It should come to no surprise to any regular reader that my first choice of a carrot recipe would be the ever popular carrot cake.

I have a love/hate relationship with carrot cake, in that I love the cake itself, but if I see it on a menu at a restaurant, I become suspicious. If I see it pared with a chocolate cake, a tiramisu, a fruit cobbler of some sort and a creme brulee or flan, then I tend to dismiss the place as having little creativity in regard to their dessert menu. So I find myself rarely ordering the cake when I am out. I either have to make it myself, or have to seek it from a bakery.

• 1 1/2 cups All Purpose Flour, sifted
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon cardamom
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2/3 cup walnut oil
• 3 large eggs
• 1 1/2 cups carrots, peeled and grated
• 1 cup walnuts, shelled and chopped
• 1/2 cup crushed pineapple, drained

Pre heat your oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large bowl, mix together the flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, allspice, ginger, cardamom, and salt.

In a smaller bowl, whisk the oil and add the eggs one at a time. Mix well, and add to the flour mixture. Add the carrots, walnuts and pineapple and integrate thoroughly.

Pour the batter into two 8" round cake pans that have been buttered and floured.

Place into the oven and bake 25 to 30 minutes.

Remove from oven and allow to cool in the pan, on a rack, for ten minutes. Remove from the pan and allow to cool on the rack for another 20 minutes. Frost with your favorite topping, cream cheese icing being my favorite.