carrot cake

I found this recipe in Taste of Home magazine (by the way, T of H magazine subscription was one of the best wedding gifts I've received - it has so many awesome recipes, and they are fail-proof!) and I refer to this piece of paper so many times, it's getting hard to read. So I thought I need to record it in my blog before it's too late. Plus if I love the cake so much, I should share with the ones I love. So here it is...

Ingredients: 

Crushed pineapple - 1 can (8 ounces)
All-purpose flour - 2 cups
Sugar - 1 cup (I use 3/4 cup)
Packed brown sugar - 1 cup (I use 3/4 cup, loosly packed)
Baking soda - 2 tsp
Ground cinnamon - 2 tsp
Salt - 1/4 tsp
Eggs - 4
Vegetable oil - 1 cup
Shredded carrots - 2 cups **see TIPS
Chopped walnuts - 3/4 cup

[Frosting] **see TIPS
Cream cheese - 1 package (8 ounces, softened) 
Butter - 2 TBS (softenend)
Vanilla extract - 1 tsp
Confectioners' sugar - 3/4 cup

Ingredients for the cake

 

Ingredients for the frosting

Prep:

1. Measure all ingredients and set them aside. You can combine dry ingredients (flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt) and lightly toss.
2. Drain pineapple, reserve 2 TBS juice. Discard remaining juice (or save for another use). 
3. Line 13 by 9 baking pan with parchment paper or grease the pan (and lightly flour the greased pan)
4. Preheat oven to 350 F.

Drained pineapple and 2 TBS of juice

Dry ingredients

Cook:

1. In a large mixing bowl, mix eggs for 2 minutes. Add in oil, pineapple and reserved juice. Mix for another minute. 
2. Add in carrots - beat until combined.
3. Add in dry ingredients. Mix until combined using wooden spoon. 
4. Stir in walnuts.
5. Transfer to a prepared baking pan. Bake for 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. 
6. Cool on a wire rack. 
7. [Frosting] In a small mixing bowl, beat cream cheese and butter until smooth. Beat in vanilla. Gradually beat in confectioners' sugar until smooth. 

Use wooden spoon to mix in the dry ingredients

Serve: 

1. When the cake is completely cool down, spread the cream cheese frosting. 
2. Sprinkle walnuts on top. 

TIPS

• Carrots can be shredded or chopped finely (use blender). It takes longer time to shred it so I use my blender to chop it finely. It still tastes and look awesome.
• he original recipe calls for double the frosting amount, which I find it too much. The above recipe (1 package cream cheese) is the half of what the original recipe calls for. It's enough for us, but if you are frosting lover, please, by all means, make more! 
• You can keep the extra frosting on the side for those who want more, or you can cut the cake in half and put it in between.