Carrot Pineapple Raisin Nut Cake, a true winner........

Carrot Pineapple Raisin Nut Cake.-

This is a very nostalgic recipe for me since I've been using it since around 1975. Easy to make and everyone loves it. You can also mix and match ingredients like take out the nuts or add other ones. I've used just pineapple and raisin which I also like and frequently leave the spices out, except cinnamon, since I don't really enjoy spice cakes. You get the point, you can customize to meet your family's likes. I've also used it for pot lucks and in my restaurants and catering businesses with great results.

It's a simple recipe containing very familiar ingredients that you can find at your local A&P and you can use cake pans, cupcake forms, bundt form, springform or 9 x 14, whatever it will work. I've made it without frosting and just Confectioner's Sugar dusted on top which is nice or full on Cream Cheese Frosting. Flexible, humble and nice....

You'll need the following ingredients:

One

1 1/4 cups unsweetened applesauce or oil, I use oil

2 cups granulated sugar

3 eggs room temperature

Two

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp cinnamon

Three

2 cups grated carrots

1 cup shredded sweetened coconut, optional

1 cup chopped nuts, optional

1 tsp vanilla

1 cup crushed pineapple not drained! {use the pineapple in JUICE not syrup}

Cream Cheese Frosting:

1/2 cup butter softened

8 oz cream cheese softened

1 tsp vanilla

1 lb powdered sugar

top with toasted pecans or coconut if desired

Combine #1 ingredients. Add #2 ingredients. Stir in #3 ingredients.

Pour into a lightly greased 9 x 13 , two 9-inch pans or three 8-inch pans. (The cake is very moist so cutting parchment for the bottom of your pans will ensure they don't stick. I prefer parchment but you can grease and flour pans. 

Bake for 35-40 minutes for the 9x13 and 9-inch pans and 25-30 minutes for the 8-inc You're looking for an inserted toothpick to come out clean.

Let cakes cool for 10 minutes in the pan and then remove to a cooling rack and let cool completely.

For the frosting:

Beat the butter and cream cheese until nice and fluffy. Add in the vanilla and powdered sugar and beat until nice and smooth.

Invert the cake onto a cake plate or stand. Apply a generous dollop of frosting and spread...

Gently place the second cake on top and continue frosting. Repeat with the third cake if you made three.

Refrigerate for an hour before serving for best results.

Recipe Notes

The frosting recipe can be doubled if you are planning on piping a border and adding a lot of frosting decorations to the top of the cake.

Hope you will enjoy this lovely classic cake!

You can frost the cake with your favorite frosting or use Cream Cheese Frosting which is the classic combo (and who doesn't love this), I've also just used Confectioner's Sugar using a stencil which looks lovely or how about a Citrus Glaze? Could be orange, Pineapple, Lemon or your choice? Nice!