This iced spice cake made with shredded carrot has been a beloved dessert since at least the 1800s. But it enjoyed particular popularity during the health craze of the 1970s, when carrot cake was deemed more virtuous than pie or cheesecake.
With its rich and fluffy cream cheese icing and timely nod to Peter Rabbit, it's a perfect dessert for Easter. This recipe calls for double layers, but you also could make it as a sheet cake. Leave out the pecans if you're not wild about nuts, but don't switch out the buttermilk _ it makes the cake super moist and tender.
