Here’s a recipe from
Cook’s Illustrated for the best carrot cake ever.  I made it for
Kristen’s birthday party, both this year and last year.  Last
year, I made really cute flowers out of circles from baby
carrots.  This year, I had to do better than that so I came up
with the polka-dot cake.  Kristen was impressed!

Spiced Carrot Cake with Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting

2 1/2 C unbleached all-purpose flour

1 1/4 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1 1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp. cloves

1/2 tsp. ground black pepper

1 Tbs. ground cardamom (yes, that’s tablespoon)

1/2 tsp. salt

1 lb. carrots (6-7 medium), peeled and grated, should be about 3 C

1 1/2 C granulated sugar

1/2 C packed light brown sugar

4 large eggs

1 1/2 C vegetable oil

Spray pan (bundt or 9×13) with non-stick cooking spray.  Mix
together the dry ingredients, set aside.  Using a food processor
or hand held mixer or KitchenAid (whatever’s handy) mix together the
eggs and sugars.  With the machine going, slowly pour in the oil
and beat until the batter is really light and the oil is completely
incorporated into the sugars.  (This is the important part because
it keeps the oil from settling and making the bottom of the cake
greasy.)  Mix in the carrots and dry ingredients.   Bake
at 350 degrees until it’s done (about 35-45 minutes) – when a toothpick
comes out clean.  If it’s in a bundt pan, it will probably take
about 15 minutes or so longer.

Frosting

8 oz cream cheese, softened but still cool

5 Tbs. softened butter

1 Tbs. sour cream

1 tsp. vanilla extract (or more, depending on how much vanilla flavor you want)

1 1/4 C powdered sugar

Mix everything but the powdered sugar together until smooth.  Stir in p.sugar.

Frost cake when cool.  If the cool polka dot effect is desired,
cut baby carrots into very thin slices and decorate the cake!
This is really the best carrot cake I’ve ever had!  (And the
frosting is great too!)

And here’s the cute girl who made it! 

Make the cake!  Make it today!