Carrot Cake with Honey

I have been on the search for a perfect carrot cake recipe for a long time. I think this is it. This recipe is taken from the Bastyr Kitchen - a small cookbook from Bastry University Press. The cookbook was a gift from my daughter who is studying Nutritional Sciences at Bastyr. I love using honey as a sweetener, fresh ground walnuts and garden fresh carrots. In Montana we also have the luxury of using fresh ground Montana wheat flour. The icing is sweetened with honey or maple syrup which compliments the cake with its light delicate flavor. Happy Birthday Kevin -

Carrot Cake - from the Bastyr Kitchen

2 - 9" round baking pans

35-40 minutes @ 350 F

1 cup honey

1 cup canola oil

4 large eggs

2 cups sifted unbleached flour

3/4 tsp salt

2 tsp baking soda

1 T ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground cloves

2 cups grated carrots

1 - 1/2 cups chopped toasted walnuts

1. Beat honey and oil with whisk or electric mixer until smooth and creamy

2. Add eggs one at a time and mix well.

3. In separate bowl, sift together dry ingredients.

4. Fold sifted dry ingredients into creamed mixture until evenly mixed.

5. Fold in carrots and walnuts.

6. Spray pan with oil and line with a circle of parchment paper for easy removal after baking.

7. Divide batter between the two pans. Bake about 35 minutes - until cake pulls away from sides of pan and a toothpick inserted in the center of cake comes out clean.

8. Cool pans rack for about 20 minutes - remove cakes, when completely cool, wrap and freeze. the layers will be easier to ice if they are slightly frozen.

Cream Cheese Icing

This is the real deal - no powdered sugar!

1/2 cup butter @ room temp

1 cup honey or maple syrup

16 oz softened cream cheese

1 tsp vanilla

Cream butter and honey together until smooth with electric mixer - about 5 minutes.

Add cream cheese and vanilla - mix until smooth. May need to chill before using.