Carrot Cake Recipe

Looking for a dessert to make for your Memorial Day meal? Here is my Carrot Cake recipe I promised all of you. Rosemarie, this one's for you. : )

Blue Ribbon Carrot Cake

This recipe makes a square loaf, (9" x 9" x 2" pan), but you can easily double the recipe to make a 2 or 3 layer cake.

• 4 or 5 medium carrots, peeled
  1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup Crisco or Wesson brand vegetable oil
• 2 large eggs
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp. ginger
• 1/8 tsp. nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour, sifted
• 1/2 cups chopped pecans
  

1. Preheat oven to 375 F.
2. Grease (with butter) and flour a 9" x 9" x 2" square baking pan.
3. Shred carrots in a food processor with a shredder blade, or shred by hand using a hand held grater.
4. In large mixing bowl, mix together the sugar, oil, eggs, water, baking soda, baking powder, salt, the spices, vanilla extract, and the shredded carrots until well mixed.
5. Add the flour and pecans and mix well.
6. Pour the batter into the pan and bake 30 min. to 35 min.
7. Let cool in the pan for 5 min., then remove by first loosening the edges with a spatula.
8. When cool, may frost with Cream Cheese Frosting (See below for recipe), or may leave plain.

Cream Cheese Frosting

• Two 3-oz. packages of Philly Cream Cheese (other brands, especially store ones, are generally not as good)
• 6 tbs. salted butter, softened to room temperature
• 3 cups confectioners' sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract

In large bowl of electric mixer, beat cream cheese, butter, confectioners' sugar, and vanilla extract until smooth and fluffy.



Next Week: Macaroni and Cheese - You don't need a lot of different cheeses for it to taste good. (A discussion which also applies to baking, plus a bonus recipe of Homemade Macaroni and Cheese)