Carrot Cake -- posted by Jessica

One of my favorite cake flavors is carrot cake. I love the moist cake with the cinnamony taste and the sweet cream cheese frosting! I'm not a big fan of super sweet frosting so when I make this recipe I use a third of the powdered sugar and it turns out wonderful. I have made this cake several times with great success and good compliments! Thanks to Cooking Light for this amazing carrot cake recipe!

Notes: I usually cut the sugar in the cake down as well as the coconut and pineapple add sweetness. I also add cinnamon to the frosting as it is my favorite spice!

Cake:
11/2 c flour
1 1/3 c sugar (3/4 to 1 cup is fine)
1/2 sweetened flaked coconut (sometimes I sub. in raisins)
1/3 c chopped pecans
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 tsp ground cinnamon
3 Tb oil
2 large eggs
2 c grated carrot
1 1/2 c canned crushed pineapple, drained

Frosting:
2 Tb butter, softened (I use 1 Tb)
1 8 oz block 1/3 less fat cream cheese, softened
3 cups pwd sugar (I use 1 cup)
2 tsp vanilla
A couple pinches of cinnamon if desired


Combine flour, sugar, coconut, pecans, soda, salt and cinnamon. Combine oil & eggs; Stir egg mixture, carrot and pinepple into flour mixture. Spread in greased 9 x 13 pan. Bake 350 for 35 minutes or till done. Cool on wire rack.

For frosting: combine butter and cream cheese. Beat till smooth Beat in pwd sugar and vanilla (and cinnamon if using) just till smooth. Spread on top of cake.

Yield: 16 servings.