The best carrot cake ever!

Many in my life boast that I know my way around the kitchen. Those who know me really well though know that I although I can make a mean entrée, that I am generally not a baker, but instead a burner.

In digging through my crisper last night I found a very old bag of carrots – Not yet at the liquefied stage, but definitely past their prime. Never wanting to throw anything away (a trait endowed upon me by my parents) I went in search of a recipe that would use them all up. One of my favorite consistently great sources of recipes has always been Canadian Living Magazine. Their recipes are tested and true, and I have been able to recreate them and have them look as they do in the magazine and online. I made a few modifications that I have posted below to suit my personal taste, as well as to reduce the calorie content but I imagine that the original recipe would be just as delectable. This cake turned out so moist, and really yummy. It has frozen really well too – I just wrapped it in foil and then in a zip lock bag.

Ingredients:

2 cups all purpose flour

2 tsp baking powder

2 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp baking soda

3/4 tsp salt

¼ cup + 2 TBS Splenda Brown Sugar
1 cup Splenda granulated sugar
3 eggs

3/4 cup vegetable oil

1 tsp vanilla

2 heaped cups grated carrots

1 cup drained canned crushed pineapple

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Icing: 1 pkg brick cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup butter, softened

1 tsp vanilla

1 cup icing sugar

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Preparation:

Grease and flour a bundt pan or a square or round cake pan and set aside. In a large bowl beat together granulated and brown sugars, eggs, oil and vanilla until smooth. Add in the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, salt and stir just until moistened. Stir in carrots, pineapple and walnuts. Spread in prepared pan.

Bake in centre of 350°F (180°C) oven for 30-40 minutes or until cake tester inserted in centre comes out clean. (A fully baked cake will spring back when touched in the center. The cake also draws away from the side of the pan, and a cake tester (a toothpick of skewer works well) inserted in the center comes out clean. Also trust your sense of smell: the fresh aroma of butter and sugar wafting out of the oven can be the signal to check the cake.)

Let cool in pan on rack. Ice with cream cheese icing and decorate with whole walnuts.

Icing: In bowl, beat cream cheese with butter until smooth. Beat in vanilla and icing sugar until smooth.