Serves: 16
Total Calories: 346

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground mace
4 eggs, at room temperature
1 cup vegetable oil
1 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
3 cups grated carrots (about 3 medium carrots)
3/4 teaspoon grated orange zest
1 cup unsweetened grated coconut (optional)
1 cup golden raisins, coarsely chopped (optional)
Serve with CREAM CHEESE FROSTING or CHURCH LADY'S FROSTING

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and dust with flour a 13-by-9-inch metal cake pan and set aside.
2. Into a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cocoa, cinnamon, and mace, then lightly whisk and set aside.
3. In a stand mixer set on medium speed, combine the eggs, oil, brown sugar, granulated sugar, and vanilla until blended. Turn off the mixer, add half the flour mixture, and beat on low speed until the mixture is blended. Add the remaining flour and beat until blended, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl as necessary. Remove the bowl and stir in the carrots and the orange zest, and the coconut and raisins, if desired. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean and the cake begins to pull away from the sides, about 35 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool completely before frosting.
Frost with either Cream Cheese Frosting or Church Lady’s Frosting.

Variation
If you prefer Church Supper Carrot Cake with Pineapple and Walnuts, follow the main recipe, adding 1 cup well-drained crushed pineapple and 1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts to the cake batter.



From Holiday Baking. Text copyright © 2005 by Sara Perry. Photographs copyright © 2005 by Leigh Beisch. All rights reserved. First published by Chronicle Books LLC, San Francisco, California.

Nutritional Facts:

Serves: 16
Total Calories: 346
Calories from Fat: 149

More Recipes from the Holiday Baking Cookbook:
Apricot Jam and Coconut Squares
Banana Wafer Pudding Pie
Brown Sugar Benne Cookies
Cashew Caramel Cracker Bars
Chocolate Peanut Butter Surprise Cupcakes
Church Lady's Frosting
Church Supper Carrot Cake
Cream Cheese Frosting
Kwanzaa Puzzle Cookies
Mama's Yummy Sweet Spoonbread Souffle
North African Mint Tea
Soul-Satisfying Biscuits and Gravy
Southern Comfort Sweet Potato Pecan Pie
Wild Rice and Dried Cherry Muffins