This is a classic carrot cake recipe from my very dear friend Tracy. My family and I have been making this for literally decades, and I think it’s the best one ever. It always works, and it’s always loved by everyone.
As written out by Tracy. I learned recently that ‘soft cheese’ ie Philadelphia, is not really cream cheese, and proper cream cheese will make a a thicker icing. I will try to get hold of some next time.
It’s easy to make too. The dry flour mixture goes in the bowl, and then the sugar, oil and eggs are mixed in to make a smooth, thick batter. At this point it doesn’t look like a cake batter, but do not worry! Once the carrots, pineapple, walnuts and coconut are mixed in the batter loosens up.
Nowadays it seems to be very difficult to get tinned crushed pineapple, so I use pineapple chunks and then chop them after they’re drained.
I’ve always made this in a 13” x 9” tin but my sister makes it in 2 x 8” round tins and sandwiches them with the cream cheese frosting.
As you can see I don’t grease and flour the tin, but line it with baking parchment.
It’s so full of carrots, pineapple and walnuts that you can kid yourself it is healthy. Of course it’s also full of sugar… but hey – it’s a special occasion.
We didn’t manage to get all the candles lit! They kept blowing out. Next time I’ll get those candles that re-light themselves.It didn’t last long!
I love running, and I love cake. I started running again in 2011 after a break of some time due to ill health. I began with Couch to 5k (highly recommended), and progressed to half marathons. Third time lucky in the ballot I ran London Marathon in 2016 and vowed "never again". My challenge for 2019 was to complete 12 half marathons/ten milers, start writing a blog and raise money for JDRF (https://jdrf.org.uk)- a charity dedicated to funding research to find a cure for Type 1 diabetes.
From 2020 - 2022 I am continuing with all of those things, except I am not going to run an official half marathon every month! Just some months ;-)
I have a new blog! Read about walking the London LOOP on walkingthelondonloop.uk
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Eat Cake And Run 
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