by Jane Winstead

Created on: October 24, 2009

Old Fashion Carrot Cake

This is not the traditional Carrot Cake with cream cheese icing it's just an"Old Fashion Carrot Cake." It was the tradition of my mother-in-law to bake Carrot Cakes every Christmas and give them as gifts. The Carrot Cake fragrance permeated her house during the Christmas season. It was wonderful. For some unknown reason our daughter called her Grandma Hody. The name stuck and forever after she was known as Hody by all the family. The cake eventually became known as Hody's Carrot Cake. Hody's granddaughter now bakes the Carrot Cakes at Christmas. Even now, the fragrance of Hody's Carrot Cake brings back many happy memories.

(I have made a few changes for convenience and adjusted some of the spices.)

1 large package of grated carrots

2-2/3 cups water

2 cups sugar

1 cup raisins

6 tablespoons butter

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground cloves

1 teaspoon nutmeg

4 cups flour

2 teaspoons salt

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 cup chopped nuts

Sift together flour, salt and baking soda. Set aside

Put water in large saucepan and bring to boil. When water reaches boiling point, add carrots, sugar, raisins, butter and all spices. Bring water to a boil and boil for five minutes stirring continuously. Add carrot mixture and nuts to flour mix.

Beat until all ingredients are mixed thoroughly. (Because the batter is very thick I prefer to use a large spoon rather than my Kitchen Aid.) Pour into 10 Bundt pan or 10 tube pan. Bake in preheated oven at 250 for 1-1/2 hours or until cake tester comes out clean.

Variation:

Slice while warm and serve with cream cheese spread.

Even though this recipe does not include frosting this Old Fashion Carrot Cake certainly would be enhanced by your favorite glace or your favorite cream cheese icing.

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