The day before you are going to assemble the cake, make the pecan cream filling.

In a heavy saucepan, add sugar, flour, and salt. Give a whisk and slowly stir in cream. Add butter. Cook and stir over low until the butter has melted. Let simmer for 20 to 30 minutes, or until the mixture turns golden brown. Remove from heat and let cool to lukewarm.

Add pecans and vanilla and stir through. Let cool completely and keep in the fridge overnight.

If it is too thick to spread the next day, put in the microwave for 10 to 15 seconds.

To make the cake, preheat oven to 350°. Spray (3) 8-inch with baking spray.

In a large bowl, whisk oil and sugar until smooth. Set aside.

In another bowl, sift together flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

Add half of the dry ingredients into the sugar mixture. Mix until incorporated. Alternate eggs, one by one with the remaining flour mixture. Add carrots, pecans, and raisins and mix until just combined.

Pour batter evenly into the three pans.

Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool in pans for 10 minutes, then turn out and cool completely on a wire rack.

To make the cream cheese frosting, beat the cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy in the bowl of an electric mixer. Add half of the sugar and beat for two minutes. Add remaining sugar, vanilla, and salt. Continue to beat until very fluffy.

To assemble, place the first layer on your cake plate. Add cream cheese frosting to a piping bag fitted with a large round tip. Pipe a thick layer of frosting around the edge of the cake. Fill in the ring with pecan cream filling. Repeat with the next layer. Top with the third cake layer and cover the top with cream cheese frosting.