Fabulous Carrot Cake

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons baking soda 
• 1 cup brown sugar packed
• 1.5 cups butter divided
• 4 cups dole carrots shredded
• 8 ounce cream cheese softened
• 4  eggs 
• 3 cups flour all-purpose
• 1 cup granulated sugar 
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger 
• 1 tablespoon juice of lemon 
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest grated
• 20 ounce dole® pineapple crushed drained well canned
• 1.5 cups powdered sugar 
• 1 cup dole raisins seedless
• 0.5 teaspoon salt 
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 

Equipment

• bowl
• oven
• toothpicks

Directions

1. Beat 1 cup butter and sugars until light and fluffy in large bowl. Beat in eggs. Beat in crushed pineapple, carrots, raisins and vanilla.
2. Stir together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger and salt in medium bowl. Gradually add to pineapple mixture and beat until well blended.
3. Pour into 2 9-inch greased and floured cake pans.
4. Bake at 350 degrees F 40 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool in pans 15 minutes.
5. Remove from pans; cool completely on wire racks.
6. Beat cream cheese with remaining 1/2 cup butter until smooth. Beat in powdered sugar, lemon peel and juice until smooth.
7. Spread frosting over cakes.
8. Garnish with additional crushed pineapple and grated carrots, if desired.