Carrot Cake

Cake:

2-20 ounce cans or 5 cups crushed pineapple, drained
2 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons cinnamon
2 teaspoons baking powder

2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups oil
4 eggs
2 tablespoons Rum
2 cups grated carrots
1/2 cup chopped nuts
waxed paper or parchment paper

Frosting:

8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1/4 cup butter, room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 package (16 oz.) powdered sugar


For Cake:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Pour pineapple into a strainer and allow to drain. With a fork, periodically stir fruit so that it drains as much as possible. Set aside until needed. However, you may wish to save the pineapple juice for another use.

Butter and flour three 9-inch cake pans. Line pans with waxed or parchment paper, butter and flour paper.
Sift first 5 ingredients (flour through baking powder), add sugar, oil, eggs and rum. Mix well by hand and add remaining ingredients. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes.

Warning! This cake is extremely moist and may be somewhat sticky. Once the cake is completely cooled, and for the best results, place a piece of waxed paper or parchment paper that is larger than the pans, over the top of the pan. In one movement, turn the cake upside down onto your work surface so that the pan now sits upside down on the waxed paper or parchment paper. Tap the cake pan several times to loosen the cake. If the cake has not come out of the pan, you my need to tap harder on the bottom of pan. Repeat process with other two cakes. Remember, the cakes are somewhat sticky and very moist. Remove the waxed paper or parchment paper that you used to bake with from the bottom of each layer before frosting cake.

Note: Use vegetable oil or canola type oil. Do not use olive oil as this cake is already very moist.


For Frosting:

Combine cream cheese and butter in blender. Mix well. Add vanilla and slowly add powdered sugar, being sure to mix well after each addition.