Homemade Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

You will need:

2 1/4 cups flour

2 tsp baking soda

1 1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup butter-flavored shortening (just pretend this isn't in there! :)

1 1/2 cups sugar

3 eggs, room temperature (important!)

3/4 cup buttermilk

2 cups shredded carrots

1 1/2 cups coconut (I thought this was a little much, so I used 1 cup)

3/4 cup chopped walnuts

1/2 cup raisins, optional (I did not use raisins)

For the frosting:

2 (8oz) packages of cream cheese

1/2 cup butter, softened (important!)

16 oz powdered sugar

2 tsp vanilla

1 tsp almond extract, optional (I didn't have this on hand, so I left it out)

What you need to do:

1. Preheat oven to 350.

2. Combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt in a bowl.

3. Beat shortening and sugar until fluffy.  Add room temperature eggs one at a time, beating after each addition (important!).

4. Shred 2 cups of carrots.

5. Alternately add the flour mixture and the buttermilk, starting and ending with flour.  Gently stir in carrots, coconut, walnuts, and raisins (if desired).

6. Pour batter into a 9x13 inch pan sprayed with cooking spray and bake for 55-60 minutes.  Cool and frost with cream cheese frosting.  Top with additional chopped walnuts, if desired.

7. For the frosting: Beat cream cheese and butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy.

 8. Gradually add powdered sugar, beating until fluffy.  Stir in vanilla and almond extracts.  This makes A LOT of frosting, so you can keep it refrigerated and use it on other things like cookies or graham crackers.

 And enjoy!!