Take the (Carrot) Cake

My cousin had a birthday this week, and so I baked him a carrot cake.
The list keeps growing of people who love this cake, who hope or expect (um, husband) a carrot cake for their birthday or sometimes when their favorite team loses the SuperBowl.

This past summer I suggested to make this cake for a friend's birthday. She protested, "oh, you don't have to do it." Her 7-year-old son came up behind her and whispered (loudly), "Take the cake, mom!" I delivered it on her birthday!

Even kids like this carrot cake.

Growing up, my Bubbie Rose (bubbie is Yiddish for grandmother) made it for our special occasions or whenever we begged for it! I used to put a piece on my plate on its side and eat it all the way up to the frosting and then eat the frosting last. It was quite a cake-eating-ritual. But Bubbie says my cake is even better than hers...I think she's biased, because she likes me better than cake.

I have made a few adjustments to Bubbie's cake. I've replaced most of the oil with applesauce and I'm pretty free and easy with the measurements in general. It always comes out for me.

Here goes:
3 cups flour
2 cups sugar (technically you're supposed to sift with the flour but I often skip that part)
2 cups grated carrots (I usually throw 2 cups of baby carrots into the food processor and chop them up really finely)
1/2 cup oil
1 cup applesauce (I use the unsweetened kind and I think the unsweetend chunky is best, but it's hard to find.)
16 oz. crushed pineapple with juice
3 eggs (egg substitute works fine)
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp vanilla
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups chopped walnuts

Mix the dry ingredients.
Add the wet ingredients plus the nuts.
Put into a greased and floured 9x13 cake pan.
Bake at 350 (*325 if using a glass pan) degrees for 45 minutes to an hour.
Let cool completely.

Frosting:
Blend 8 oz cream cheese, 4 oz powdered sugar, 1/4 cup butter, a little vanilla and a splash of milk if needed in the food processor or mixer...spread on the cake and lick the spatula.

I have actually made this into a layer cake before but it's just too much work. I frost it right in the 9x13 pan and we never have any leftovers!!!

--
Five Places I've Been This Week...

Take a Weekly Retreat
Ugg Cargo Boots (I've got a birthday coming up, it's a good idea to point out)
Picture Perfect Snowflakes
Chocolate Cobbler....looks delightful
Meshuggah Mommy's Thanksgiving with Adopted Sailors - beautiful and so touching

From my delicious
Where have you been?

P.S. This week's Haveil Havalim is up over here. It's a good one!
P.P.S. Please read my post about this about-to-expire DonorsChoose project!