Ingredients
2 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
2 cups sugar
3/4 cups canola oil
1/2 cup apple sauce
3 large eggs
4 cups grated peeled carrots
1 1/4 cups coarsely chopped walnuts or pecans
Icing
3 packages cream cheese (such as Philadelphia), room temperature
1 1/2 - 2 cups powdered sugar
Juice of one lemon and zest
Juice of 1/2 orange and zest
Preparation
Preparation For cake: Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter two 9-inch-diameter cake pans. Line bottom of pans with parchment paper. Butter and flour paper; tap out excess flour. Whisk flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon in medium bowl to blend. Whisk sugar and oil in large bowl until well blended. Whisk in eggs 1 at a time. Add flour mixture and stir until blended. Stir in carrots, nuts. Divide batter between prepared pans.
Bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 55 minutes. Cool cakes in pans 10 minutes. Turn out onto racks. Peel off parchment paper; cool cakes completely.
For icing: Using electric mixer, beat cream cheese until fluffy. Add powdered sugar and beat at low speed until well blended. Beat in maple syrup. Chill until just firm enough to spread, 30 minutes.
Place 1 cake layer on platter. Spread with 3/4 cup icing. Top with second layer. Spread remaining icing over entire cake. Arrange walnut halves around top edge. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover with cake dome; chill. Let stand at room temperature 30 minutes before serving.)
