Island Carrot Cake

By emp1438

Ingredients

• Cake:
• 1 3/4 cups + 4 Tbl. sifted flour
• 2 tsp. bakng soda
• 2 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
• 1 2/3 cups sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 4 cups shredded carots(1 lb. fresh carrots, peeled and trimmed)
• 1 cup chopped unslated macadamina nuts or pecans (about 4oz.)
• 1/2 cup raisins
• Pineapple Filling:
• 2 cups diced fresh pineapple
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup pineapple juice
• 2 Tbl. cornstarch
• 1 tsp vanilla
• Cream Cheese Icing:
• 2 8oz. packages cream cheese,softened
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1 cup finely chopped tasted unslated macadamia nuts or pecans(about 4oz.) for garnish

Details

Servings 16

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

1. Grease a 10x13" round cake pan. Line bottom with a circle of parchment paper or wax paper. Grease paper and light flour pan.

2. Sift together 1 3/4 cups + 2 Tbl of flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt.

3. In large mixing bowl, combine oil,sugar,eggs. With electric mixer, beat at medium spped until light and fluffy(about 3-4 minutes). At low speed, gradually add flour mixture, beating just until smooth.

4. Combine carrots, nuts, raisins and remaining 2 tablespoons of flour. Gently fold into batter.

5. Pour into prepared cake pan. Bake for 20 minutes at 350 degrees, then reduce heat to 325 degrees and bake for 50-55 minutes longer or until toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean and surface springs back when gently pressed with finer. Cool in pan in wire rack for 15 minutes. Run knife around sides of cake to loosen. Turn cake out by re-inverting onto another rack,and cool completely, paper side down.

Pineapple Filling:
1. In medium sauce pan, combine pineapple and sugar. Cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, until pineapple is tender; about 15-20 minutes.

2. Combine cornstarch and pineapple juice, and stir into cooked pineapple; boil for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat;stir in vanilla. Cool (Can be made 1 day in advance, chilled,covered in refrigerator).

Cream Cheese Icing:
1. In medium bowl, with electric mixer, combine cream cheese and butter.

2. Add sugar and vanilla; beat until light,fluffy and smooth.

To assemble cake:
1. Peel paper off cake. Using a long serrated knife, slice cake horizontally into three layers. Remove top two layer(It helps to use a cardbord cake circle or flat cookine sheet to slide under the cut layers and lift off.

2. Spread pineapple filling over cake layer. Place middle layer of cake on top of filling. Spread with a thin layer of icing.

3. Spread remaining icing evenly overe sides and top of cake. Press chopped toasted nuts onto sides of cake.