Carrot Cake

Wait. Is it Easter already? No.....

Carrot cake is HANDS DOWN my hubs favorite type of cake. Being the awesome wife that I am, I decided to try my hand at it. And not just any ordinary "Betty-Crocker-just-add-water" cake, but an honest to goodness "made from scratch" kind. Go me!

I found this recipe during my nightly ritual of Pinterest perusing, and it looked like a winner to me! I asked the hubs if his mother made her carrot cake with honest-to-goodness REAL carrots, to which he replied, "No". Ha! Now was MY time to shine! Here's what you need to get started.



1 cup oil

2 cups white sugar

3 eggs, beaten well

2 cups carrots, peeled and grated fine

1 (8 ounce) can crushed pineapple, undrained

2 teaspoons vanilla

3 cups flour (replace one cup with whole wheat flour for a denser, nuttier taste)

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 cup chopped pecans (I didn't use any, since I'm not a fan)

Cream Cheese Frosting:

1/2 cup butter, softened

8 ounces cream cheese, softened

1 teaspoon vanilla

1lb (4 cups) powdered sugar

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Mix oil, sugar, eggs, carrots, pineapple and vanilla until combined.
3. Mix dry ingredients in a bowl and add slowly to the wet ingredients.
4. To make a 9x13 cake, pour into a greased 9x13 baking dish for 45 minutes.
5. To make a 2 layer cake use 2 round pans and bake for 35-40 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. If using 2 round pans make sure to really grease or use parchment cut in circles so that your cake comes out clean. Invert cakes into a cooling rack.
6. When cake has cooled frost with cream cheese frosting.
7. For the Cream Cheese Frosting: Beat butter and cream cheese until light and fluffy. Add vanilla and then powdered sugar one cup at a time, scraping the bowl often. Frost the carrot cake. Enjoy!