The Best Carrot Cake...EVER

I have had many carrot cakes in my life. Most, I am sad to say were not good, not good at all. The biggest downfall is that many times they are dry or the flavors too over powering.  This carrot cake though,  is amazing and I am not afraid to say it out loud. It is uber moist and tender with a little bit of tang from the sour cream. There is just enough cinnamon and the perfect amount of carrots to make the eater wish they had asked for a bigger slice. I love that it also has pineapple in it to pair with the sweetness of the carrots, not to mention it can be mixed by hand in a matter of minutes. Fabulous, I tell you! Go make one now, you won’t be sorry.

The Perfect Carrot Cake
Recipe Source: Adapted by a Cook’s Quest from Rachel Ray Magazine

1 c flour
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp ground cinnamon, plus more for sprinkling
¼ tsp salt
1 c brown sugar, packed
¼ c sour cream, divided
¼ c vegetable oil
1 egg
2 tsp pure vanilla
1 ½ c shredded carrots
1 small can crushed pineapple, drained
1 c powdered sugar
3 Tbl. Butter

Preheat your oven to 350 F. Lightly grease a 6 cup fluted pan. Combine all dry ingredients in a small bowl and whisk to remove any lumps.

In a large bowl, combine brown sugar, ¼ c of sour cream, vegetable oil, egg, and vanilla until smooth. Stir in the carrots and pineapple. Combine dry and wet ingredients just until blended together. This batter is a little thick but don’t worry. Pour into your prepared cake pan and bake for about 55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 15 minutes then invert and allow the cake to finish cooling completely.

In a small bowl, combine the powdered sugar and butter until smooth. Whisk in the remaining ¼ c sour cream and a 1 tsp of vanilla. Drizzle the frosting over the cake, then sprinkle with cinnamon for decoration.

**Cooks Note: This makes a small cake. If you are feeding a big group of people it can easily be doubled and baked in a larger fluted pan. Just add 15-20 minutes to your baking time.

Total Cost $1.76
Flour .08
Leavenings, cinnamon, salt .05
Sugar .10
Sour Cream .12
Egg .09
Carrots and Pineapple .70
Powdered sugar .50
Butter .12