Carrot Cake

A new friend I have made in France named Anne Baird gave me this recipe.  I made it for Jason's birthday, and it was really delicious.  It would be a pretty healthy cake as far as cakes go if it weren't for the best part--the delicious cream cheese frosting.  I ate it by the spoonful--it was so good!

Ingredients for cake:

2 C. flour
2 C. sugar
2 t. cinnamon
2 t. baking soda
2 t. vanilla
1 t. salt
½ C. oil
3 eggs, beaten
2 C. shredded carrots
½ C. crushed pineapple (without any juice)
1 C. chopped walnuts or pecans

Ingredients for cream cheese frosting:

11 oz. cream cheese, softened
12 T. (1-1/2 cube) butter, softened
¼ t. salt
1- 1/2 t. vanilla
3 C. powdered sugar

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350⁰ F.  Prepare cake by mixing dry ingredients in a large bowl.  In a separate bowl mix oil, eggs, vanilla, carrots, and pineapple.  Add wet ingredients to dry and blend thoroughly.  Finally, add in chopped nuts.  Butter and flour desired baking dish (a 9 x 13 pan was recommended, but I used two round cake pans).  Pour batter evenly into baking dish and bake for 50-55 minutes for a 9 x 13 pan, and about 45-50 minutes for two round cake pans.  While cake is baking, prepare frosting by blending the cream cheese and softened butter.  Add salt and vanilla and blend.  Add powdered sugar gradually and mix until smooth and creamy.   Once cake is completely cool, ice with the cream cheese frosting.