Carrot Cake Recipe from 'Simply Wonderful' complete with my little tweaks~

Especially for Elizabeth.

Carrot Cake-recipe entrusted to cookbook by Suzanne (Mrs. John) Smucker~

First off tweaks.

I usually add another half to this recipe to make a three layer cake.
Get your cream cheese and butter out awhile to soften.
When you pour the juice off the pineapple, strain it into a kettle.
Simmer 3/4 cup raisins in the juice for about 5 min. and then pour that over the shredded carrots and let them sit until ready to use. Then strain everything again. The raisins are not part of this original recipe.
I also toast the chopped nuts before adding them. Set oven for about 250 and toast 1/2 cut chopped walnuts or pecans for about 10 min. Bring out and allow to cool. This cake takes awhile to make.
Also, if the truth must be told, I double the icing.
This works out perfectly for a cake that's had another half added to it.
I also use a mixture of regular, coconut, raw, and brown sugar to fill the sugar quota. It gives a nice full flavor to it.

My apologies to Suzanne for all of the changes but don't take it personally;
I hardly ever follow a recipe.

Okay, I think we're ready for the original untweaked recipe.

2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cup oil
4 eggs, well beaten
2 cups flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. cinnamon (Oh, I also add a little ground cloves and nutmeg. Just a little.)
2 cups finely grated carrots (Sometimes I cheat and buy shredded carrots at the store but they're really too thick.)
1 cup crushed pineapple after being drained.
1/2 cup chopped nuts
(I also add 3/4 chopped golden raisins but any raisins or dates will do.)

Beat sugar and oil together. Add eggs; beat until fluffy.
Add next 5 dry ingredients. Blend into creamed mixture.
Fold in carrots, pineapple and nuts. (raisins)

Pour into two 9" round pans. Bake at 350 for 25-30 min. or bake in a 9"x13" pan for 40-45 minutes.
Top with cream cheese frosting when cool.

She did not include a recipe for the frosting but I bummed one off another recipe.

Frosting-
1/2 cup butter, softened
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
2 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla

Beat until very fluffy. I like to add about 1/4 tsp. cinnamon to the frosting.
And remember, I double the above recipe.

Have fun and make sure to bake it long enough.
This cake gets better with age.