Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

I've never made a real carrot cake before.  You know, not from a box, with real carrots in it.  Every recipe I looked up wanted me to use 3 round cake pans and I only have 2.  I rarely use them, why would I go buy another?  I'm a lazy baker.  I would rather use a 9 x 13" pan or a bundt.  Making a bunch of layers, hoping they all come out of the pans in one piece, then messing with frosting all the layers.  Blah.  So, I found a few that I liked, mixed and matched, and used my bundt pan.  Pretty good!  Think next time I'll add a little more cinnamon...or maybe a touch of nutmeg?  Cloves?  I dunno.  But it's very good this way, too.  Sometimes the carrots are overpowered by the spices, so  I dunno.

I had it timed just right, too.  I had taken the cake from the oven, not yet turned the oven off, when the flippin power went out!  Was out from 5 - 8:30 pm!  Grrr  Ended up ordering Chinese for dinner because all the cheaper places on our side of the river were without power.

I admit, I didn't make the frosting.  I was too frustrated with the lack of electricity, so I used a canister of cream cheese frosting I had in the cupboard.  This recipe includes a recipe for the frosting.

Carrot Cake and Cream Cheese Frosting

Cake:

• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 4 whole eggs
• 2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups grated carrots
• Butter, for greasing
•  

Icing:

• 1 stick butter, softened
• 1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
• 1 pound powdered sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup pecans, chopped finely

 

For the cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Mix together the granulated sugar, oil and eggs in a large bowl. In another bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Add the flour mixture to the sugar mixture and combine. Then add the carrots and mix well. Pour the batter into a greased and floured Bundt pan and bake until done, about 50 minutes. Leave to cool completely.

Meanwhile, for the icing: In a larger bowl, cream the butter and cream cheese together. Add the powdered sugar and vanilla and blend. Then mix in the pecans. Spread the icing on the cooled carrot cake.

Since I didn't use the frosting recipe, my pictures don't have the pecans on it, either.

Banana Bundt Cake

Made a banana bundt cake a few days ago and it was gone in no time, but I know my family and if I used the rest of the bananas to make another, it would just sit there and at least half of it would go in the trash.  After dinner tonight, which was the corndog casserole I posted the recipe for the other day, which my husband absolutely loves, he was putting some of the leftovers back for his lunch tomorrow and wondering what to take for his first break, which is when he eats breakfast.  So, thinking about those last bananas, which were about two days from being too old, I suggested making another banana bundt cake for him to take to work for everyone.  He also said he wants to see if he can get everyone to agree a carry-in because he wants to take the corndog casserole LOL.  He wants to show everyone how good it is.  I adore my husband, I really do, and while I'm no chef, I do like to cook and I love to see people enjoying the food I have made them, and he is always bragging on how good a cook I am.  Makes me feel good =)

Banana Bundt Cake

 

 

1/2 c. butter
1 1/2 c. sugar
2 c. mashed bananas, about 5
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
2 c. flour
1 tsp. soda
1/2 tsp. salt

 

 

Cream butter; add sugar and beat until light. Add bananas, eggs, and vanilla. Beat well, mix flour, soda and salt to first mixture.  Spread in well greased and floured 8 cup bundt pan and place in preheated oven at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes before removing from pan. Top with icing mixture.

 

 

2 cups sifted powdered sugar
4 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted

2 to 4 tablespoons milk or water
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Combine all ingredients with enough milk or water to the desired consistency, less milk for a thicker consistency, more for thinner.

Makes about 2 cups.

Please forgive the plastic plate, but since this is going to work with my husband, I'm sending it on something that I don't care if it's broken or lost.

Just a little update...I got the plate back.  Empty.  Those glops of icing you see?  Those were gone, too.  Not sure if they were scraped off with someone's finger or licked clean, and, really, I don't *want* to know!  I'd say it was a hit ;Þ