Carrot Cake

Step 1

Prepare your ingredients by first eliminating excess moisture from the crushed pineapple by placing a fine mesh sieve over a bowl, and using a spoon or measuring cup to press down on it until excess moisture has drained out. Set aside.

Step 2

Next, peel your carrots, then use a box grated to grate carrots so they are grated, but not so finely grated they are full of excess moisture. Set aside.

Step 3

Lastly, finely chop pecans, set aside.

Step 4

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

Step 5

In a large bowl, add eggs, oil, white and brown sugar, and vanilla extract and beat together. Set aside.

Step 6

In a separate bowl, mix flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, nutmeg, allspice, and cinnamon.

Step 7

Carefully add the dry ingredients to the wet, combining the two bowls until just mixed, do not over stir or over beat.

Step 8

Carefully stir in carrots and drained crushed pineapple and fold in pecans.

Step 9

Prepare two 9 inch round baking pans by lining with parchment paper then spraying them with nonstick cooking spray and flouring them or grease and flour pans.

Step 10

Pour even amounts of the cake batter into the two baking pans

Step 11

Bake in 350 degree pre-heated oven for 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.

Step 12

Cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely before layering and frosting. Can be done a day ahead.

Step 13

Make sure butter and cream cheese come to room temperature to soften.

Step 14

In a medium bowl, combine butter, cream cheese, powdered or confectioners' sugar, vanilla extract, and lemon juice.

Step 15

Using a hand mixer, carefully beat mixture until there are no lumps and it is smooth and creamy.

Step 16

Place a small dollop of frosting on a cake stand and put the first cake on top. Then frost the top of the cake, and layer the second cake on. Frost the top and sides of both cakes with remaining frosting.

Step 17

Hide any frosting imperfections and garnish with finely chopped pecans.