Carrots and Cardamom

Remember those carrot cakes with cream cheese frosting? Sometimes, the cake was so dry, I’d just eat the frosting.   This one is moist – needs no frosting – better to save it for the chocolate cake later.

My mother had a “secret” ingredient that I could never ID – now I know…

Combine:
2 cups sugar
3 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp cardamom (the secret ingredient)
1 cup chopped pecans

Add:
2 cups grated carrots
1 1/3 cup oil (vegetable)
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup drained crushed pineapple
2 tsp vanilla
1 tsp almond extract (other secret)

Fill two 9×5 loaf pans and bake at 350 for one hour (or less, depending on your oven; when toothpick comes out clean – it’s done).