Carrot Cake

My mom almost always had some of this cake baked at home, just in case someone stopped by for coffee. It is so moist and flavorful that it doesn't need any icing. Bake some for your neighbor or give it as a gift to loved ones.

The secret to it's super moist texture is boiled and mashed carrots. Yes, that's right! Here's how you can make it at home:

2 pounds of carrots, boiled and mashed

2 and 1/2 cups sugar

1 and 1/2 cups vegetable oil

4 eggs

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2 and 1/2 cups all purpose flour

3 tablespoons baking powder

2 tablespoons ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup raisins

1 cup chopped walnuts

powdered sugar and cinnamon for dusting

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Butter or oil a 9x13 inch baking pan or two 8 inch round by 3 inches deep cake pans.

Beat the oil, sugar and eggs with an electric mixer for 2-3 minutes. (You can totally do this with a whisk if you don't have a mixer.)

Add carrots and vanilla and beat well until incorporated.

Sift the flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon in a bowl. Add walnuts and raisins to the flour mixture.

Slowly, with the mixer running on low, add the dry ingredients in 3-4 batches. Beat until just incorporated. DO NOT OVER BEAT!!!! You will have carrot bread instead of cake :)

Pour the cake batter in your baking dish and bake for about 45 minutes or until a toothpick that is inserted in the center of the cake comes out with some moist crumbs attached to it.

Allow the cake to cool for at least one hour. Serve it dusted with some powdered sugar and cinnamon.

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator. The cake will keep for a week, if you can resist the temptation.....