Carrot Cake - Marlene

Grandma Marlene's recipe.

See Terri's Cookbook -> Brain Food

Cake Ingredients
1½ C	sugar
1½ C	vegetable oil
4 lg	eggs
3 C	finely-shredded carrots
2 C	unbleached flour
2 tsp	baking powder
2 tsp	baking soda
1 tsp	salt
2 tsp	ground cinnamon
2 tsp	ground allspice
1 tsp	vanilla extract
1 C	golden raisins
1 C	pecans or walnuts (chopped)
Frosting
4 C+	powdered sugar
½ C	butter or margarine (1 stick)
2 tsp	vanilla extract (or 1 tsp if you want less)
2 (8oz.) pkg	cream cheese

Cake Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350° or 325° for a convection oven
2. Get three 9" round cake pans that have 1½" sides
3. Line bottom of pans with parchment paper
4. Lightly grease the sides of the pans and the top of the wax paper with PAM
5. Dust bottom and sides of pans with granulated sugar
6. Using electic mixer beat the sugar and vegetable oil until combined
7. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition
8. Add carrots
9. Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and allspice
10. Turn mixer to stir speed and add dry ingredients, a little at a time
11. Blend well, but do not overbeat
12. Add vanilla, chopped pecans and raisins
13. Bake 30 to 35 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean
14. Remove from oven and place pans on wet towel for 10 minutes, then move pans to rack to cool. (The wet towel will make cake easier to remove)

Frosting Preparation

1. Combine butter or margarine and cheese; beat well
2. Slowly add sugar until good spreading consistency
3. Add vanilla
4. Refridgerate to cool before use

Note:

This cake may also be baked in a 9x13" pan at 350 degrees. For frosting use 1-8 ounce package of cream chees, 1/4 cup butter or margarine, and 3+ cups powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla, again to have good spreading consistency. Bake for 40 mimnutes or more. * refrigerate cake.