Carrot Cake With Cream Cheese Frosting

Do you love carrot cake as much as I do? Here's a recipe for a moist and delicious cake that your friends and family will ask you to make again and again.

This recipe uses canned carrots that are blended, so there's no stringy texture from grated carrots.

There are quite a few ingredients for this cake but most of them are items you probably have in your pantry.

OK, let's get started!

3-1/2 cups all purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

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6 ounces pineapple juice

1 can sliced carrots (14.5 ounces) drained

5 large eggs

3/4 cup vegetable oil

2 cups brown sugar (packed)

1 teaspoon almond extract

1 box instant vanilla pudding (3.4 ounces)

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1 cup chopped pecans

1 cup raisins (optional)

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Ingredients for frosting:

1 bag powdered sugar plus 2 cups

8 ounces cream cheese

1 stick butter

1 teaspoon almond extract

1/4 cup water

Drain carrots well and place in the blender with 6 ounces of pineapple juice. Blend for 15 seconds.

In a large mixing bowl add the carrot/juice mixture. Add 5 large eggs, instant pudding mix, 2 cups brown sugar, almond extract and 3/4 cup vegetable oil.

Beat with electric mixer for 2 minutes.

In a large mixing bowl combine 3-1/2 cups flour, 1/2 tsp salt, 1 tsp baking soda and 1 tsp cinnamon.

Stir until combined.

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.

Add wet ingredients to the dry ingredients. Mix for 2 minutes on low with the mixer.

Add in 1 cup chopped pecans and 1 cup raisins. Stir by hand until combined.

Grease and flour 3 round (8") baking pans.

Pour the cake batter evenly into the pans.

Place in a pre-heated oven (350 degrees) for 30 minutes.

Remove from oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes.

Remove cake from pans and set on cooling racks for 1 hour.

Level cakes with serrated knife.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the cream cheese with 1 stick of butter. Add 2 cups powdered sugar.

Add 1 tsp almond extract. Continue to mix until blended. Add more powdered sugar and small amount of water.

Add more powdered sugar and mix well. Keep adding powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time until the frosting is spreading consistency.

Place 1 layer on plate and spread frosting over this.

Place another layer over first and spread frosting over it.

Place the 3rd and final layer on top and frost sides and top of cake.

Place remaining frosting in decorating bag and add a shell border around top and bottom edge of cake.