One thing United Airlines does right: Carrot Cake!

Pin It Carrot cake is a wonder of science.

 You start with something relatively healthy: of the earth, raw, vegan, gluten-free, all that jazz.

And then you spend a few minutes imagining the worst men you've ever known and thanking your lucky stars your poor lovely bf isn't home...

And then you add oil and eggs and sugar and other stuff, and stick it in the oven, and within the hour you've got this amazingly beautiful, perfectly risen, delicious-smelling creation that's as far from healthy and as close to indulgent as a carrot has ever been:

Oh, yeah, and then you slather it with cream cheese icing.  Ohhhh yeah.

 Now dot it with pecan halves for a little last-minute decoration, and try not to eat it before your guests arrive!

United Airlines Carrot Cake*

Heat oven to 350F/175C. Line a 13 x 9-inch baking pan with wax paper.

Mix just until well blended:

     1 1/2 cups corn oil

     2 cups granulated sugar

     3 eggs

     1 1/2 cups grated carrot

     2 cups all-purpose flour

     2 teaspoons baking soda

     2 teaspoons salt

     1 teaspoon cinnamon

     1 teaspoon allspice

     1 teaspoon vanilla extract

     1 tablespoon cornstarch

     3/4 cup chopped walnuts

Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake for 50 minutes. Cool. Ice with Cream Cheese Icing.

Cream Cheese Icing:

Cream:

     6 ounces butter

     8 ounces cream cheese

Beat in until fluffy:

     2 cups confectioners' sugar

     1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

     1 teaspoon lemon juice

*When I was 14 and wanted to make a million little heart-shaped carrot cakes for my family's million August birthdays, my mom immediately suggested that I google the United Airlines recipe.  WHAT?  Voluntarily eat airline food, on the ground, when I have other options?  But I trusted her, and I'm so glad I did.  This recipe has yet to fail me; it's super easy, and pretty flexible (like when your allspice is whole and you don't have a grinder so you just put in some ginger and extra cinnamon instead and it comes out fab), and so so SO moist and delicious.  For serious.  Highly recommended.  For flying, though, I usually go with Virgin Atlantic if I can afford it.