Homemade Carrot Cake

Description
A moist carrot cake with pineapple, optional pecans and raisins, and cream cheese frosting.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 2/3 cup light brown sugar
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 4 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup crushed pineapple
• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 2 1/2 cups finely grated carrots
• 1 cup chopped pecans, optional
• 1 cup golden raisins, optional
• For the frosting: 16 ounces cream cheese, 4 ounces butter, 2 teaspoons vanilla, and 3 to 4 cups powdered sugar

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and prepare two or three round cake pans.
2. Beat together the eggs, sugars, oil, buttermilk, vanilla, and pineapple.
3. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, salt, and nutmeg.
4. Mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients.
5. Fold in the carrots, pecans, and raisins.
6. Divide the batter between the pans and bake until a toothpick comes out clean, about 25 to 40 minutes depending on pan size.
7. Cool completely.
8. Beat the frosting ingredients together until smooth and spread between the layers and over the cake.