Carrot Cake and Cream Cheese Frosting

I started baking during college and of all the cookie and cake recipes that I tried this is the one that I

still continue to bake after all these years. 

This recipe is from a Better Homes and Gardens magazine

issued almost 15 years ago.

I kept the copy but lost it during the Ondoy flood.

Good thing I wrote the recipe down! 

I am reminded of the time when I made this cake for hubby's

(then boyfriend) mom for her birthday. 

When I turned the baked cake over from the pan

the whole thing crumbled!

Apparently, I forgot to add the eggs to the batter.

We planned on surprising her with a birthday cake and in panic I frantically suggested that we rush to the nearest bake shop

and just splatter a store-bought carrot cake

(her favorite cake flavor)

with the cream cheese frosting that we already made! 

"Huminahon ka!" ("Get a grip!"), Hon said, as he munched on the disastrous carrot cake off the plate.

 When I was able to pull myself together I realized

that we still had enough ingredients to make another batch

but had less than 30 minutes until my then future mom-in-law gets home. Anyway, to make a long story short, 

the planned surprise didn't turn out as a "real" surprise after all 

(it was still baking in the oven when she got home) 

but the cake made it just in time for dessert and

it tasted just as good.

Ingredients:

2 cups sugar

1 1/2 cups corn oil

4 eggs

2 cups flour

2 tsp baking powder

2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

1 tsp pumpkin pie spice

3 cups grated carrots

1/2 cups raisins or prunes

3/4 cups chopped pecan

1/4 cup crushed pineapple (drained)

cream cheese frosting*

Procedure:

Place sugar and oil in bowl of electric mier and mix together in slow speed.

Add eggs one at a time; beating well before each addition. Set aside.

sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and spice.

Add the sugar miture all together and roughly combine.

Stir in carrots, raisins and 1/2 cup pecan and pineapple.

Lightly oil an flour two 9'' pans.

Pour batter into pans and bake in pre-heated 350 F oven for 35-40 minutes or until cake springs back when pressed lightly.

*Cream Cheese Frosting

1/2 cup butter (unsalted at room temperature)

1 pound cream cheese (room temperature)

4 cups powdered sugar

2 tsp vanilla

Place butter and cheese in bowl and cream on low speed until blended.

Add sugar and vanilla gradually until smooth.

Makes 4 cups

Note: I usually don't use this much sugar in this recipe. 2 cups is already sweet enough for me!