Carrot Cake with Pineapples and Pecans

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I have a perfect recipe for you today! This is the only recipe you will ever need for Carrot Cake, I promise! It is very soft, moist, and has such a delicious flavor… yum!… with shredded carrots, fresh pineapples, toasted pecans, orange juice and a little bit of nutmeg for spice. I know, that sounds pretty good! And you don’t really feel guilty after eating an extra piece, after all, there are lots of veggies, fruits and nuts.

I have made quite a few Carrot Cakes before, but never so perfect. So, I worked on my old recipe, looked for some new ideas in my cookbook collection, played with ingredients and proportions, and voila! Now I have a perfect recipe for the best Carrot Cake!

It is all about the balance. The texture makes the cake melt in your mouth. And the multitude of flavors bring out a complex finish; freshness of carrots, subtle notes from pineapples, tartness from pecans, citrus from oranges and the spice from nutmeg. Best of all, this recipe doesn’t have the overwhelming sweetness of a regular cake.

Ingredients for the Carrot Cake:

• 2 cups of all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon of baking soda
• 2 teaspoons of baking powder
• ½ teaspoon of salt
• ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon of cinnamon
• 4 large eggs
• ¾ cup of brown sugar
• ¾ cup of granulated sugar
• 1 cup of vegetable oil
• ¼ cup of orange juice
  
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
• 2 cups of shredded carrots
• 1 cup of dices pineapples
• ½ cup toasted chopped pecans

Ingredients for Cream Cheese Frosting:

• 16 oz (2 sticks) of cream cheese (softened)
• ½ cup (1 stick) of unsalted butter (softened)
• 1 cup of powdered sugar

How to make perfect Carrot Cake:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F, butter two 9-inch cake pans and coat with bread crumbs (you can also just spray it with nonstick spray) and set aside.

2. In a large bowl sift all dry ingredients (all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, nutmeg, and cinnamon) and set aside.

3. In another large bowl whisk eggs and brown and granulated sugar until it is smooth. Add vegetable oil, orange juice and vanilla extract, whisk it again until smooth.

4. Add dry ingredients to the mixture. Using a spatula, fold the ingredients together until well combined.

5. Add shredded carrots, diced pineapples and toasted chopped pecans. Using a spatula, fold it into the mixture until well combined.

6. Divide the mixture between two cake pans and bake at 350°F for about 25 minutes or until the toothpick comes out clean. When it is ready, let the cake rest in the cake pans for 10 minutes, and then remove the cake on a wire rack to cool off completely.

How to make Cream Cheese Frosting:

1. In a large bowl put together softened unsalted butter and softened cream cheese. Using a stand or hand mixer, beat the ingredients for a couple of minutes until it is perfectly smooth. Add the powdered sugar and continue to beat for 2-3 more minutes.

2. Assemble the cake and refrigerate it overnight.

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