Carrot Cake with Raisins

Everyone will think this beautiful carrot cake came from the bakery, but the recipe is surprisingly quick and easy.

Prep Time:20

Cook Time:1

Total Time:1 20

Servings: slices

Combine together 1 cup brown sugar and 6 cups of grated carrots. Leave it for an hour, then stir in 1 cup raisins.
Grease and flour 2 cake pans (10 inch).
Beat eggs in a bowl, then add in 1 cup vegetable oil, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, and 1 ½ cups white sugar. Stir in 1 cup crushed and drained pineapple.
In a separate bowl, mix together 1 teaspoon salt, 4 teaspoons ground cinnamon, 3 cups all-purpose flour, and 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda. Stir this mixture into a bowl with wet mixture.
Once absorbed, stir in carrot mixture and 1 cup chopped walnuts. Pour this mixture into the cake pans evenly.
Bake in a preheated oven at 350 F until a toothpick inserted comes out clean from the center, for 45 to 50 minutes.
Once done, take out from the oven and let it cool. Top with cream cheese frosting once cool.

Give the carrots and brown sugar ample time to sit. This really gets the wonderful rich sweetness of the sugar into every shred of carrot.
Not in the mood for walnuts? Pecans are also really good here or try hazelnuts or even some of each. Not sure if anyone is allergic to nuts? You can also just leave them out.
It's important to let the cake layers cool before adding the frosting or else things might get messy!
If you're grating your own carrots rather than using the ready-shredded kind, don't grate them too thick, or else they might not be soft and tender in the finished cake.