Carrot Cake With Cream Cheese Frosting

This dense, not-too-sweet carrot cake is irresistible once topped with a thick layer of cream cheese frosting! It's a favorite among my quilty friends.

Carrot Cake

2 cups flour
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
3 large eggs
2/3 cup milk
3 medium carrots, grated
1/2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease a 9-inch round cake pan. Dust with flour; tap out excess. Mix together flour, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt. Beat together butter and sugar at medium speed until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. At low speed, alternately beat flour mixture and milk into butter mixture. Stir in carrots and nuts. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake cake until top springs back when lightly touched and a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, about 40 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack to cool for 10 minutes. Turn cake out onto rack to cool completely.

Cream Cheese Frosting

1/2 cup butter, softened
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar

Beat together butter and cream cheese at medium speed until completely smooth. Beat in vanilla. Beat in confectioners' sugar until well blended. Place cake on a serving plate. Spread frosting over top and sides and sprinkle with brown sugar and nut topping (below).

Topping

1/4 cup finely chopped walnuts
2 tablespoons firmly packed brown sugar

Mix together nuts and brown sugar. Sprinkle on top of frosted cake.