I made this recipe for over 30 years, and then lost my copy of it! I knew my mother had a copy, but she's very old and doesn't cook anymore so she got rid of her recipe box. Thank you SO MUCH for having a copy of this recipe on hand... it's been a family favorite, and I thought it was lost forever! My kids used to love taking it in their school lunch boxes. It tastes delicious, holds up well for packing and keeps well, which some of the softer carrot cakes don't do. It will be a treat for my boys who are now in Iraq and Afghanistan. Again, thank you for finding an old friend! I'd give it 10 stars if I could! By the way, I usually use walnuts instead of pecans, and the original recipe also called for 1/3 c. toasted wheat germ added to the dry ingredients.
For anyone packing this to mail, popcorn makes a good filler instead of "packing peanuts." Be sure to have the cake wrapped well so it doesn't take on the flavor of the popcorn (I think waxed paper works better than plastic wrap, if it's taped up tight).