The perfect carrot cake with pineapple and pecans with classic cream cheese icing
Prep Time20 minutesmins
Cook Time45 minutesmins
Total Time1 hourhr5 minutesmins
Course: Dessert
Servings: 18
Calories: 314kcal
Author: Trish Cowper | www.infinebalance.com
Ingredients
2cupsall-purpose flour
2teaspoonsbaking powder
2teaspoonscinnamon
1teaspoonbaking soda
¾teaspoonssalt
½teaspoonnutmegfresh grated if possible
¾cupsgranulated sugar
¾cupspacked brown sugar
3eggs
¾cupscanola oil
1teaspoonvanilla
2cupsgrated carrotabout 3 large, fat carrots
398mlcan of crush pineappledrained (about 1 cup drained pineapple), dispose of juice or save for another use
¾cupchopped pecans
Icing:
1 8oz250g package cream cheese softened
¼cupbutter softened
½teaspoonvanilla
1-½cupicing sugarstart with one cup icing sugar, add more as needed for desired consistency
Instructions
Line a 9X13 in baking pan with parchment or spray with cooking spray. Preheat oven to 350.
Prepare carrots and drain pineapple if you have not done so already.
In a medium sized bowl mix together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt.
In the bowl of stand mixer, fitted with a paddle attachment, beat together white and brown sugar, eggs, vanilla and vegetable oil. Beat until smooth. You can do this by hand if you wish.
Add dry ingredients to wet and mix gently until just combined, adding in carrots, pineapple and pecans at the very end. Pour batter into prepared cake pan and bake at 350 for 40-45 minutes. When the cake is done a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake will come out clean. Cool cake completely before icing. Cake can be cooled and then stored in the refrigerator overnight at this point and iced the next day.
For the icing:
In the bowl of a stand mixer (or a large bowl and using an electric hand mixer) cream together softened cream cheese and butter until smooth. Add in vanilla. Then gradually add in icing sugar, until the icing is creamy and smooth. Use at least 1 cup of the icing sugar, one ¼ cup at a time until icing is creamy and smooth. You may use up to 1-½ cups to give the icing a bit more body. You want this icing to be creamy and slumpy, not too smooth. Spread on top of cake. In warm months, chill iced cake before serving so icing stays in place, the icing may wilt in realy warm environments.
Notes
On warm days, keep the iced cake refrigerated to prevent the icing from wilting.Slightly adapted from Canadian Living magazine