Carrot Cake With Maple Cream Cheese Icing

Directions

1. For Cake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter two 9-inch-diameter cake pans. Line bottom of pans with waxed paper. Butter and flour paper; tap out excess flour.
2. Whisk flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon in medium bowl to blend. Whisk sugar and oil in large bowl till well blended. Whisk in Large eggs 1 at a time. Add in flour mix and stir till blended. Stir in carrots, walnuts and ginger. Divide batter between prepared pans.
3. Bake cakes till tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 40 min. Cold cakes in pans 15 min. Turn out onto racks. Peel off waxed paper; cold cakes completely.
4. For Icing: Using electric mixer, beat cream cheese and butter in large bowl till light and fluffy. Add in powdered sugar and beat at low speed till well blended. Beat in maple syrup. Refrigeratetill just hard sufficient to spread, 30 min.
5. Place 1 cake layer on platter. Spread with 3/4 c. icing. Top with second layer. Spread remaining icing over entire cake. Arrange walnut halves around top edge. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover with cake dome; chill. Let stand at room temperature 30 min before serving.)
6. This recipe yields 12 servings.
7. Comments: A standard at health food restaurants across the country, carrot cake was ubiquitous in the seventies. Grated carrots made it a nutritious choice, or possibly so the thinking went. This ultra-moist version is updated with a maple icing.