Jan D'Atri's Carrot Pineapple Bread with Glaze & Pineapple Cream Cheese Spread

February's #Carrot Recipe of the Month | By Jan D'Atri

Carrot Pineapple Bread with Glaze & Pineapple Cream Cheese Spread

How could I pass up a cookbook called "May I Have That Recipe?"

Through the years of rescuing recipes and documenting many of your kitchen memories, I must have used that phrase a hundred times. This cookbook was a real find. I was visiting Casa Grande this week and stumbled upon it while wandering through antique stores in the downtown historic district. The entire cookbook was hand-written, and hand illustrated. In the introduction, author Nellie Edge tells the story of how so many people would ask her for her recipes that she began keeping a file with multiple copies of each dish. It didn't take much of an aha moment to realize she practically had her cookbook done! I loved the flavor of this Carrot Pineapple Bread. I've included my own recipe for a tasty glaze to go over the loaf to keep it moist and add real finishing touch.

This bread serves up wonderfully with the Pineapple Cream Cheese Spread.

If you make it, you know what folks may ask: "May I have that recipe?"

Carrot Pineapple Bread

Ingredients:

2 and 3/4 cups all purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon soda

2 teaspoons cinnamon

3 large eggs

1 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 tablespoon vanilla

1 cup vegetable oil

2 cups carrots, finely grated

1 (20 oz) can crushed pineapple with syrup, divided. (save half for Cream Cheese Spread)

1 cup chopped walnuts

Directions:

Prepare 2 bread loaf pans ( 81/2 x 41/2 X 21/2 inch) by greasing and flouring bottom and sides. In a medium bowl, mix together flour, salt, soda and cinnamon.

In a mixing bowl, beat together eggs, sugars, vanilla and oil until well-combined.

Stir in grated carrots, pineapple and walnuts. Stir in flour mixture until just moistened. Do not over mix. Spread evenly in both loaf pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 55 minutes or until toothpick comes up clean. Cool in pans for 10 minutes. Run knife around the edges and remove to cool on a rack. Serve with Pineapple Cream Cheese Spread.

Glaze for Carrot Pineapple Bread

Ingredients:

1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter

1 cup granulated sugar

1 cup buttermilk, store bought or homemade. (For homemade: 1 cup milk mixed with 3 tablespoons of lemon juice or vinegar. Stir and let sit for 15 minutes to thicken.)

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Directions:

In a medium pot, combine butter, sugar and buttermilk. Stir to dissolve sugar then bring mixture to a boil. When mixture comes to a boil, immediately add 1/2 teaspoon baking soda and stir once. The mixture will foam. While still foamy, pour half of mixture over each loaf of Carrot Pineapple Bread.

Pineapple Cream Cheese Spread

Ingredients:

8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature

10 oz crushed pineapple (remainder of the can used for bread batter)

Directions:

Whip together cream cheese and crushed pineapple until light and creamy.

Spread over slices of Carrot Pineapple Bread

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