CARROT CAKE

Makes: 1 (9 -by-1 3 -inch) cake, or about 1 6 servings For the cake:

1 ¼ cups vegetable oil

1 cup granulated sugar

1 cup light brown sugar

1 teaspoon salt

4 large eggs

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon ground nutmeg

½ teaspoon ground ginger

1 ½ teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

3 cups grated carrots (or a mix of grated carrots, golden beets and parsnips)

1 cup chopped hazelnuts, pecans or walnuts, toasted (see note)

½ cup dried cranberries

For the frosting:

½ cup (1 stick) butter, room temperature

1 (8 -ounce) package cream cheese, room temperature Pinch of coarse salt, to taste

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

2 ½ to 3 ½ cups powdered sugar Milk, as necessary for thinning

1 . Prepare the cake: Heat oven to 3 5 0 degrees. Line a 9 -by-1 3 -inch pan with parchment paper.

2 . In a large bowl, beat together oil, both sugars, salt, eggs, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, baking powder and baking soda. Add the flour to the batter and stir to blend well. Stir in the carrots, nuts and cranberries until just blended. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.

3 . Bake until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean, about 3 5 to 4 0 minutes. (It’s OK if a few moist crumbs are still sticking to it.) Cool the cake completely before frosting.

4 . Prepare the frosting: In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to beat together the butter, cream cheese, salt and vanilla until light and fluffy. Beat in enough of the sugar to reach the preferred consistency. If the frosting is too thick, add milk, a tablespoon at a time, beating after each addition.

5 . Frost the cake and refrigerate before serving. Leftovers are best well-wrapped and refrigerated for two days.

Note: To toast the nuts, spread them out on a baking sheet and toast in a 3 5 0 -degree oven until they begin to brown and crisp and smell “nutty,” about 3 to 5 minutes, watching carefully so they don’t burn. Remove and cool before chopping.