Yackulic Carrot Cake

Favorite family carrot cake. We make it for all our family recipes. For the frosting I generally only add 1 c powdered sugar to the recipe to start, then add more if I find it is not sweet enough - often it is. At altitude, remember to add more flour and more juice from the pineapple to compensate.

• Ready In: 2 hrs
• Serves: 8

Ingredients

• 2  cups flour (whole wheat if OK to use here)
• 2  cups sugar
• 2  teaspoons baking soda
• 2  teaspoons cinnamon
• 2⁄3 cup canola oil (or the like)
• 3  eggs
• 2  teaspoons vanilla extract
• 6  carrots (or less)
• 1  cup walnuts, chopped
• 2⁄3 cup raisins
• 3⁄4 cup  canned crushed pineapple (drained)
• 4  ounces cream cheese, room temperature
• 3  tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 1⁄2 cups powdered sugar
• 1⁄2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1⁄4 lemon (juiced)

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F Grease a 13x9 inch cake pan with oil.
2. Grate the carrots. Steam in steamer until soft, then cool.
3. Beat the eggs, then add the sugar, oil and vanilla and beat further.
4. Sift together the flour, baking soda and cinnamon and add to the wet ingredients.
5. Add the cooled carrots, walnuts, raisins and pinepple.
6. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Place the pan on the middle rack of the oven and bake until the cake springs back at the touch of your finger, ~ 1 hour.
7. Cool the cake for at least one hour before frosting.
8. To make the frosting, cream the cream cheese and butter together in a bowl.
9. Slowly beat in the powdered sugar and continue beating until there are no lumps. Stir in the vanilla and lemon juice.