I lOVE carrot cake, if I could have one love affair with a cake this would be it. It’s believed that carrot cake originated from a carrot pudding eaten by Europeans in the Middle Ages. The origin has been disputed for centuries between England and Switzerland where it’s one of the most popular cakes. It was also revived in the United Kingdom during the Second World War.
I have seen many variations of carrot cake, some with nuts and raisins and others with pineapple. I love adding the pineapple and the juice to mine as it add’s great flavor.
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 C of Olive Oil
- 2 C of Sugar
- 3 eggs at room temperature
- 2 C of All purpose Flour
- 1 TSP baking soda
- 1/2 TSP salt
- 1 TSP of cinnamon
- 1 TSP ground ginger
- 1/4 TSP ground nutmeg
- 1/4 TSP cloves
- 2 C of grated carrots
- 1 C of shredded sweetened coconut
- 1 C of chopped walnuts
- 1 TSP vanilla
- 1 C crushed pineapple not drained (juice not syrup)
- 1 C of Raisins
Frosting
- 16 Oz softened to room temperature cream cheese
- 1/2 C unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 4 1/2 C confectioners sugar
- 1 TBSP heavy cream or milk
- 1 1/2 TSP vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt to taste
- Top with toasted coconut or walnuts if desired
Preheat oven to 350. Combine ingredients from olive oil to spices. Stir in carrots, sweetened coconut, walnuts, vanilla, pineapple and raisins. Pour into lightly greased 9 X 13 pans or a bundt cake pan. (Use non stick cooking spray with flour for easy removal)
Bake for 35-40 minutes if using 9 x 13 baking pans, if using bundt 55-60 minutes, insert toothpick to come out clean. Let cake cool for up to an hour before frosting.
Beat the butter and cream together for two minutes. Add confectioners sugar, cream/milk, vanilla and salt. Beat until smooth and creamy. Frost cake, top with coconut and nuts if desired. Refrigerate 15-30 minutes before slicing.
