Carrot Cake Supreme!

1 1/2 lbs carrots, trimmed and shredded
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
1 1/2 cups corn oil
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons cinnamon
pinch of salt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup of raisins
1/2 cup walnuts grated or broken into small pieces (optional)
Cream Cheese Icing (see following recipe)
Makes 1 1/2 cups
8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1/4 lb of butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups sifted confectioners sugar

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F
Scrape and grate the carrots into fine shreds. There should be about 4 cups firmly packed.
Butter the insides of 3 round 9 inch cake pans. Line each with a round of wax paper cut to fit neatly. Butter the paper. sprinkle with flour and shake out the excess. Set aside.
Beat the sugar and eggs until thickened. Beat in the oil gradually.
Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Stir this into the egg mixture. Add the vanilla. Fold in the carrots, raisins and walnuts.
spoon equal amounts of the batter into each of the prepared pans. Bake 35 to 40 minutes, or until the top springs back when gently pressed with fingers. Turn cakes out onto a wire rack and let cool.
Meanwhile prepare the icing. Use to frost the cake between the layers, around the side and on the top. You may wish to double the icing recipe................I do.....I LOVE cream cheese incing.
If you're skilled you can make a two layer cake and after they've cooled, slice them in two horizontally. This way you have a four layer cake.that's when the extra icing comes in handy!

ICING DIRECTIONS
Blend the cream cheese, butter, vanilla and sugar and beat well!
ENJOY!!!
http://www.grouprecipes.com/45497/carrot-cake-with-cream-cheese-icing.html