Ultimate Carrot Cake

This recipe was one that I found not long ago and modified it to fit my preferences. Its a great loaf to make for breakfast or to serve with tea. It is also great if you substitute 1 cup shredded carrots with 1 cup shredded zucchini.

• Ready In: 1 hr 5 mins
• Yields: 2 loaves

Ingredients

• 2  cups all-purpose flour
• 2  teaspoons baking soda
• 1  teaspoon baking powder
• 1  teaspoon salt
• 2  teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1⁄4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1  cup brown sugar
• 1⁄2 cup  vegetable oil
• 1⁄2 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 3  eggs
• 1  teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 1⁄2 cups carrots or 1 1⁄2 cups  carrots & 1 cup zucchini, shredded
• 1  cup walnuts (chopped ) (optional) or 1  cup raisins (optional)
• 1 (8 ounce) can crushed pineapple, drained
•  frosting
• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 1⁄4 cup butter, softened
• 2  cups icing sugar

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9x13 inch pan (or two loaf pans).
2. Mix the dry ingredients: flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, nutmeg and cinnamon.
3. Mix sugar, applesauce, eggs, oil and vanilla Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and poor the egg & applesauce mixture. Mix with wooden spoon until smooth.
4. Stir in carrots and pineapple. Pour into greased pan and bake for about 45 minutes.
5. Allow to cool before icing the cake.
6. To make the frosting: Cream butter and cream cheese until smooth then add the icing sugar and beat until creamy.