Fresh Market’s Best-Ever Carrot Cake
Makes about 16 servings
Cake:
1 ⁄2 cups sugar
3 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 cup vegetable oil
4 large eggs
4 cups shredded carrots
1 cup crushed pineapple with syrup
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Cream cheese frosting:
6 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
4 cups powdered sugar
2 tablespoons butter, room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 tablespoons milk
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
For cake: In a medium bowl, combine dry ingredients (through cinnamon).
In a large bowl, combine oil, eggs, carrots, pineapple with syrup and vanilla. Mix with a hand mixer at medium speed until all ingredients are combined. This will take about 2 minutes. Gradually add dry mixture to wet ingredients, mixing well after each addition.
Grease bottom and sides of two 9-inch square pans or two 11-by-7 1⁄2 inch pans. Do not use larger pans or the cakes will be too thin. Pour batter into pans and bake in preheated oven 35 to 40 minutes or until golden brown and cakes test done in the center. Remove from oven and let cool in pans, then loosen sides and invert onto racks to cool completely.
Prepare frosting and, when cakes are cooled, use to fill and frost the two layers.
For frosting: Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix until smooth.
To request a recipe, write “You Asked for It,” Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Box 371, Milwaukee, WI 53201-0371 or email jdemski@journalsentinel.com. Requests must include complete restaurant name, address and phone number (only businesses still in operation will be considered), as well as your name, address and phone number. (Names and addresses will be withheld upon request.) Column compiled by Joanne Kempinger Demski.