Birthday Wishes times 4

It has been awhile since I posted  but we have been very busy.  Hubby and I had a vacation planned with our foodie friends to celebrate a couple of milestone birthdays. (Not mine or Mrs. Foodie, we celebrated that back in March).  Yeah, Hubby and Mr. Foodie celebrated their birthdays in California Wine Country.  Hubby and I spent 6 great and busy days roaming Sonoma and Napa Valley. We tasted some great wine, ate way to much good food, rode bikes through the Valley and ventured out  on Segway's to a couple of wineries and a cheese factory. That was one of the highlights of our trip!

Prior to us going away Hubby was very, very busy in the kitchen baking - 2 Carrot and Pineapple birthday cakes.  One was for a co-worker of mine for her birthday.  She loves it when hubby is in the kitchen.  The other cake was for my niece's boyfriend and his birthday.  My niece was our kid sitter and house watcher while we were away.  Her boyfriend was our son's video game playmate and helped keep an eye on the kids as well.  Thanks to the both for helping us so that we could get away.  His birthday was the same day as hubby's so we left him a cake, which we had heard that he really liked as well.

Hubby and and our foodie friend didn't get cakes on their birthday's.  We had such delicious dinner each night that there was no room for dessert.  But I did buy them little individual ones at the Sunshine Market in St. Helena. A great little gourmet market in the middle of Napa Valley. Hubby got coconut cream and our friend got a red velvet cake.  We enjoyed them on our last night in Sonoma at the inn we were staying at. 

This cake is one of the most requested cakes that he is asked for.  

   Carrot and Pineapple Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients

For the cake:
2 cups granulated sugar
1 1/3 cups vegetable oil
3 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour, divided
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 cup raisins
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 pound carrots, grated
1/2 cup diced fresh pineapple

For the frosting:
3/4 pound cream cheese, at room temperature
1/2 pound unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 pound confectioners' sugar, sifted
For the decoration:
1/2 cup diced fresh pineapple

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.  Butter 2 (8-inch) round cake pans. Line with parchment paper, then butter and flour the pans.

For the cake:
Beat the sugar, oil, and eggs together in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until light yellow. Add the vanilla. In another bowl, sift together 2 1/2 cups flour, the cinnamon, baking soda, and salt.

Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Toss the raisins and walnuts with 1 tablespoon flour. Fold in the carrots and pineapple. Add to the batter and mix well.

Divide the batter equally between the 2 pans. Bake for 55 to 60 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Allow the cakes to cool completely in the pans set over a wire rack.

For the frosting:
Mix the cream cheese, butter and vanilla in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until just combined. Add the sugar and mix until smooth.

Place 1 layer, flat-side up, on a flat plate or cake pedestal. With a knife or offset spatula, spread the top with frosting. Place the second layer on top, rounded side up, and spread the frosting evenly on the top and sides of the cake. Decorate with diced pineapple.

Now, I have to admit....I messed up by not getting a picture once it had baked and frosted.  Hubby was prompting me to get my pictures, but in all of the rush to head out on vacation, I messed up.  But trust me, this is delicious!



Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/carrot-and-pineapple-cake-recipe/index.html?oc=linkback