Carrot Cake

Ingredients

2 cups (283g) all-purpose flour (scoop and level to measure)
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground ginger
4 eggs
3/4 cup (175ml) vegetable oil
1/2 cup (130g) unsweetened applesauce
1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
3/4 cup (150g) packed light brown sugar (break up any clumps)
2 tsp vanilla extract
3 cups (348g) finely grated carrots**
1 cup chopped pecans (optional)
1 recipe Cream Cheese Frosting HERE (use amounts listed in notes there for a 2 layer cake)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Butter two 9″ round cake pans, line with parchment paper, butter parchment paper, dust parchment paper with flour, shake out excess.* Line pans with water soaked cake strips if you have them.
In a mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger.
In a large mixing bowl using an electric mixer blend together vegetable oil, applesauce, eggs, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla.
Add dry ingredients and mix until combined. Mix in grated carrots just to evenly distribute. Divide mixture evenly into 2 prepared cake pans.
Bake in preheat oven for 33 – 38 minutes until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean.
Remove from oven and allow to cool 10 minutes in cake pan, then run a knife around edges of cakes and invert into a wire rack to cool completely.
Frost cakes then finish with chopped pecans if using. Store cake in airtight container in refrigerator.

*This cake can also be made in a 9×13 dish just increase baking time to 40 – 50 minutes until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, or recipe can be halved and baked in an 8×8 dish or just 1 (9-inch) round pan (bake time should be the same).
**I grate on the small holes of a box grater.
Nutrition estimate does not include pecans as they are optional, cream cheese frosting is included.