Carrot Pineapple Cake

My dad turned 70 on Monday and I hosted a birthday party for him. I attempted to make it a surprise party but when I realized that I needed to get some addresses from him I had to tell him. When I told him he said," The surprise will be if anyone shows up!" Lots of family and friends showed up and we had a really good time. My dad has three favorite desserts - Carrot Cake, Apple Pie and Ice Cream.  I have made my dad carrot pineapple cake every year for his birthday for as long as I can remember. When his mother turned 50 he made her the same cake and served it on a milk glass cake stand that he bought as her gift and that I now have and serve the cake to him on it every year.

Carrot Pineapple Cake

Ingredients for Cake:

2 cups Flour

2 cups Sugar

2 tsp. Baking Powder

1 1/2 tsp. Baking Soda

2 tsp. Cinnamon

1 10oz crushed pineapple, drained

2 cups Grated Carrots (the grocery stores sells grated carrots!)

1 tsp. Salt

1 1/2 cups oil

4 eggs

1/2 cup Walnuts, chopped

Ingredients for Frosting:

1 8oz package of Cream Cheese, softened

1/2 cups Butter, softened

4 cups Powdered Sugar

2 tsp. Vanilla

Milk (if needed)

1 cup Walnuts, chopped

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Mix dry ingredients together. Mix in oil and eggs. Fold in the carrots, pineapple and nuts.

Bake for 35 to 40 minutes in 2 greased and floured 9" round cake pans. Cool for 10 minutes then remove from pans and let cool completely on a cooling rack lined with parchment or wax paper. I do this so that it is easy to pick up and move to my cake stand to decorate.

Frosting:

Mix the softened Cream Cheese and Butter together. Add Powdered Sugar one cup at a time. Add Vanilla. If the frosting is a little thick you can add  1 tsp of milk at a time to get the right consistency.

Use a small amount of the frosting to use as a filling. Frost the outside of the cake with remaining Frosting. Add the chopped walnuts to the outside of the cake.

If you ask my dad how he is doing with out fail he will always say, "Not bad for an old guy!" I hope you enjoy the Carrot Pineapple cake as much as my dad and I do!