Carrot Cake with Black Walnut Frosting

Cake
1 cup/250 ml. granulated sugar
3 eggs
2/3 cup/160 ml. Watkins Original Grapeseed Oil
1 teaspoon/5ml. Watkins Vanilla
1 1/2 cups/375 ml. all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons/10 ml. Watkins Cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon/2.5 ml. Watkins Ground Cloves
1/2 teaspoon/2.5 ml. Watkins Nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon/2.5 ml. Watkins Allspice
1/2 teaspoon/2.5 ml. salt
1 teaspoon/5 ml. Watkins Baking Powder
1 1/2 teaspoons/7.5 ml. baking soda
2 cups/500 ml. finely-grated carrots
1 cup/250 ml. walnuts, chopped

Frosting
1 (8 ounce/227 g) package cream cheese
1/3 cup/80 ml. butter (room temperature)
2 1/2 cups/625 ml. powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon/2.5 ml. Watkins Black Walnut Extract or
    another flavoring (butter pecan, butter nut)
1/2 teaspoon/2.5 ml. Watkins Vanilla Nut Extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F/180 degrees C. Spray two 8- or 9-inch/20- or 23-cm round pans (2 inches/5 cm high) with Watkins Cooking Spray and dust with flour.

Combine sugar, oil and eggs and beat for one minute. Mix in vanilla. Mix in all remaining ingredients except carrots and nuts. Beat about one minute. Fold in carrots and nuts. Pour into pans and bake for 30 minutes.

Beat butter, cream cheese and extracts until smooth. Add powdered sugar, 1/2 cup/125 ml. at a time and beat until frosting reaches a spreading consistency. Frost between layers and on top of cake.

Makes 12 servings.

Try this...Add golden raisins or pineapple, if desired. - Substitute 2 cups shredded zucchini in place of the shredded carrots.