Carrot Cake

This carrot cake is great, the pineapple keeps it really moist and there is nothing better than good cream cheese frosting!!!  I first saw a carrot cake with pineapple on the Food Network. I thought this was odd so I did some more research and found that it is a popular ingredient.  I took the measurements and ingredients from a few recipes to come up with the chunky cake consistency that I love.

This recipe makes a layered cake but if you would like to make a sheet cake it works great as well, simply make 3/4 (about) of the frosting recipe rather than the whole thing since you will not need to frost a layer between the two cakes. 

For the Cake:

2 C. granulated sugar

1 1/3 C. canola oil

3 eggs

1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

2 1/2 C. all purpose flour

2 tsp. cinnamon

2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp salt

1 C raisins

1 C walnuts (chopped finely)

1 lb. carrots finely grated

1/2 C chopped canned pineapple

Beat the sugar, oil, and eggs together in a large bowl with an electric mixer. Add the vanilla. 

In a medium size bowl, sift together 2 1/2 cups flour, the cinnamon, baking soda, and salt.

Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Toss the raisins and walnuts with 1 tablespoon flour (in addition to the 2 1/2 cups listed above). Tossing these ingredients in flour keeps them from falling to the bottom of the pan when baking.

Fold in the carrots and pineapple to the batter. Grease and flour the cake pans.

For a layer cake use 2 8'' round cake pans, if making a sheet cake use one 10''x15'' cake pan.

Bake at 350' F for 55 minutes (check on cake as ovens may vary!)

For the frosting:

3/4 lb. (2 sticks) cream cheese at room temp.

1/2 lb. (2 sticks) butter at room temp.

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 lb. powdered sugar

Beat together the cream cheese, butter and vanilla until smooth.

Slowly add the powdered sugar.

When the cake is fully cooled, frost, and decorate with slices of pineapple and or walnuts!

ENJOY!