World's Best Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

INGREDIENTS

3 cups

flour

3 tsp

baking soda

2 tsp

ground cinnamon

1 1/2 tsp

salt

1 1/4 cups

vegetable or canola oil

2/3 cup

unsweetened applesauce

1 1/4 cups

sugar

1 3/4 cups

brown sugar

3 tsp

vanilla

large eggs

3 cups

shredded carrots

optional: ½ cup raisins and/or ½ cup chopped pecans

16 oz

cream cheese (2 8-ounce bricks), softened

1 cup

butter

3 tsp

vanilla extract OR 1 teaspoons vanilla + 2 teaspoons maple extract

heaping ¼ teaspoon salt

8 cups

powdered sugar, or as needed

chopped pecans for topping, optional