Sunday, May 18, 2008

Andy and Alicia's Birthday Carrot Cake



As it turns out, I was supposed to make this cake three times in the past three months: One for Ryan's 30th, One for Heather's 30th, and one to share for Alicia's 25th and Andy's 27th. Ryan's cake was trumped by a dinner at St. Elmo's. Heather's cake was replaced with half a Dairy Queen frozen cake since our Florida trips did not overlap. And after losing my beloved recipe to a drawer in Florida, I thought Andy and Alica were shit out of luck. But Deidra came through with her Grandma's Carrot Cake Recipe and (with a few alterations) it was a tasty delight.



Recipe:
2 cups Unbleached, Organic All Purpose Flour
2 cups Vegan Cane Sugar
1 tsp granulated salt
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp nutmeg
1 1/2 cups canola oil
4 large cage free, organic eggs
2 1/2 cups grated carrots
8 oz. can crushed pineapples
1 cup coconut flakes
3/4 cups chopped walnuts or pecans
(I added a banana and 1/2 cup raisins)

Frosting:
8 oz. cream cheese
4 oz. butter, softened
1 1/4 lbs. powdered sugar
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. lemon juice

Heat oven to 350. Line two 9 inch baking pans with parchment circles. On parchment paper, sift together flour, sugar, salt, soda and powder. In large mixer with paddle attachment mix oil, eggs, cinnamon and nutmeg. Add carrot, pineapple, coconut and nuts. Mix well. Slowly add the sifted ingredients in 3 batches. Do not over mix. Divide into 2 prepared pans and cook for 25-35 minutes (until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean). Remove cake from pans after 10 minutes and place on cooling rack.

For frosting, beat cream cheese and butter until smooth. Add sugar, lemon juice and vanilla. Mix well with the whisk attachment.

Assemble cake after cake has completely cooled. Eat it.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

SO GOOD!!! I want more.

b said...

ummm....there is more on my kitchen table. but you're in illinois, bummer.

Anonymous said...

Can we redo my birthday. Seriously, that looks great (and quite frankly, I'm starving).