Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Fruits and vegetables in a cake? Truth. This cake has carrots, raisins, pineapple, and applesauce. And cinnamon, which is has several health benefits including regulating blood sugar and cholesterol.

Ok, so it's just regular old carrot cake (with a couple minor changes). I've never made carrot cake from scratch before, but it was kind of fun. Granted it still has sugar, flour, and the regular cake ingredients, but it has a lot of healthy stuff too.

Carrot Cake

6 c grated carrots

1 c brown sugar

1 c raisins

4 eggs

1 1/2 c sugar

1/2 c vegetable oil

1/2 c applesauce

2 tsp vanilla extract

1 c crushed pineapple, drained

3 c all-purpose flour

1 1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

4 tsp ground cinnamon

1 c chopped walnuts

In a medium bowl, combine carrots and brown sugar. Let this sit for an hour, then stir in the raisins.

Preheat your oven to 350.

In a large bowl, beat the eggs. Gradually mix in the oil, sugar and vanilla. Stir in the pineapple. In separate bowl combine the flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon, then stir this into the wet mixture. Finally mix in the carrot mixture and the walnuts. Pour evenly into the prepared pans. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, or until done, depending what pans you're using. Allow to cool partially before removing from pan.

When completely cooled, I frosted the cake with slightly adjusted cream cheese frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting
2 - 8 oz packages cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter, softened
3 c powdered sugar
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Using a mixer, cream together the cream cheese and butter until smooth. Add the vanilla, then gradually stir in the powdered sugar.

Of course I had to dress things up a little, so I piped on a little border and some carrots.

I just had to try a piece.

                                                                 YUM!!