Carrot Cake Goodness!

Recently I was on a quest to find the best carrot cake recipe.  You see my husband loves carrot cake, I mean who doesn't, and I was determined to make him one for his birthday.  There are A LOT of recipes, some with coconut, some with pineapple, some with just carrots!  So what's a girl to do?!  I went rogue!  I found a recipe base that I liked and then added things that I liked to it.  AND I made homemade icing!!  Who does that?!  Apparently I can!!  I was really nervous to serve the cake because not only was I making it for the first time but then I was serving it to company!!  But oh my gravy, it was a amazing!!!  I mean I'm thinking about eating another piece right now!! 

So with out further ado, I present the most amazingly good Carrot Cake I've ever eaten!

Ingredients:
4 eggs
1 1/4 cups vegetable oil
2 cups white sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
3 cups grated carrots
1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
1 8oz crushed pineapple, drained
1 cup raisins

Frosting:
1/2 cup butter, softened
8 oz cream cheese, softened
3 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup chopped pecans (optional)

Directions:
1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease and flour two 9-inch pans.

2.  In a large bowl, beat together eggs, oil, white sugar, and 2 teaspoons vanilla.  Mix in flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.  Stir in carrots, raisin, pineapple and nuts.  Pour into prepared pans.

3.  Bake in the preheated oven for about 30 -40 minutes, o until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, 36 minutes was the magic number for me.  Let cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely.

4.  To make frosting:  In a meduim bowl, combine butter, cream cheese, powdered sugar, and 1 teaspoon vanilla.  Beat until the mixture is smooth and creamy.  Stir in chopped pecans, if you want.  Frost the cooled cake. 

After frosting I put my cake in the frig until ready to eat!  SOOOOO good! 

I'm not the best decorator, but you get the idea.  And you'll have plenty of frosting left over.