Martha Stewart's Carrot Cake

2-1/2  cups		all-purpose flour, plus more for pans
1  teaspoon		baking powder
1  teaspoon		baking soda
1  teaspoon		ground cinnamon
3/4  teaspoon		coarse salt
1/2  teaspoon		ground ginger
1/4  teaspoon		ground nutmeg
12  ounces		unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pans
1  cup		packed light-brown sugar
1/2  cup		granulated sugar
3		large eggs

Tip: For nutritional information on all the ingredients in Martha Stewart's Carrot Cake just click on each ingredient name. Then adjust the serving size for any Martha Stewart's Carrot Cake ingredient with the serving size tool in the nutrition facts area to the right to see how you can save calories, carbs and more.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter three 9-inch round cake pans. Line bottoms with parchment paper, and butter parchment. Dust with flour, tapping out excess. Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, ginger, and nutmeg.
Beat butter and sugars with a mixer on medium speed until pale and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat 3 minutes. Add vanilla, water, and carrots. Beat until well combined, about 2 minutes. Reduce speed to low, and add flour mixture, then finely chopped pecans.
Scrape batter into prepared pans, dividing evenly. Bake, rotating pans halfway through, until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into centers comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Let cool in pans on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Run a knife around edges of cakes to loosen, and turn out cakes onto rack. Turn right side up, and let cool completely.
Using a serrated knife, trim rounded top of 2 cakes. Place one trimmed cake, cut side up, on a serving platter. Spread 1 cup frosting over cake. Top with second trimmed cake, cut side down. Spread 1 cup frosting over cake. Top with remaining cake. Spread remaining frosting over top and sides. Gently press coarsely chopped pecans onto sides of cake. Refrigerate 1 hour before serving.