Carrot Cake recipe

If you know Laren at all, you know that he is NOT a cake fan. In fact, it was like pulling teeth (as my mom would say) to get him to even eat a bite of our wedding cake 10 years ago. Well, a miraculous thing has happened in the last year...Laren has actually started to LIKE cake! He has enjoyed several kinds of cake, but his new favorite is carrot cake. (You'll notice that it's one of our "favorite things" here on our blog.) I found a fabulous recipe for it online and thought I'd post it here for all to enjoy.

Carrot Cake

1/2 c applesauce mixed with 3/4 c canola oil
4 eggs
1 c white sugar
1 c brown sugar
3 t vanilla
2 c flour
2 t baking soda
2 t baking powder
1/2 t salt
3 t ground cinnamon
1/4 t nutmeg
1 8-oz can crushed pineapple (drained)
3 c grated carrots

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 9"x13" pan.
In a large bowl (I use my KitchenAid) beat together oil/applesauce mixture, white and brown sugars, eggs, and vanilla. Mix in flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, nutmeg, and cinnamon. Stir in pineapple and carrots. Pour into prepared pan.
Bake in preheated oven for 40-50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack.

Frosting

1/2 c butter, softened
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
3 c powdered sugar
1 t vanilla extract

Mix all ingredients and beat until mixture is smooth and creamy. (You may add up to 1/2 c powdered sugar for desired consistency.) Frost cooled cake and enjoy!