Name: Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese-Lemon Zest Frosting
Yield: Makes one 8-inch layer cake or 24 cupcakes
Ingredients: 1/3 cup dried shredded organic unsweetened coconut; About 1 pound organic farm-fresh carrots, peeled and cut into 2-inch Lengths (3 cups); 1 cup chopped organic pineapple; 1 1/2 cups organic all-purpose flour; 1/2 cup organic whole wheat pastry flour; 1 1/2 cups organic cane sugar; 2 teaspoons baking soda; 2 1/4 teaspoons organic ground cinnamon; Pinch of freshly grated organic nutmeg; 1 teaspoon salt; 1/2 cup dark-brown sugar; 3/4 cup organic canola oil; 1 tablespoon organic vanilla extract; 3 organic eggs; Cream Cheese-Lemon Zest Frosting; 3/4 cup chopped toasted organic walnuts; 1/2 cup organic golden raisins, plumped in warm water for 20 minutes and drained; 1/2 tablespoon minced fresh organic ginger

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photo by Noah Sheldon

My son's teachers beg me to make this cake for his snack day at school. It isn't too sweet, and it has a moist, dense texture from the carrots and pineapple. It's also one of my most popular cakes at weddings and parties. When I make it at home, I throw more things into the batter—for example, a handful of pumpkin seeds or toasted pecans if I have them lying around. The beauty of this recipe is that you can increase the spices or omit the nuts, and it will still taste great.

Recipe notes

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