Carrot Cake with Ginger Mascarpne Frosting

This carrot cake is divine! So many flavors going at one time, with the spices in the cake, the creaminess of the frosting and the heated crunch of the crystallized ginger!  You would have thought you died and gone to heaven!  Recipe found in Barefoot Contessa's "Foolproof" cookbook.

2 cups organic sugar

1 1/3 cups organic canola oil

3 extra-large eggs at room temperature

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt

1 pound carrots, grated

1 cup raisins

1 cup chopped walnuts

Ginger mascarpone frosting (recipe follows)

Crystallized ginger (not in syrup), chopped for garnish

Preheat the oven to 400`.  Spray two 8 or 9-inch round baking pans with a non-stick spray.  In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the sugar, oil and eggs on medium speed for 2 minutes, until light yellow and thickened.  Stir in vanilla.  In another bowl, sift together the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt.  With the mixer on low, slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ones.  

In a medium bowl, toss the carrots, raisins, walnuts and 1 tablespoon flour.  Stir into the batter with a rubber spatula.  Divide the batter between the prepared pans and smooth the tops.  Bake for 10 minutes, lower the heat to 350`, and bake for another 30 to 35 minutes longer and until a toothpick or knife comes out clean.  Cool in the pans for 15 minutes.  then invert them onto a cooling rack and cool completely.  

Place one cake on flat serving plate rounded side down.  Spread half the frosting on the top (not the sides).  Place the second cake on top of the first cake, rounded side up.  Frost just the top of the second cake.  Sprinkle with the ginger and serve at room temp.

Ginger Mascarpone Frosting

12 ounces Italian mascarpone cheese at room temp

4 ounces cream cheese at room temp

2 cups sifted powdered sugar

2 tablespoons heavy cream

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/3 cup minced crystallized ginger (not in syrup)

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the mascarpone, cream cheese, powdered sugar, cream and vanilla together for about 1 minutes, until light and fluffy.  And the ginger and salt and beat for 30 seconds more.