Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

 

 

February 3 is National Carrot Cake Day! Let’s celebrate with a great recipe for classic carrot cake with cream cheese frosting.

 

 

 

 

 

February is a great month for foodies. There are so many foods to celebrate…. for me that means looking up my favorite recipes and planning some menus around them. February is the month for the “Celebration of Chocolate”, a time to create “Great American Pies”, National Cherry Month (a personal favorite), National Heart Healthy Month (every month should be heart healthy month), Hot Breakfast Month, Potato Lover’s Month and Sweet Potato Month, just to name a few.

Why Carrots? Carrots have been called a power food. They are a crunchy snack loaded with lots of beta-carotene which is transformed into Vitamin A in the liver. The old adage of “eat your carrots, they’re good for your eyes”  is true. Vitamin A is important in protecting against macular degeneration and cataracts. It also helps with night vision.

The Vitamin A in carrots acts as an antioxidant to slow down the aging of our cells. It also helps promote beautiful skin by preventing acne, blemishes and dry skin. Who would a thunk it? Carrot cake is actually good for us!

In our markets and grocery stores, carrots large and small abound. Personally, I like to buy a bag of the large organic carrots available at the market and add them to a slow cooker stew or slice them into a large pot of borscht. Carrots are a great vegetable to incorporate into the meal plan. Both healthy and versatile, carrots are not only an excellent source of Vitamin A,  they also contain Vitamin C, B Vitamins, calcium and iron.

February is definitely a time for comfort food. One of my family’s favorite desserts this time of year is a big slice of carrot cake topped with creamy cream cheese frosting. Today’s recipe is a quick and easy version of this classic favorite.

Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

 Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 cups sugar

1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons baking soda

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 teaspoon allspice

1 cup vegetable oil

4 eggs, beaten

3 cups finely grated carrots

1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)

1 – 14 oz. can well-drained crushed pineapple (optional)

Preparation:

Preheat oven: 350 °F.

Grease a 9 x13 inch rectangular baking pan or spray with no-stick baking spray.

Grate carrots using a very fine-sized grater or the smallest grater disk in a food processor.

Note: The nuts and/or the pineapple are optional. They can be added or omitted depending on your preference and will not affect the outcome of the recipe.

Cake:

1. Put dry ingredients into a large bowl. Include nuts here, if using.
2. In another bowl whisk together the oil, eggs, grated carrots, and pineapple (if using).
3. Add liquid ingredients to dry ingredients and mix with a wooden spoon until well-mixed.
4. Pour into prepared baking pan.
5. Bake in preheated oven for 40 to 50 minutes until top springs back when lightly touched.
6. Cool on cooling rack until cool. Ice with cream cheese frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting:

¼ cup margarine or butter

2 cups icing sugar

3 oz. package cream cheese

1 teaspoon vanilla

1. Sift icing sugar into a bowl.
2. Add other ingredients and beat with an electric mixer until smooth.

 

 

Tags: carrot cake, cream cheese frosting, nuts, pineapple

Category: Cakes & Tortes