Pineapple Carrot Cake

Ingredients

• All-purpose flour (2 cups)
• Granulated sugar (1 1/2 cups)
• Baking powder (2 teaspoons)
• Baking soda (1 teaspoon)
• Salt (1/2 teaspoon)
• Ground cinnamon (1 teaspoon)
• Vegetable oil (1 cup)
• Eggs (3 large)
• Vanilla extract (2 teaspoons)
• Crushed pineapple (1 cup, drained)
• Grated carrots (2 cups)
• Chopped walnuts (1/2 cup)
• Unsalted butter (1/2 cup, softened)
• Cream cheese (8 oz, softened)
• Powdered sugar (3 cups)

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a 9x13-inch baking pan.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and ground cinnamon until well combined.
3. In a large mixing bowl, beat together the vegetable oil, granulated sugar, eggs, and vanilla extract until smooth and well combined.
4. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined. Be careful not to overmix.
5. Gently fold in the drained crushed pineapple, grated carrots, and chopped walnuts until evenly distributed throughout the batter.
6. Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan, smoothing the top with a spatula.
7. Bake in the preheated oven for 40-45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
8. Once baked, remove the cake from the oven and let it cool completely in the pan on a wire rack.
9. For the cream cheese frosting, in a separate bowl, beat together the softened cream cheese, softened butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract until creamy and smooth.
10. Once the cake is completely cool, spread the cream cheese frosting evenly over the top.
11. Slice the cake into squares and serve. Enjoy the delightful blend of flavors!