As a boy, I thought my mother was crazy when she talked about carrot cake. Carrots? In a cake? What could be more absurd?

And then I tried it. Ummm. Yes, carrots belong in a cake.

In all candor, it was the cream cheese frosting that initially won me over. But over time, I have come to appreciate how the frosting interplays with the spiciness of the cake. Carrots keep the cake moist and provide a subtle crunch that is amplified with pecans and shredded coconut.

The hot debate in baking circles is whether raisins belong in carrot cake. I ignore that debate by leaving out raisins and, instead, add dried cranberries, which add a tart sweetness to the cake. Or if I’m feeling adventurous, I add another dried fruit, such as cherries, blueberries, or mangos. Dried fruit adds an intense jolt of flavor that elevates the medley of tastes. When combined with the light citrus flavor of Molly’s Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting (see below), the cake bursts into a chorus of flavors that will leave you wanting more.

And so carrot cake has become a tradition at the Gibson home. Most recently, I made carrot cake bites for a dinner party with 40 friends from across the country who were in town for an employment law seminar.

We make carrot cake bites as part of our gift boxes of sweets that we give our neighbors each year at Christmas time. These mini cupcakes are the perfect size for a quick treat.

And a single batch makes 150 mini cupcakes, so they are easy to share.

The recipe is versatile. I made a carrot cake as a sheet cake for Molly and Matthew’s wedding reception.

From time to time, I hear that such-and-such restaurant or the whatyamacallit bakery makes a great carrot cake. And so, with high hopes, I try the cake. Almost always I’m disappointed. The cake typically is dry and the flavors are mundane.

That’s why you need to try my Carrot Cake Bites.

I won’t tell you that this recipe is the World’s Best Carrot Cake. But I will tell you that it is the best that I have eaten. I hope you like it as well.

Carrot Cake Bites

2 cups flour
2 cups sugar
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. ground ginger
3 cups shredded carrots (about 3 large carrots)
1 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup chopped pecans
1 cup dried cranberries
1 cup shredded coconut
Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting (recipe below)

Preheat the oven to 325*.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, soda, salt, cinnamon, and ginger. Add the carrots, oil, and eggs. Beat with an electric mixer until combined. Mix in the pecans, cranberries, and coconut.

Line a mini-cupcake pan with paper liners. Fill the liner about 3/4 of the way full. Bake the cupcakes for 22 to 25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean. Cool the cupcakes on a wire rack.

Use a pastry bag to frost the cupcakes with Molly’s Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting.

Makes about 150 mini cupcakes.

Alternative Instructions to make a full-sized cake

Preheat the over to 325*.

Mix the batter per the instructions above. Grease and lightly flour two 9-inch cake pans.

Divide the batter into the two cake pans. Bake for 40 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the pan comes out clean. Cool the cake on a wire rack.

Frost the cake with Molly’s Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting.

Molly’s Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting

8 oz. softened unsalted butter
8 oz. softened cream cheese
Zest of 1 lemon
2 Tbsp. lemon juice, or to taste
1 tsp. vanilla extract
6-8 cups powdered sugar

Beat the butter with an electric mixer until it is smooth and creamy. Add the cream cheese and beat the mixture until the mixture is smooth.

Add powdered lemon zest, lemon juice, and vanilla and stir to combine. Add powdered sugar one cup at a time until the mixture is light and fluffy.