Ginger Carrot Cake

Total Time: 1 hr 10 mins Preparation Time: 40 mins Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 16
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 4 eggs
• 3 cups finely shredded carrots
• 3/4 cup cooking oil
• 3/4 cup mixed dried fruit (bits)
• 2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger or 3/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 2 (3 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1 tablespoon orange juice or 1 tablespoon apricot brandy
• 4 3/4 cups sifted powdered sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon finely shredded orange peel
• 1 cup pecans, toasted and finely chopped (optional)

Recipe

• 1 cake:.
• 2 preheat oven to 350°f.
• 3 grease and flour two 9 inch round cake pans.
• 4 in a large bowl, stir together flour, sugar, baking powder and baking soda; set aside.
• 5 in a medium bowl, beat eggs' stir in carrot, oil, dried fruit bits, and ginger.
• 6 stir egg mixture into flour mixture.
• 7 pour batter into prepared pans.
• 8 bake for 30-35 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted near the centers comes out clean.
• 9 cool in pans on wire racks for 10 minutes. remove from pans.
• 10 cool completely on wire racks.
• 11 orange-cream cheese frosting:.
• 12 in a large bowl combine, cream cheese, butter and orange juice or brandy.
• 13 beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth.
• 14 gradully add 2 cups sifted powdered sugar, beating until mixed.
• 15 gradually beat in enough of the additional 2 3/4 cups sifter powdered sugar to make of spreading consistency.
• 16 stir in finely shredded orange peel.
• 17 assemble cake:.
• 18 fill and frost cake layers with frosting.
• 19 if desired press toasted pecans onto the side of the cake.
• 20 cover loosely and store cake or any leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.