Nutty Carrot & Pineapple Cake
Ingredients
| 2 cups plain flour | |
| 2 teaspoons baking powder | |
| 1 1/2 teaspoons bicarbonate soda | |
| 1 teaspoon salt | |
| 2 teaspoons cinnamon | |
| 1 1/2 cups sugar | |
| 1 1/2 cups cooking oil | |
| 4 eggs | |
| 2 cups grated carrot (not tightly packed) | |
| 1 small tin (275g / 8.5 oz) crushed pineapple, drained | |
| 1/2 cup walnuts or pecans | |
| CREAM CHEESE ICING | |
| 250 g (8 oz) cream cheese | |
| 1 cup butter, softened a bit | |
| 1 teaspoon vanilla | |
| 500 g (1 lb) icing sugar |
Method
Note: It is very important to drain the pineapple really well-otherwise the result will be very sad and soggy!
Sift flour, baking powder, bicarb, salt and cinnamon into a mixing bowl. Add sugar, oil and eggs and mix well (an electric mixer will work fine).
Add carrot, pineapple and nuts amd mix through well. Turn into 2 greased sponge tins and cook in a moderate oven. (180C/350F) for 35-40 minutes. Cool upside down on a cooling rack.
Make the icing by combining cream cheese, butter and vanilla and beating until mixed. Then add the icing sugar and mix well. If the mixture seems a bit stiff to spread, then add a splash of milk.
Once the cakes have cooled, spread some of the icing on one of them and then place the other on top and spread icing over the top. Use some additional nuts to decorate if you wish.
If you want to serve the cake as a dessert, an alternative to cream cheese icing is a dash of Grand Marnier poured over each slice, with a good dob of whipped cream on top.