​Simple Carrot Sheet Cake

A winner from ATK as always! Carrot cake is a favorite of both my mother in law and my brother in law, so I thought I'd make sure the recipe is available for them!
Serves 12-15
Ingredients
  • ​​2 1/2 cups (12 1/2 ounces) all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon table salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1 1/2 cups (10 1/2 ounces) granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup packed (3 1/2 ounces) light brown sugar
  • 1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
  • 1 pound carrots, peeled and grated
  • 1 1/2 cups chopped toasted walnuts (optional, but not according to my MIL)
  • 3 cups Cream Cheese Frosting

Equipment
  • ​9 x 13 baking dish
Directions
  1. ​Adjust oven rack to middle level and preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a 9 x 13 baking pan. If you intend to remove the cake for serving, after greasing and flouring, add a parchment sling, then crease and flour the parchment. 
  2. In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, salt, nutmeg and cloves. 
  3. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs and both sugars, until sugars are mostly dissolved and the mixture is frothy. While continuously whisking, slowly pour in the oil in a slow drizzle until thoroughly combined and emulsified.
  4. Whisk in flour mixture until just incorporated. Switch to a rubber scraper to fold in carrots and nuts, if using. 
  5. Scrape thick batter into the prepared pan, smoothing the top with the rubber scraper. Gently tap the pan on the counter to settle the batter.
  6. Bake until toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes, rotating halfway through baking time. 
  7. Let cake cool completely in the pan set on a wire rack, about 2 hours. Frost and serve.
Source: ATK's The Perfect Cake p. 110

Notes:
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