Hi Friends!

It’s been a minute since I wrote on my blog. 2020 has been crazy! As we are currently under a stay-at-home order here in Los Angeles, I’ve had a lot of time to practice my baking skills! For Easter I made carrot cake, my husband’s favorite dessert. I’m more of a chocolate cake fan, but I will say the carrot cake that I bake is absolutely delicious, so I thought I’d share the recipe with you!

Check it out:

Ingredient list:

FOR CAKE:

• 2 cups flour
• 2 cups confectioner’s sugar
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 large eggs
• 1.5 cups olive oil
• 2 cups finely grated carrots (buy at least 3 carrots)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup well drained chopped or crushed pineapple

FOR FROSTING:

• 6 ounces cream cheese – softened
• 6 tablespoons butter – softened (leave out the night before)
• 3 cups confectioners’ sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Once you have gathered all of the ingredients, and you’re ready to start baking: preheat your oven to 350 degrees. I like preheating the oven before I get started because then once the mix is ready it doesn’t have to sit out while I wait for the oven to be ready.

Let’s begin by cutting the pineapple into small chunks which you can even crush, if you prefer. Some people hate the texture of pineapple so crushing it makes it easier to blend. Once you’re done cutting, set them aside and let them drain, you want the pineapple to be well-drained.

Next up, the most important ingredient – CARROTS

Grate the carrots until you have at least 2 full cups of finely grated carrots

Now let’s start mixing, in a bowl combine 2 cups of flour, 2 teaspoons of cinnamon,1 teaspoon of vanilla extract, 1 teaspoon of baking soda, 1 teaspoon of salt. Then add 3 large eggs, 1 and a half cups of olive oil, and two cups of carrots.

Make sure you mix the batter really well! This is a critical step because you want all of the flavors to blend together so the cake tastes absolutely delicious, so do not get lazy arms during this step, use those biceps! Lastly, stir in the pineapple.

Grease a 13 by 9 inch baking pan and then pour in the mix. Depending on how hot your oven gets, bake for 50-60 minutes at 350 degrees. You can always use the toothpick trick at around minute 45. Insert a toothpick if it comes out clean, the cake is ready, but I usually still wait a few mins.

Let’s move on to the sweet part. Feel free to lick the spoon here. While waiting for the cake to bake, start making the frosting. In a small mixing bowl, mix 6 ounces of cream cheese, and 6 tablespoons of butter. Make sure the cream cheese and butter are soft!  Once that mixture looks fluffy add 3 cups of confectioners sugar and 1 teaspoon of vanilla and mix it all together until smooth.

Once the cake is out of the oven, let it cool for about 30 minutes before frosting.

Then decorate and voila!You’ve got yourself a homemade carrot cake!

This recipe should make about 10 servings, which makes this the perfect treat to make if you’re in quarantine with family or if you want to drop off something sweet at your neighbors.