Carrot Cake

This cake is so fruity you might call it a muffin (if it wasn't for the frosting!). This time I made cupcakes rather than a sheet cake, as cupcakes keep well as individual servings either in the fridge or freezer.


Carrot Cake

Yield: 1 sheet cake.
Baking Temperature: 350°F
Baking Time: 45 minutes


Ingredients


4 eggs
3/4 C canola oil
1/2 C applesauce
2 C sugar
3 tsp vanilla
2 C AP flour
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
3 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
3 C grated carrots
8 oz can crushed pineapple
1 C nuts


Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F
2. Grease and flour pan.
3. Drain juice from can of pineapple, discard juice.
4. Beat together eggs, oil, applesauce, sugar, and vanilla.
5. Sift flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, nutmeg and cinnamon.
6. Stir dry mixture into wet mixture.
7. Stir in carrots and pineapple.
8. Fold in nuts.
9. Pour in pan and bake 40-50 min.
10. Cool in pan 10 min then turn out onto rack and cool completely before frosting.
11. Frost with Cream Cheese Frosting.
12. If you wish, top with 1-2C sweetened shredded coconut.

Tips: For cupcakes, spoon mixture into cupcake pan lined with paper cups. Bake 20 min or until toothpick comes out clean, still at 350°F. Makes 24.

Cream Cheese Frosting

Yield:  a double layer cake or full batch of cupcakes

Ingredients

8 oz cream cheese (room temperature)
½ stick butter (room temperature)
1 tsp vanilla essence
4 C powdered sugar


Instructions

1. Sift or at least whisk lumps from sugar.
2. Beat cream cheese, butter, and vanilla in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until blended.
3. Add sugar gradually, beating until well blended after each addition.
4. Use right away or refrigerate and bring back to room temp before using.