Carrot Cake

Charity posted this recipe which I decided to post so I can try it later.... Here is her post with the recipe.

A friend brought over a few slices of carrot cake for us last night, complete with homemade cream cheese frosting. It was easily the best carrot cake I've ever personally had, so I badgered her into giving me the recipe.


Cream Cheese frosting:

1 package cream cheese, softened
1 stick butter plus 2 tablespoons, softened
(cream together)
1 tsp vanilla
1 box powdered sugar

Whip together until smooth and beautious! Light and fabulously yummy enough, this might just replace my buttercream frosting recipe as a frosting base. I can easily see adding cocoa to this for chocolate, or orange, or lemon, or....you get the picture.


Carrot cake:

* 3 eggs
* 3/4 cup buttermilk
* 3/4 cup vegetable oil
* 1 1/2 cups white sugar
* 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
* 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 2 cups all-purpose flour
* 2 teaspoons baking soda
* 2 cups shredded carrots
* 1 cup flaked coconut
* 1 cup chopped walnuts
* 1 (8 ounce) can crushed pineapple with juice
* 1 cup raisins

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350. Grease and flour a 9x13 pan.
2. Sift together flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Set aside.
3. Combine eggs, buttermilk, oil, sugar and vanilla. Mix well. Add flour mixture and mix well.
4.Combine shredded carrots, coconut, and pineapple. Optional: also add walnuts and raisins. (I don't.)
5. Add carrot mixture to batter and fold in well.
6. Pour into prepared pan, and bake for 1 hour. Check with toothpick.
7. Allow to cool before frosting.

My friend informs me that lately, she's taken to baking it for 45 minutes - still does the toothpick check, and comes out clean, but the cake itself is a bit denser, which she likes. I can't compare, as that denser version is all I've had, but to say it was very good indeed is an understatement.


I suppose you could do all of those things that people do to make recipes like this one a little more healthy - sub applesauce for the oil, and egg beaters for the eggs, use wheat flour - but I can't vouch for how fabulous or not the cake will then be!