Cake fresh from the garden???

Yep...its Carrot Cake! Truth be told...my garden didn't turn out this year at all. I literally mean that not one plant made it. I know...sad, right? I think we can safely say that I was born without the ever-coveted green thumb. I've been wallowing in self pity over this fact for quite some time now. I do know, though, that some of you have wonderful gardens and although I am fighting the jealousy monster raging inside of me...I've decided to give you a recipe that will allow you to use the fruits of your labor. I'm going to try to put my negative feelings aside long enough to tell you that this recipe took a while to perfect, but now it is wonderful. If you like carrot cake with chopped walnuts in it, you can stir some in with the grated carrots. I, however, prefer cakes with consistent textures throughout, so I left them out. Sorry if you are a walnut-loving carrot cake person...I'm just not. So...here you go...enjoy!

Carrot Cake

2 C sugar

1 C vegetable oil

1 T vanilla

4 eggs

2 1/2 C whole wheat flour

11/2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. ground cloves

1/2 tsp. nutmeg

3 C loosely packed grated carrots

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix all ingredients together except grated carrots. Mix on medium speed for one minute and then on high speed for one minute. Stir in grated carrots. Grease and flour two 9 in. round cake pans. Divide cake batter into greased round pans. Tap pan on counter several times to get rid of any bubbles created by the grated carrots. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in middle comes out clean. (Its okay if your cake sinks a little in the middle…it won't show when the cake is finished) Let cakes cool completely while preparing cream cheese frosting. Using a knife, even up the sides of the cake so there is not a dip in the middle by cutting around the outside of the cake and removing the top layer (making the cake level all over) Turn first cake out onto cake platter. Spread generous layer of cream cheese frosting on the top of the first cake. Turn second cake out on top of first cake. Frost generously with cream cheese frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting

8 oz cream cheese, softened

1 stick softened butter

21⁄2–3 C powdered sugar (to taste)

1 tsp vanilla

About an hour before making frosting, get cream cheese and butter out of the refrigerator and set on the counter to soften at room temperature. Beat cream cheese and butter until fluffy. Add powdered sugar and vanilla and beat for several minutes until mixture is light and fluffy.