• Combine sugar, eggs, oil, buttermilk, and vanilla and mix on medium speed with an electric mixer for about 2 minutes or until the mixture is light yellow.
• Meanwhile, in a small bowl stir together raisins, pecans, and 1 tablespoon of flour until the raisins and pecans are thoroughly coated.
• In a separate bowl, thoroughly combine remaining flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg.
• Add flour and spice mixture to egg mixture and mix on low speed until fully incorporated.
• By hand, fold raisins, pecans, carrots, and pineapple into batter just until combined. Do not overmix.
• Pour batter into three 9 inch layer pans that have been prepared with wax paper rounds and shortening.
• Bake at 350 °F for 30 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
• While the cake is still hot, run a plastic knife around the outer rim of the cake pan to free the cakes.
• While still hot or warm, invert each cake layer onto a plate covered with a square of parchment paper. Cut off any dome to make a level layer. Carefully remove waxed paper. Stack layers on top of each other with only a fresh sheet of parchment between layers. Cover with a cake carrier lid until room temperature.
• Refrigerate until cool. Frost with Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting using an offset frosting spatula.

Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting

• Beat sugar and cream cheese with whisk attachment in an electric mixer until smooth. Add vanilla. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
• Very slowly, pour in whipping cream and beat on medium/high until thickened to ideal frosting consistency. Take care to scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula often throughout the process of adding the whipping cream to ensure all of the bits of cream cheese stuck to the bottom of the bowl get incorporated. You will not be able to incorporate these bits of cream cheese at the end of the whipped process.

Candied Carrot Curls

• If desired, top with candied carrot curls just before serving. I usually make about a half recipe of the simple syrup and as many curls as I get out of one carrot. I find it's best to choose a carrot that is close to the same diameter from top to bottom to get strips that look fairly uniform. Find the full recipe here: Southern Living's Candied Carrot Curls