Carrot Tea Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

I'm finally moving on to the "C" recipes. Don't forget about the apron giveaway. I'll be picking a winning name out of a jar this Friday. Winner gets this fun apron:


Let the "C" begin!



Let's face it, I'd rather swim in a cesspool naked without goggles than eat a plateful of carrots. But it felt sacrilegious to feature vegetarian "C" recipes without as much as a nod to the carrot. So, here's my contribution to the nasty orange demon. There is one good thing about this recipe; my kids are eating their carrots in such a sweet way. As for me, I'm only in this for the cream cheese frosting :)

Carrot Tea Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
Serves 8
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pan
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled), plus more for pan
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 cup packed dark-brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 cup packed grated carrots (from about 2 carrots)
1 bar (8 ounces) cream cheese, room temperature
1 cup confectioners' sugar

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour a 5-by-9-inch (6-cup) loaf pan. In a bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
Using an electric mixer, beat butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy; beat in eggs and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Beat in carrots. With mixer on low, gradually add flour mixture; beat just until combined. Transfer batter to prepared pan; bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 40 to 45 minutes. Let cool in pan 5 minutes. Turn cake out onto a wire rack, and let cool completely.
Make frosting: Using mixer, beat cream cheese, confectioners' sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla until fluffy. Frost top of cooled cake.