With spring setting in and nature starting a new cycle, it is the perfect time to celebrate an often unsung hero in baking, vegetables! Specifically, carrots. Carrot cake often finds itself the butt of many jokes, of being overlooked or the 'last resort cake'. But why? This cake is satisfying, delicious and... it has veggies so it has to be healthy, right? Perhaps people are used to bland, boring carrot cakes... and this sounds like the perfect challenge for the kitchens of Full Moon Cuisine. And the best part? This cake is very easy to put together, though difficult to stop eating. Plus, who can say no to delicious, cream cheese frosting? And in no time you can have a delicious dessert that will definitely make your guests rethink this overlooked treat.

Here's what you'll need:

- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 2 cups light brown sugar
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- 1 3/4 tsp baking soda
- 3/4 tsp ginger
- 3/4 tsp nutmeg
- 1 pound of carrots (grated)
- 2 cups walnuts (toasted and chopped)
- Separate into 3/4 cups for the cake and the rest for decorating
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla
- 1/2 cup raisins
- 4 large eggs (at room temperature)
- Pinch of salt

To start, preheat your oven to 350°F. When it has heated, place the walnuts on a sheet pan and place them in the oven for 10 minutes. Afterward, set aside and chop when cooled.

Next, mix together the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, baking soda and salt together in a bowl and set aside. Now peel and grate your carrots with a box grater or a food processor and set aside. In the bowl of a stand mixer (or a large bowl if you're using a hand mixer), combine the brown sugar and oil, mixing for two minutes to combine. Next, add in the eggs one at a time, allowing each to get mixed together before adding any more. Finally add in the vanilla and turn the mixer on low before adding the grated carrots. Now, with the mixer on its lowest setting add in the dry ingredients in small amounts, mixing until they have just been combined.

Now for a little boost in the flavor department.

Take 3/4 cups of the toasted, chopped walnuts and add 1/2 cup of raisins into a small bowl. Take 1 tbsp of flour and sprinkle it in, tossing the nuts and raisins together with the flour. This will help prevent the walnuts and raisins from sinking to the bottom of the cake in baking. Add the walnuts and raisins to the batter by using a spatula, again just mixing until they have combined.

Use a baking spray and parchment paper to prepare to 9" cake pans and pour half of the batter into each. Park in the oven and bake for 30-35 minutes. You'll want to do the toothpick test to determine when the cakes are done. Set aside to cool for 15 minutes and then turn the cakes out of the pans onto racks to fully cool (and don't forget to peel off the parchment paper!).

Now what would a carrot cake be without some delicious, decadent cream cheese frosting? Definitely not one you'd want to serve!

Here's what you'll need:

- 14 oz cream cheese (at room temperature)
- This is nearly 2 'blocks' of cream cheese
- 2 sticks of butter (at room temperature)
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 pound confectioners' sugar
- Pinch of salt

In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the butter and cream cheese for at least 2 minutes, using a spatula to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add in the vanilla and set the mixer on its lowest speed to add the confectioners' sugar in two batches and the pinch of salt. Turn the mixer up to medium speed and let it mix for at least 3 minutes. Taste the frosting to determine if you need more cream cheese or sugar (though it should be pretty perfect!).

On a cake plate, place one of the two 9" cakes down and add a layer of cream cheese frosting on top using an offset spatula. Take the other cake and invert it on top to have a flat top to work with. Now add the remainder of the frosting onto the top of the cake, using the spatula to push it out and down the sides. Don't worry if your frosting doesn't look picture perfect, we're going to use a couple of tricks to give it that 'restaurant look' in no time. Make sure the frosting covers all of the cake, leaving nothing exposed.

Now, take the rest of the chopped walnuts from before and press them into the sides of the cake, going all the way around. And finally, let's decorate the top. This next step is much easier if you have a cake spinner. Just press the tip of your offset spatula into the middle of the top layer of frosting and slowly spin the cake, bringing your spatula slowly outward from the center to the outside. This will result in a beautiful, spiral pattern on top! See? You too can make a great tasting cake that also looks great too!

The result of your work is a tasty, spiced cake with a great texture, delicious frosting, and a bit of crunch from the toasted walnuts. After a slice of this you won't hear anyone dismissing carrot cake as "boring" anymore. To help make sure we have plenty of carrots to go around the kitchen will be staying open late tonight. Care to place an order?

Want to know what the 2021 Cake Challenge is all about? Check out my journal on the subject and maybe submit a suggestion for a future recipe the Cake Challenge is on!