Description
Carrot Pineapple Delight is a tender, zesty loaf packed with fresh carrots and bright pineapple. Simple to bake, perfect for breakfast or a sweet snack.
Ingredients
Scale
- Dry Ingredients:
- 1 ½ cups (180g) all-purpose flour
- 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon salt
- Wet Ingredients:
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup (120ml) vegetable oil
- Fresh Add-ins:
- 1 (8-ounce) can crushed pineapple, well-drained
- 1 ½ cups (about 2 medium) grated carrots
Instructions
- Prep Your Pan and Dry Ingredients:: First things first, let’s get that oven preheated to 350°F (175°C). Then, grab your 9×5-inch loaf pan and grease it really well, maybe even flour it too, just to be safe. I’ve learned this the hard way! In a big bowl, whisk together your flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Give it a good whisk, making sure there are no lumps and everything’s combined. This is where I always imagine the flavors starting to mingle, even before the wet ingredients join the party.
- Combine Wet Ingredients:: In a separate, medium-sized bowl, lightly beat your eggs. Then, pour in the vegetable oil. Give it a good stir until it’s all blended. You’re looking for a smooth, slightly yellow mixture. Honestly, this step is pretty straightforward, but I once poured the oil directly into the dry ingredients without mixing the eggs first, and it made for a lumpy mess. Oops! Mixing the wet ingredients separately helps everything come together so much smoother.
- Mix Wet into Dry:: Now for the fun part! Pour your wet egg and oil mixture into the dry ingredients. Stir it gently with a spatula or a wooden spoon until just combined. Don’t overmix, hon! Overmixing can lead to a tough loaf, and we want that tender, moist Carrot Pineapple Delight, right? A few streaks of flour are totally fine; they’ll disappear during baking. I love how the mixture starts to smell faintly sweet and spicy at this point.
- Fold in the Goodies:: This is where the magic happens! Gently fold in your well-drained crushed pineapple and your freshly grated carrots. Make sure they’re distributed evenly throughout the batter. You want every slice of your Carrot Pineapple Delight to have those lovely bits of fruit and veggie. I always try to be super gentle here, imagining each piece of carrot and pineapple finding its perfect spot in the batter.
- Bake Your Carrot Pineapple Delight:: Pour the batter into your prepared loaf pan. Give the pan a gentle tap on the counter a couple of times to release any air bubbles. Pop it into your preheated oven. Bake for about 50-60 minutes. Now, ovens vary, so keep an eye on it! Around the 45-minute mark, your kitchen will smell absolutely incredible, a mix of sweet pineapple and warm spices. That’s your cue to start checking it.
- Check and Cool:: To check for doneness, insert a wooden skewer or a toothpick into the center of the Carrot Pineapple Delight. If it comes out clean, you’re good to go! If there’s still wet batter, give it another 5-10 minutes. Once baked, let the loaf cool in the pan for about 10-15 minutes before carefully inverting it onto a wire rack to cool completely. Patience is a virtue here, I promise! Slicing it too soon means it might fall apart, and we don’t want that after all your hard work!