Carrot Cake

                What You Need:

            3 cups grated carrots

            2 cups all-purpose flour

            1 1/2 cups white sugar

            2 teaspoons baking soda

            1 teaspoon baking powder

            1/2 teaspoon salt

            2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

            4 eggs

            1/2 cup vegetable oil

            1 cup apple sauce

            1 1/4 teaspoons vanilla extract

            1(8 ounce)can crushed pineapple with juice

{recipe adapted from http://allrecipes.com//Recipe/awesome-carrot-cake-with-cream-cheese-frosting/Detail.aspx}       

1. Preheat oven to 350. Grease a 9x13 inch pan.

2. In a large bowl, combine grated carrots, flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt & cinnamon. 

3. Stir in eggs, oil, 1 1/4 teaspoon vanilla, pineapple. 

4. Spoon batter into prepared pan. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 40 minutes. Allow to cool.

                 

        2-Bit Cream Cheese Frosting:

          -2(8oz)packages room temp. cream cheese (one was low-fat)

          -1/2 stick of room temp. butter(not 1/2 cup, that's right, 1/2 a stick! 2Bit gets excited about less butter)

          -1 tsp vanilla

          -2 1/2 c.sifted powder sugar

          -Toasted pecans (optional)

Be sure to allot quite a bit of time and energy to grate those dang carrots.

2Bit added the grated carrots last. Since it takes a while, I combined all the ingredients while Bit-Joy grated away. 

Beat butter, cream cheese and vanilla until smooth. Then add sifted powder sugar, a little at a time.

We added toasted nuts to half of the icing.

Happy Birthday Rachael!