I like carrot cake a lot. What is there not to like? A light and moist cake filled with carrots, pineapples and raisins is delicious.

Whenever I have a slice there are two things I think about: First, How to get two servings? I try and stretch it out and figure if I get two very thin slices, this will be the equivalent of a standard size slice of cake while I feel like I’m eating more. Second, I’m eating something that is also healthy for me that is also sweet. (Who am I kidding?) In the rare instances when I have the opportunity to indulge in sweets nowadays, I carefully pick and choose what to eat.

This cake is an easy to make. It can easily serve 12 people but when I entertain large groups of people, I usually double the recipe.

Prep time: 45 minutes
Cooking Time: 50-60 minutes
Serves: 10-12

Ingredients
Mixing Bowl #1
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 ½ tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 tsp cinnamon
1 ¼ cup sugar (I usually use 1 cup)

Mixing Bowl #2
4 large eggs, room temperature
½ cup vegetable oil
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup crushed pineapple with juice

Mixing Bowl #3
2 cups peeled and grated carrots
½ cup chopped walnuts (optional)
1/3 cup dark raisins

Directions
Using ingredients in mixing bowl #1, sift flour, combine all ingredients and mix well. Set aside.
Mix ingredients of mixing bowl #2 well and set aside. Repeat for Mixing bowl #3.
Add ingredients from bowls #1 and #3 to bowl #2. Hand mix until everything is mixed together well (about 5-7 minutes).

Pour batter into two well-greased 8” cake pans, two loaf pans, or one 13”x9” pan. In a pre-heated oven of 350 degrees, place on the middle rack and bake for 35 minutes for cake pan, or 45 minutes for loaf pans or 13”x9” pan. Test for doneness by inserting a wooden toothpick in the middle of cake and remove. Look for moist crumbs and not batter.

Leave in the pan(s) to cool 20 minutes then remove from the pan(s) onto a cooling rack. Allow cake to cool completely  before frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
6 oz cream cheese, brought to room temperature
4 Tbsp room temperature butter
1 tsp vanilla
3-4 cups confectioners sugar

Directions
Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Beat all the ingredients together with a mixer until smooth and creamy (4-5 minutes). If your icing is too thin, add more confectioners’ sugar by the tablespoon and continue to mix until desired consistency is achieved. If your icing is too thick add 1 teaspoon of milk or water and continue to mix until desire consistency is achieved.

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