconut to garnish the top if
you so desire
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-Beat together the butter and cream cheese until smooth and creamy.
-Add the powdered sugar and lemon juice and continue to beat until
smooth. If you want to add coconut to the icing, stir it in ( stir into half the icing and use to fill the cake.