Ashley's Carrot Cake

Carrot Cake

2 cups unbleached flour
2 cups sugar
2 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 cup canola oil
3 eggs (lightly beaten)
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/3 cups cooked pureed carrots, cooled (about a one pound bag, steamed)
1 cup shredded coconut
3/4 cup canned crushed pineapple, drained

Preheat oven to 350 F. LIne a pan with wax paper and grease the paper and sides of the pan. It seems it will work with a 13 x 9 inch pan, two 9" layer pans, or (what I did) two 8" round pans and as many mini pie pans as I needed for the rest of the batter. (It does rise in baking)

Sift flour sugar, baking soda and cinnamon into a bowl. Add oil, eggs, vanilla, beat well. Then add carrots, coconut and pineapple. Stir it all together.

Pour into pan(s) and bake for about 50-60 minutes, until a toothpick in the center comes out clean and the sides draw away from the pan.

It originally called for walnuts (1 cup), but I don't like them so left them out. My mother says she used to make it with raisins. It also is supposed to have cream cheese frosting, but I was lazy and it didn't seem to need it. (I am pondering a few variations, but haven't tried any of them yet).

edited to add: If the carrots are cooked enough, you can puree them with a Braun handblender, in the cup it comes with (they like to escape in a larger vessel). The plastic cup may end up stained slightly orange, but such is the price of cake.

(courtesy Ashley)