A couple of years ago my daughter and her spouse were visiting us.  One of Karen’s favorite desserts is carrot cake so I planned to make one for our Thanksgiving dinner.  I had recently tasted a friend’s recipe and she graciously gave me the following recipe.  When I prepared the recipe, all went well until I started cleaning up and looked down to see part of my spatula was missing.  I hurriedly removed the cake from the oven and spooned through the batter.  Out came the missing spatula piece.  I matched it up to the remainder of the spatula and it was a perfect fit.  We all laughed about my near disaster and luckily the cake was delicious.  

2 cups flour

4 eggs

2 cups sugar

3 cups shredded carrots

2 teaspoons baking soda                                                                           

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 teaspoons cinnamon                                                                              

1 cup chopped pecans

1 teaspoon salt                                                                                   

8 ounces crushed pineapple, partially drained

1 cup salad oil 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Sift dry ingredients together.  Beat in the oil and then the eggs, one egg at a time.  Beat thoroughly until mixed.  Add carrots, vanilla, pecans, and pineapple.  Mix well. Pour in to a greased and floured 9 inch by 13 inch pan and bake for 40 minutes.   Let cake cool and then ice with the following.

Icing:

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 pound confectioners’ sugar

½ cup chopped pecans 

(optional)

8 ounces Philadelphia cream cheese, softened

Mix all ingredients together well except the nuts.  Either stir the nuts in to the icing or sprinkle on top once you have finished icing the cake.■