Super moist carrot cake with cream cheese frosting

We always spend some time during the holidays with my husband's family in Canada. Inevitably, my mother-in-law cooks up a storm and the menu always features my husband's favorite dishes. My absolute favorite is her carrot cake. This cake is moist, packed with flavor, and just perfect. Nuts and rasins give it texture. I like to think it's healthy - after all it has whole what flour, carrots and pineapple!

I like to let this cake sit at least overnight before serving. It just tastes better after a day or so - the flavor of the pineapple melds with the flour and cinnamon into that unique yumminess that is carrot cake. If you need a make-ahead dessert, give this recipe a shot.



Carrot Cake

For the cake:
3 eggs
¾ cup buttermilk
¾ cup vegetable oil
1 ½ cups white sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 1/2 cups shredded carrots
1/2 cup flaked coconut
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 (8 ounce) can crushed pineapple with juice
1 cup raisins

For the frosting:
1 lb. cream cheese, at room temperature
1 stick (8 Tbsp.) unsalted butter, at room temperature
4 tsp. vanilla
About 3/4 lb. powdered sugar



Make the cake:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour 2 9-inch baking pans.

In medium bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Set aside.

In a large bowl, combine eggs, buttermilk, oil, sugar and vanilla. Mix well. Add flour mixture and mix well.

In a medium bowl, combine carrots, coconut, walnuts, pineapple and raisins. Using a large wooden spoon or a very heavy whisk, add carrot mixture to batter and fold in well. Pour into pans and bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes, or until a tester comes out clean.

Remove from oven and let cool in pans for about 10 minutes, then turn the cakes onto racks to cool completely.

Make the frosting:
Beat together the cream cheese. butter and vanilla. Add powdered sugar gradually to desired thickness and sweetness