Natasha's Blue Ribbon Carrot Cake
When Natasha (age 27 now) was I think 9, she entered this cake in the AV Fair's bake off competition.  She has used the Carrot Cake recipe from the Better Homes and Garden cookbook, but asked me if we could add more carrots and not put raisins in it because she didn't like raisins, but add walnuts because she did like those.  As it turned out, the carrots gave it moisture and the the judge's loved that as well as appreciating the raisin free recipe as many of them did  not care for them either.  She took 1st place and the money prize that went with it.  It's always better when she makes it, but the recipe card I have it written on was fading, so I thought I'd better capture it here.

Ingredients
2 cups flour
2 cups sugar
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cinnamon
3+ cups shredded carrots
1 cup cooking oil
4 eggs
1 cup chopped walnuts

Directions
In a bowl combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and cinnamon.  Add carrots, oil and eggs.  Beat with an electric mixer until combined.  Stir in the cup of chopped walnuts.  Pour into two greased round baking pans.  Bake in a 350 degree oven for 30 - 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.  Cool on wire racks for 10 minutes.  Remove the cakes from the pans.  Cool thoroughly on racks before frosting.

She made a 2-tiered round cake with homemade cream cheese frosting for the competition.  We typically buy the cream cheese frosting already made now and sometimes just bake it in a rectangular baking pan and frost it right in the pan.  It's a favorite with my mom for her birthday every June, but these days, I have more time to make it than Natasha, so it's always extra special when we get her to bake it.