Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Steps

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease your pan thoroughly with butter. (A sheet pan, a 9x13, a bundt pan or (2) 8" rounds will all work well.) Combine the sugar, oil, and eggs and beat until smooth.

2. Whisk together the dry ingredients in a separate bowl. Slowly add to the wet and mix to combine. Add the carrots and mix again.

3. Pour into the prepared pan and bake until a toothpick inserted comes out with moist crumbs. A sheet cake should be done in about 25 minutes, a bundt cake will take closer to 45 minutes. Cool the cake completely before frosting.

4. Beat the cream cheese and the butter together until well combined. Add the sugar and the vanilla and beat again until smooth. Stir in the pecans, if desired.

5. When the cake is completely cool, frost as desired. If you prefer a glaze over a spreadable frosting, gradually add cream or milk while stirring constantly until the frosting is the desired consistency. Invert the bundt cake over a large plate and pour the glaze over the top.