Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Icing

1. Cake: Combine sugar, eggs, oil and vanilla in a large bowl; beat with an electric mixer until combined. Combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt in a medium bowl. Add to liquid ingredients; beat until combined. Stir in pineapple, carrots, walnuts and raisins. Pour batter into a greased 12-cup (3 L) Bundt pan or 13 x 9-inch (33 x 23 cm) baking pan. Bake in a preheated 350°F (180°C) oven until a cake tester inserted in the centre comes out clean (about 60 to 65 minutes for Bundt pan or 45 to 50 minutes for 13 x 9-inch (33 x 23 cm) baking pan). Let cake cool before icing.

2. Icing: Combine cream cheese, butter, vanilla and icing sugar in a bowl. Beat with an electric mixer until smooth. Thin with a little milk, adding 1 tbsp (15 mL) for spreading or about 4 tbsp (60 mL) for drizzling over cake.

Tip: If cake appears to be browning too quickly, cover loosely with a piece of aluminium foil or reduce oven temperature to 325°F (160°C).

Tip: If cake is made in a Bundt pan and icing is spooned over top, any leftover icing can be dolloped onto slices, if desired.

Tip: Iced cake can be garnished with candy sprinkles or chopped nuts.