Classic Carrot and Pineapple Cake, perfect for a Springtime celebration or just anytime

 

Look carefully, as yes there is a delicious Carrot and Pineapple Cake hiding under all of the edible flowers, fruit, foliage and cream cheese icing. Let's celebrate the arrival of Spring in the Southern Hemisphere on the 1st September, with cake, dressed up in time for the Spring carnival. It seems like Spring here already, with the warmer weather, hence I am sharing this with you a few days early.

 A smorgasbord of decoration is what happens when this cake is also taken to a dinner party and needs dressing up. Local strawberries of the large variety were added, edible flowers from my garden, some chopped walnuts, and we have a very colorful and well decorated cake. On a previous occasion a few years ago, I took this cake to celebrate our friend's birthday. John Mc was very appreciative. This cake is perfect for all kinds of celebrations, and who doesn't love a carrot cake.

Delicious strawberries are in season here now, so it's the perfect time to decorate cakes and all kinds of sweets with them, or just eat them with cream.

Let's Cook Cake:

Preheat your oven to 160 deg. C, Fan Forced, or 320 deg. F. Before you start preparing your ingredients, grease and and line with baking paper, a 23 cm square cake tin with a removable base, or 2 x 8 " round tins. 

Official baking time is 60 minutes, however check the cake after 50 minutes by inserting a skewer gently into the middle of the cake. If it comes out clean, the cake is cooked. It will also be pulling away from the edge of the tin.

Serves 15-16 people

Ingredients:

3 cups plain flour
2 cups castor sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt 
1 1/2 teaspoons bicarbonate soda

2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon allspice

1/2 teaspoon ginger
1 cup crushed pineapple, drained, approx. 275g or 9 oz.(or a 432g tin of crushed pineapple, drained)
2 cups grated carrot, 260 grams (approx. 2 large carrots)
4 eggs
1 1/2 cups salad oil (vegetable or sunflower)
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts

Method:

Sift dry ingredients (flour, salt, bicarbonate of soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, ginger, and sugar) together into a large bowl. Stir in the chopped nuts.

Add the wet ingredients to a second smaller bowl (eggs, pineapple, carrot, salad oil, vanilla). Stir with a spoon, and add to the dry ingredients. 

Stir this cake batter and ensure all the dry ingredients are well mixed with the wet ingredients.

Spoon into your cake tin.

Allow an hour for the cake to cook in the large square tin, less for the round tins, depending on your oven. Keep an eye on it as every oven is different. Check your cake after 50 minutes in the square tin. My cake needed 65 minutes this time.

Cream Cheese Frosting: (love this)

250 gram block of softened cream cheese
50 gram unsalted softened butter
2 cups sifted icing sugar

Method:

In a mixing bowl, use an electric mixer and beat the cream cheese and butter together until pale.
Add the icing sugar gradually, beating until light and fluffy.

Spread the frosting over the cake, and sprinkle with extra chopped nuts, or edible flowers or whatever decoration you prefer. I made the cake on Thursday, iced it on Friday and then kept it stored in the refrigerator in a covered container as the weather warmed up and I couldn't risk the icing starting to melt, and running down the cake. It is a good idea to decorate with the fresh decorations just before serving.



During all of the fun and excitement at a party, photographing the final result needs to be very quick, and the strawberries on this cake just rose up to take centre stage. Deservedly so in a way, because they are the sweetest strawberries that can be found in Mackay, purchased from a local farm truck supplied with fruit and vegetables from Fresh as Sweet As.  Another friend at the Dinner gave me some home grown Nodding Violets, the beautiful blue flowers in the photo, and with a couple of nasturtium flowers, and some nuts adorning a Cream Cheese Frosting, we have a decorated cake.

Cooks notes:

• This carrot cake can be baked two days in advance of eating, and should be stored in the refrigerator. Because it is so moist, it will keep very fresh. Ice the day or night before serving with cream cheese frosting or a lemon icing, and return to the frig.
• The cake can be frozen for up to 3 months, partially thawed and iced.
• I have known this cake to be baked, cooled, iced with the cream cheese frosting and frozen for 3 months. Undecorated of course. 
• The pineapple gives it a tropical touch and adds moisture to the cake.
• I prefer to use crushed pineapple, rather than chunks.
• This cake is a cinch to make, requiring no electric appliances, although I did use my food processor to grate the carrot. 

I really recommend this cake to you my friends, everyone needs a delicious carrot and pineapple cake in their lives, with loads of cream cheese frosting, and with lots of leftovers.

I've been sitting on this post for quite a while, so now that strawberries are in season again, it's time to publish. I've revised the recipe slightly from the original, so I hope you enjoy making this cake.

Happy baking!

Best wishes

Pauline