Olive Oil Carrot Cake with Lemon-Cream Cheese Frosting

For the cake: Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F and set a rack in the middle of the oven. Use the 1 tablespoon of olive oil to grease the inside of a 10-inch tube or Bundt pan, rubbing into the all the corners or grooves. Dust the pan with the 1 tablespoon of flour, turning and tapping the pan to coat.

In a large bowl, combine the 2 cups flour, the baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt; set aside. In another bowl, combine the sugar, the 1 ? cups olive oil, and the eggs. Stir vigorously with a wooden spoon for 1 minute. Stir the dry ingredients into the wet and stir well for 1 minute. Stir in the carrots, nuts, and orange peel.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 1 hour and 10 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes before inverting onto the rack to cool completely before frosting.

For the frosting: With an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese with the olive oil and lemon extract until smooth. Beat in the confectioners’ sugar, stopping once or twice to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Spoon the frosting onto the top of the cake, allowing some of it to drip down the sides.