Boy Meets Girl

Ida Lopez’s Carrot Cake

Preheat oven to 350° F. Butter and flour two 9-inch cake pans.

Sift together and set aside:

2 cups flour

2 ½ teaspoons baking soda

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 teaspoon salt

In a separate bowl, combine one cup canola oil and 1 ½ cups sugar. To the oil/sugar mixture add three eggs and the dry ingredients. Then add:

1 cup unsweetened apple sauce

3/4 cups grated California carrots (squeeze out the juice using cheesecloth)

1 cup walnuts

Mix on low speed until just incorporated (do not overmix). Divide batter between the two cake pans. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes. Give pans a quarter turn every 15 minutes.

To make the frosting, cream together 13 oz. cream cheese (room temperature), 5 oz. butter (room temperature). 1 ½ cups confectioners’ sugar, and 1 tablespoon lemon juice.