Best Carrot Cake

Carrot cake recipes are a dime a dozen but when you find one that's a real winner you want to shout it out on the mountaintops and have it for dessert every night! The problem with that would be your rapidly expanding girth. Better to save this one for special times and your favorite visiting relative.

This recipe was given to Grandma by her very special friend Jennie. Lifetime friends are rare and precious and Jennie was. She and her husband, Bernard, were the first to introduce themselves when Grandma and Grandpa moved into the neighborhood back in the 1950s. Jennie's husband was a very interesting and talented man. He was a retired Army colonel and had been a staff member of General Douglas McArthur during World War 2. 

My Grandpa used to tell me that Bernard could calculate long strings of large numbers in his head like an adding machine. I thought that was amazing. Bernard would call Grandma and Grandpa early (4 am) on Saturday mornings and invite them to go to breakfast--150 miles away in Portland, Oregon.  Spontaneous and wonderful!  

When Bernard passed away in 1963, Jennie moved back to her hometown of Neillsville, Wisconsin and kept in close touch with Grandma through the years. Grandma grieved when she died. Jennie had been like a sister.

Jennie had been very involved with the local Scandinavian community. She took Grandma with her to many Daughters of Norway events and festivals all over the Northwest. She also shared some of her amazing recipes, including this one for Carrot Cake. I think the secret is the pineapple. It gives it just enough "zing" to make it delicious but it's not so rich you can't lick your plate clean....excuse me...got a little carried away there. Try it and see for yourself. I guarantee if you try it, you'll be hooked!

Carrot Cake

2 cups sugar
1 tsp soda
1 tsp salt
¼ tsp nutmeg
1 tsp cinnamon
1 ½ C Wesson oil
4 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 small can crushed pineapple
2 cups grated carrots
2 ½ cups flour

Mix dry ingredients; mix liquid ingredients; blend together with flour and pour into 9x13 inch pan (well greased). Bake 350F 45-50 minutes.

Icing:

1 (8 oz) package cream cheese
½ cube butter or margarine
1 box powdered sugar
2 tsp vanilla

Blend until smooth and pour over top of baked cake after it has cooled.


PS ~ Don't you LOVE that recipe paper Jennie used?

"Kissin' wears out...cookin' don't"