Carrot Tea Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

courtesy of Everyday Food march 2009 issue, pg 25. i wanted something carrot-y for Easter and bang, here it is! the cake (or bread, really, lets call it what it is) is very dense and moist. The frosting is super, and I have to admit I would eat a cardboard box slathered in this stuff. Its rich and dreamy.

1/2 cup butter, plus more for pan
1 1/4 spooned and leveled all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup packed, grated carrots

1. preheat oven to 350, butter and flour a 5 by 9 inch (6 cup) loaf pan. In a bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.

2. using an electric mixer, beat butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy, beat eggs and vanilla. Beat in carrots. With mixer on low, gradually add flour mixture, beat until just combined. Transfer batter to prepared pan, bake until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 40-45 minutes. Let cool in the pan for 5 minutes. Turn cake out onto wire rack, and let cool completely. serves 8.

Frosting:
1 bar (8oz) cream cheese, softened
1 cup powdered sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla

using mixer, beat cream cheese, powdered sugar and vanilla until fluffy. Frost top of cooled cake.

*a note. I don't have a loaf pan that size and my regular bread pan was fine. Don't expect this to be a big loaf though. And I don't like nutmeg, so I omitted it and bumped up the cinnamon to 3/4 tsp.