Carrot Cake

For Michael's mom's birthday, I made this carrot cake that we love. The cream cheese icing is a must and it makes great cupcakes too.

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1 1/4 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1 1/4 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1/8 tsp cloves

1/2 tsp salt

4 large eggs, at room temperature

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

1 1/2 cups vegetable oil

1 pound carrots, peeled and grated (best to grate in a food processor fitted with the grater disc)

Lightly coat a 9 x 13 inch pan with vegetable oil spray then line the bottom with parchment paper. Whisk the flour and remaining of top ingredients (through salt) together in a large bowl and set aside. Whisk the eggs and sugars together in a large bowl until frothy an sugar is mostly dissolved, about 1 minute. While whisking, slowly add the oil until the mixture is combines and emulsified. Whisk in the flour mixture until no streaks of flour remain. Stir in the carrots.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake at 350 degrees until a wooden skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out with a few crumbs attached, about 35-40 minutes. Rotate the pan halfway through baking. Let the cake cool on a wire rack about 2 hours. Run a pairing knife around the perimeter of the pan. Invert the cake onto the rack, peel off the parchment, then invert the cake again onto a serving platter. Spread frosting over the top of cake once cake has completely cooled.

Cream Cheese Frosting

8 oz cream cheese

5 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened

1 Tbsp sour cream

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1 1/4 cups confectioner's sugar

Process all ingredients except the sugar in a food processor until combined. Add the confectioner's sugar and continue to process until smooth, scraping down the blades and sides of bowl as needed.