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8 tablespoons (1 stick) cool unsalted butter, cut into chunks, plus additional for greasing the pan

2 cups all-purpose flour, plus additional for dusting the pan

½ cup cake flour

1½ teaspoons baking powder

1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon grated nutmeg

½ teaspoon salt

¾ cup packed dark brown sugar

¾ cup granulated sugar

½ cup walnut oil

5 large eggs, at room temperature

3 cups grated carrots (through the large holes of a box grater or with the grating blade in a food processor)

2 tablespoons finely grated orange zest

1 cup finely chopped toasted pecans, walnuts, or pine nuts

Cream Cheese Sour Cream Frosting (recipe follows)

Position the rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly butter and flour a 13 × 9-inch baking pan, making sure all the corners and edges are evenly coated and tapping out any excess.

Whisk both flours, the baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, nutmeg, and salt in a medium bowl; set aside.

Using an electric mixer at medium speed, beat the butter, sugars, and walnut oil in a large bowl until creamy and light, about 4 minutes.

Beat in the eggs one at a time, making sure each is fully incorporated before adding the next. Beat in the grated carrots and orange zest until the batter itself is fairly smooth (although there will of course be threads of carrot and zest throughout).

Turn off the beaters, add half the prepared flour mixture, and beat at low speed just until moistened. Add the remaining flour mixture; beat just until evenly distributed.

Scrape down the beaters and remove them. Use a rubber spatula to fold in the nuts, taking care to turn the batter thoroughly to check for any pockets of flour or lumps. Pour and scrape into the prepared pan.

Bake until lightly puffed and springy to the touch, until a toothpick or cake tester inserted into the cake’s center comes out with a few crumbs attached, about 55 minutes. Cool completely before icing.

To cool: Set on a wire rack until room temperature, at least 1½ hours, before topping with the Cream Cheese Sour Cream Frosting.

To store: Do not ice. Lightly cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 2 days; allow the cake to come back to room temperature before icing.

Cream Cheese Sour Cream Frosting

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature

8 ounces regular or low-fat cream cheese (do not use fat-free)

½ cup packed dark brown sugar

½ cup regular sour cream (do not use low-fat or fat-free)

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

6 to 7 cups confectioners’ sugar

Use an electric mixer to beat the butter, cream cheese, and brown sugar in a large bowl until creamy and smooth, about 3 minutes.

Add the sour cream and vanilla; continue beating until velvety, about 1 minute.

Turn off the beaters, add 5 cups confectioners’ sugar, and beat on low until smooth.

Scrape down and remove the beaters. Stir in the remaining confectioners’ sugar in ¼-cup increments with a rubber spatula until a smooth, rich frosting forms—it will be a little silkier than some icings, but will hold its shape when mounded on the spatula. Spread evenly over the cooled cake with an offset or rubber spatula.

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Room Temperature Cakes

As tempting as a warm cake is, it’s better eaten at room temperature. The cake has a chance to condense slightly, which improves the texture; it will definitely cut more easily; and it will taste better, the flavors having worked their way through the crumb.

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Apple Sheet Cake

Make sure you leave plenty of time to let the apples and sugar macerate; the resulting liquid will create a dense, rich, but very moist cake. Makes one 13 × 9-inch sheet cake

5 large tart apples, such as Granny Smith, peeled, cored, and cut into ½-inch dice (about 5 cups)

1½ cups sugar

2/3 cup walnut oil, plus additional for greasing the pan

3 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt