Divine Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Update—I’m making this for our Easter dessert this year, it’s just so good!  4-22-11  

I made this cake the other day for a friend's birthday that was on Halloween.  She and her husband came over Monday night.  Tes and I can just about say the two of us ate the whole cake--NOT all in the same sitting, but still.  Okay, it was only an 8 inch cake, but still.  Two of the boys had a piece, and although they were surprised it had carrots in it and they still liked it, they ate it.  Kevin avoided it, because he just doesn't like frosting.  I know, I know, what's up with that?!  And Tes' husband, Bob, well, he just won't eat anything that is or has any vegetables or fruit in it.  This guy considers Reese Cups (as he calls them) one of the five food groups.

So anyway, back to this yummy cake---Tes and I LOVED it.  I let Tes take home a lot of it--mostly to get it out of the house.  I also gave her a plate of the lemon bars and rugelach I'd made recently.  She was thrilled knowing Bob wouldn't be eating ANY of it.  Oh, I also gave her some tropical muffins I'd made to use up some bananas and the rest of the crushed pineapple that was in the carrot cake.  

Again, back to the cake!  I really am a chocolate girl, I swear, but THIS could be a favorite as far as cakes go.

Pictures?  Coming right up.  (But sorry, I really didn't take the best pictures of this moist, flavorful, delicious cake!)

Recipe.   Okay, okay.  Here you go!

Here's the recipe which I found on Food Network (Ellie Kreiger's???), which I have adapted.  The original recipe is for a 9x13 cake, but I halved it and made it in an 8x8 pan. 

Divine Carrot Cake

1/4 cup walnuts, toasted and chopped (and extra for the top of the cake--I like nuts!)

1 cup whole wheat pastry flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 egg, plus 2 tablespoons (1/2 an egg), of course, I used Egg Beaters w/touch of yolk

3/4 cups granulated sugar

1/2 cup buttermilk (slightly less than)

1/4 cup canola oil

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 tablespoons pineapple juice, reserved from canned pineapple

8 oz. canned crushed pineapple, drained-juice reserved (I always only buy pineapple in 100% juice)

1 cup grated carrots

1/8 c. (2 tablespoons) unsweetened flaked coconut

Frosting:

I used some leftover cream cheese icing from the pumpkin cupcakes I made last week!

The recipe from Food Network is:

6 oz. reduced-fat cream cheese, softened (I always use the 1/3 less fat for all things cream cheese--can't tell a difference

1/4 cup powdered sugar (sometimes if I think the consistency is strange, I add a little more sugar til I like it---shhh)

3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Coat an 8x8 pinch pan with cooking spray.  Set aside.

Toast walnuts on a small plate for 30 seconds.  Toss with fingers, toast again for 30 seconds.  Perfect.  Chop them on a cutting board.

Whisk flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon in a medium sized bowl.  In another bowl, whisk eggs, sugar, buttermilk, oil, vanilla and reserved pineapple juice until blended.  Stir in pineapple, carrots and coconut.  Add the dry ingredients and mix with a rubber spatula just until blended.  Stir in the nuts.  Scrape the batter into the pan and spread evenly.  Bake for 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Let cool completely on wire rack.

For frosting.  Beat cream cheese, powdered sugar and vanilla in an electric mixer until smooth and creamy.  Spread frosting over cooled cake.  Sprinkle with nuts. 

Divine, I'm telling you.  Moist, flavorful, crunchy, YUMMY, and so simple to make, really.  Go make some "healthy" carrot cake.

And why am I posting on my blog when I have SO much to be doing to get the house and boys and things ready for Kevin and I to head to New York City tomorrow.  Well, that's how much I wanted to share this cake with you.  Just sharin' the love.  Okay, busy, busy.  Will write more when we get back from our TRIP!