Carrot cake was the first birthday cake I baked for Bruce.

This was before we were married, when our relationship was so new that I believed Bruce when he said he wasn’t much of a sweet eater.

Carrot cake was my solution; a dessert so packed with shredded vegetables and chopped nuts and pineapple that I was certain it must comply with at least three daily servings of something nutritious.

I now know Bruce has a serious sweet tooth, worse then mine, even.

But I still make carrot cake. Only now, I like to make carrot cake in small loaf pans, or as cupcakes. (I have this thing about individual servings.) Look at them. So cute. So irresistible that even someone who lacks a sweet tooth might eat more than one.

I know this looks like a long list of ingredients, but most is stuff you probably already have. Feel free to experiment to make this your own.

Printer-friendly recipe

Doni’s Carrot Cake

1 pound carrots, grated

3/4 cup canned pineapple, drained and chopped (reserve juice)

2 tablespoons grated orange peel

2 cups sugar

1 1/3 cup vegetable oil

3 eggs, lightly beaten

1 ½ teaspoons vanilla

2 ½ cups flour

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground ginger

½ teaspoon ground cloves

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 ½ teaspoons salt

1 cup walnuts, chopped

1 cup raisins, rough chopped

2 tablespoons flour

1 cup shredded coconut

Combine everything up to and including the vanilla into a large bowl. Either in a stand mixer or by hand, slowly add the flour, spices, baking soda and salt to the wet mixture. Blend well.

Toss the nuts and raisins with the 2 tablespoons of flour. Add to the batter. Now add the coconut.

Pour batter into greased and floured prepared cake pans or loaf pans or muffin tins or cupcake pans. (See? Pick your pan.)

Bake at 350 degrees for between 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. (The length of baking time will depend upon the size of your pan(s).

Cool the cake for about 10 minutes before removing from the pan(s).

Meanwhile, make frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting

8 ounces cream cheese, softened

4 tablespoons butter, softened

3 cups powdered sugar, sifted

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 tablespoons reserved pineapple juice

Mix together the cream cheese, butter and powdered sugar until well blended. Add the vanilla and pineapple juice.

Frost the cake.
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