Rikers Island Carrot Cake

The New York Times's City Room Blog posted an article on August 15, 2010 uncovering the famous carrot cake that has earned raves from inmates at Rikers Island in the Bronx of New York City. The carrot cake bread, which is served only on holidays including Christmas and Ramadan, can be barely made fast enough by inmate cooks at Rikers to supply the demand at New York City's other jails and the Department of Juvenile Justice. Until Rikers' kitchen capacity increases significantly, the only chance you will have to try their famous carrot cake is by making it yourself. 

Here is the recipe for a batch of 25 loaves of carrot cake. For smaller quantities scale down measurements appropriately.

Ingredients

• 25 pounds sugar
  
• 3 gallons vegetable oil
  
• 25 pounds flour
  
• 8 ounces salt
  
• 1 pound baking powder
  
• 8 ounces baking soda
  
• 6 ounces nutmeg
  
• 6 ounces allspice
  
• 4 ounces clove powder
  
• 4 ounces ginger
  
• 8 ounces cinnamon
  
• 25 pounds carrots
  
• 25 pounds eggs
  
• 8 pounds walnuts
  
• 20 pounds raisins
  
• 8 ounces vanilla extract

Instructions

1. Place in a mixing bowl – sugar, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, clove powder, allspice, baking powder, baking sods, salt. Using a paddle mix on slow for five minutes.

2. Add raisins, carrots, walnuts, eggs, vegetable oil and vanilla extract mix on slow speed for an additional five minutes.

3. Increase speed to medium for 10 minutes.

4. Pour into loaf pans. Pans should be three-quarters full.

5. Bake at 350° for 40 minutes.