🎂 Ingredients:
For the Cake:
2 cups granulated sugar 🍬
1 ⅓ cups vegetable oil 🌻
3 extra large eggs, room temperature 🥚
1 teaspoon vanilla extract 🌼
2 ½ cups all-purpose flour plus 1 tablespoon for raisins/walnuts 🍞
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon 🍂
2 teaspoons baking soda 🧁
1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt 🧂
1 cup raisins 🍇
1 cup chopped walnuts 🌰
1 pound grated carrots 🥕
½ cup diced fresh pineapple 🍍
For the Cream Cheese Frosting:
¾ pound cream cheese, at room temperature 🧀
½ pound unsalted butter, at room temperature 🧈
1 teaspoon vanilla extract 🌼
1 pound confectioners’ sugar, sifted 🍧
For Decoration:
¼ cup chopped walnuts 🌰
¼ cup candied pineapple (like Paradise) 🍍
👩🍳 Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175°C). Butter 2 (8-inch) round cake pans. Line with parchment paper, then butter and flour the pans.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the sugar, oil, and eggs until the mixture turns light yellow. Incorporate the vanilla.
In a separate bowl, sift together 2 ½ cups flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and kosher salt.
Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until well combined.
Toss the raisins and chopped walnuts with 1 tablespoon of flour. Fold in the grated carrots and diced pineapple. Add this mixture to the batter and mix thoroughly.
Divide the batter equally between the two prepared pans. Bake for 55 to 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Allow the cakes to cool completely in the pans, set over a wire rack.
🍰 Cream Cheese Frosting:
In an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla until just combined.
Gradually add the sifted confectioners’ sugar and mix until the frosting is smooth.
🎉 Assemble and Decorate:
Place one cake layer, flat-side up, on a flat plate or cake pedestal. Spread a layer of frosting on the top.
Place the second cake layer on top, rounded side up, and evenly spread the frosting on the top and sides of the cake.
Decorate with the chopped walnuts and candied pineapple.