Pat’s Diamond Carrot Cake

If you have lived in Akron, Ohio for any length of time you have probably at least heard of the Diamond Deli. One of several bedrock businesses in downtown Akron. (Along with Luigi’s Italian Restaurant and The Peanut Shop) A woman named Pat owned it back then and they had (and still have) THE best carrot cake I’ve ever eaten. At one time in the early ’90s, for some reason, they published the recipe and I was smart enough to keep a copy of it. It’s simple, naturally dairy free, and delicious. Here is the original recipe as it appeared in the Akron Beacon Journal. (It might have been some other local paper. I can’t seem to find it in the ABJ’s archives.) Below that is my variation on it. Dan’s Take on Pat’s Diamond Deli Carrot Cake 2 cups sugar 1 1/2 cups vegetable oil (or 1 cup plus 1/2 cup applesauce) 4 eggs, beaten 2 cups flour 2 tsp. baking soda 3 heaping tsp. cinnamon 1 tsp. salt 3 cups shredded carrots 1 (8-oz.) can crushed pineapple, drained 1/2 cup raisons soaked in the pineapple juice (optional) 1 1/2 cups chopped walnuts (optional) Beat eggs, sugar and oil till combined. In a separate bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Add to egg mixture. Add carrots, nuts, raisins and drained pineapple and gently mix till combined. Pour into a dusted 9-by-13-inch pan and bake uncovered at 375 degrees for about 50 minutes (start checking at 40), till toothpick inserted an inch from center comes out clean. Cool and frost. You can use two tubs of Duncan Hines “Creamy Cream Cheese Frosting” if you want to keep the cake dairy free. If not, here is the original frosting recipe. Cream Cheese Frosting 16 oz. cream cheese (can substitute neufchatel to lower fat), at room temp 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine, at room temp 2 tsp. vanilla extract (pure preferred over imitation) 3 to 4 cups (about 1 lb). powdered sugar Blend butter and cream cheese until smooth. Blend in vanilla. Add powdered sugar a cup at a time till creamy and preferred consistency.