Carrot Cake

Ingredients

Cake
12 1/2 oz all-purpose flour (2 1/2 cups)
1 1/4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/8 tsp cloves
3 eggs
7 oz granulated sugar (1 cup)
7 oz brown sugar (1 cup, packed)
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup oil
1 lb carrots, peeled and shredded (preferably by hand on a box grater)
1 cup raisins, soaked in hot water and squeezed

Frosting
8 oz. 1/3-fat cream cheese (Neufchâtel), softened
5 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
2 tbsp sour cream
pinch salt
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 cup powdered sugar (add more if you like it sweeter - I don't)

1 cup toasted pecans, chopped

Steps

Cake

1. Preheat oven to 350° F. Grease a 9 x 13" cake pan with butter.
2. Mix the flour, baking soda, baking powder, spices, and salt in a medium bowl with a whisk or fork. Set aside.
3. Beat the eggs and sugars with an electic mixer on high until light and fluffy (about three minutes). Add the vanilla and beat to incorporate.
4. With the beaters on low, slowly drizzle the oil into the egg mixture to emulsify.
5. Add half the flour mixture to the egg mixture and fold in with a rubber scraper. Repeat with the rest of the flour. Be gentle with the batter.
6. Gently stir in the carrots and raisins.
7. Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan and bake 45-50 minutes (until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few crumbs attached), turning half-way through.
8. Remove cake from oven and rest in the pan on a wire rack until completely cool.

Frosting

1. Put the Neufchâtel, butter, sour cream, and salt in a food processor and whiz to combine.
2. Add the vanilla and powdered sugar and whiz to combine.
3. Refrigerate until cake is cool enough to frost.
4. Frost the cake and sprinkle the toasted pecans over the top.