Chari's Carrot Cake: Recipe

I have been waiting to give you this recipe - it's delicious! And it comes from the mother-in-law of a good friend. I'm always skeptical of vegetables in my dessert but I must say this is perhaps the best carrot cake I've ever had. I have yet to find a way to improve upon it - which means: it's perfect.

Chari's Carrot Cake
2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs
2 cups flour
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp salt
3 tsp. cinnamon
2 tsp. vanilla
3 cups well drained finely (very finely) shredded carrots

Preheat oven to 325. Grease and flour two 9" cake pans.

Mix together the sugar and oil till very light. Add eggs, one at a time, until each one is well mixed. Scrape the bowl before proceeding. In a separate bowl mix together the flour, salt and baking soda. Add the vanilla and then add the flour mixture in two additions. Mix well after each addition and scrape down the sides. Next add the carrots and mix well.

Pour the batter into the cake pans and bake about 60 minutes. Cool in pan about 10 minutes before inverting and cooling completely on the rack.

Cream Cheese Frosting
8 Tbsp. butter (1 stick), room temp
1 8 oz. pkg. cream cheese, room temp
1 pkg. (1 lb) confectioners sugar
1 tsp. vanilla

In a large mixing bowl, combine the butter and the cream cheese until smooth. Next add in the vanilla and mix. Add in the sugar in two additions and mix well between each addition.

Frost cake and refrigerate until ready to serve.