1 carrot cake mix
1 3.4 oz instant vanilla pudding mix (dry)
1 cup sour cream
4 large eggs, separated into 4 egg yolks and 4 egg whites
1/2 cup oil
1/4 cup water
1 cup shredded carrots
1/2 cup crushed pineapple, drained *optional
(IMPORTANT - if you use the pineapple, eliminate the 1/4 cup water)
Frosting
2 8-oz packages of cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 tsp vanilla extract
4 cups powdered sugar
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Using an electric mixer, beat the cake mix, pudding, sour cream, egg yolks, oil, and water for 2 minutes. Stir in carrots and pineapple.
In a separate bowl, beat egg whites until white and frothy. Fold or mix egg whites into the cake batter until well blended.
Pour cake batter into a greased Bundt cake pan (nonstick cooking spray works best).
Bake for 45-50 minutes.
Let cool for 20 minutes.
Remove the cake from the bundt pan and place it on a serving plate or cake stand. See post above for details on how to easily do this.
Wrap the cake well with plastic wrap and let it sit in the refrigerator overnight or for several hours before frosting and serving.
Frosting
In a medium bowl or mixer, combine the cream cheese and butter until smooth and creamy.
Mix in the vanilla, then gradually add the powdered sugar. Start with 2 cups and then keep adding until the frosting is nice and thick.
You can completely cover the bundt cake with the frosting or you can frost it as pictured. Spoon all of the frosting into a gallon size plastic bag. Squeeze the air out and seal it. Cut a corner off of one end of the bottom of the bag. Squeeze the frosting out in long strips as pictured starting at the outside of the cake and ending in the center. Fill the center of the cake with the remaining frosting.
Keep refrigerated.