My 24-Karat (Carrot) Cake

2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted
2 cups sugar
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1-1/2 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs, beaten

1 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 cups grated carrots (about 3 large)
1, 8-oz can crushed juice-packed pineapple, with juice

1 cup shredded coconut (unsweetened if possible)
1/2 cup chopped pecans

1/2 cup golden raisins

1/4 cup crystallized ginger, minced

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour three 9-inch cake rounds.

In the mixer bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Add vegetable oil, vanilla extract and beaten eggs. Mix well for 1 minute and remove from the mixer.

Stir in carrots, pineapple with juice, coconut, pecans, raisins and ginger until well blended. Divide batter evenly among the three prepared pans and bake 30 - 40 minutes, until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool on racks for 10 minutes, then turn out onto racks and cool completely before frosting with Neufchatel Frosting or Cream Cheese Frosting.

When cake is completely cooled, assemble by layering cakes alternately 1/3 of the frosting for each layer, leaving the sides of the layers bare.