The Best Carrot Cake Ever

This is a carrot cake for the masses. Even people who claim that they don't like carrot cake love it. My sis-in-law, Sheri, led me to the recipe on the Pioneer Woman Cooks website. Here's a handy link if you'd like a printer friendly version. However, I've shared the recipe with a few friends, and they've had mixed results. Some of the directions are a bit vague, including the baking times and temperature. I try to clarify on those things below, but it still may take a little trial and error because every oven is has a mind of its own. I do suggest that you grate your carrots on a box grater -1 cup of finely grated and one cup of coarsely/large grated. Also, don't pack the carrot shavings into the measuring cup. Measure them loosely like flour, not tightly like brown sugar. That's all I've got, so good luck!

SIGRID'S CARROT CAKE

Ingredients:

FOR THE CAKE
2 cups sugar
1 cup vegetable or canola oil
4 whole eggs
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
2 cups grated carrots

FOR THE FROSTING
1 stick butter, softened
1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese, softened
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 pound powdered sugar
1 cup finely chopped pecans (optional)

Directions:

Whisk together the sugar and oil. Beat in the eggs one at a time. In another bowl, sift together the flour, salt, baking powder and soda, and cinnamon. Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and combine. Stir in the carrots and mix well. Pour into a greased and floured pan and bake at 350 degrees until done, 25-50 minutes* depending on your pan. Cool completely before frosting.

*I usually bake this as a sheet cake for 25 minutes. I've also made it in rounds, which take more like 30-35 minutes, and as a 9x13 pyrex which ends up taking 35- 40 minutes. I've never tried it as a bundt, but I am guessing that it would take at least and hour in my oven. Hope that helps!

Frosting:

Cream together butter, cream cheese, and vanilla extract. Mix in 1 pound of powdered sugar and blend, then mix in the nuts. Spread over the carrot cake.

Lisa's Alternate, Preferred Cream Cheese Frosting:

Don't get me wrong, I love traditional cream cheese frosting, but it can be a little much on a thin sheet cake. This is a lighter textured, less sweet cream cheese frosting that both Pete and I prefer for this cake. You will need:

1 (8 oz.) package of cream cheese, softened
1/3 - 1/2 cup granulated sugar (depending on how sweet you like it)
1 cup heavy cream, very cold
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Beat the cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla with an electric mixer until smooth. With the mixer on low, slowly pour in the heavy cream. Increase the speed to medium and whip until the frosting is light and fluffy. Spread over the carrot cake. Cover and keep leftovers in the fridge.

Lemon Cheesecake

Per Lorraine's request, here is Mom's recipe for lemon cheesecake. A neighbor shared it with her years ago in Twin Falls, Idaho, but Mom thinks that the recipe originally came from an issue of Bon Appetite magazine. It may look like a long list of ingredients, but it's well worth it! The graham cracker crust is filled with smooth lemon cheesecake and topped with sweetened sour cream. As a grand finishing touch, everything is covered with a layer of tangy lemon glaze. In the past, I've replaced the graham cracker crumbs in the crust with an equal amount of Nilla Wafer or animal cracker crumbs. They have a lighter and more delicate taste that bring out the creamy and tangy lemon flavors of the filling and toppings. Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS:

Crust -
2 c. graham cracker crumbs
6 T. melted butter
2 T. granulated sugar

Filling -
3 (8 oz.) packages of cream cheese, softened
3/4 c. granulated sugar
3 eggs
1/4 c. fresh lemon juice
2 tsp. fresh lemon zest
2 tsp. vanilla extract

Topping -
2 c. sour cream
3 T. granulated sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Glaze -
1/2 c. sugar
1 1/2 T. cornstarch
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 c. cold water
1/2 c. boiling water
1 egg yolk
1/3 c. fresh lemon juice
1 T. cold butter
1 T. fresh lemon zest

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Combine the ingredients for the crust. Press the crust into the bottom and halfway up the sides of a 9 inch spring form pan. Bake for 5 minutes.

As the crust bakes, beat the cream cheese and sugar with an electric mixer in a large bowl until they are well mixed and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time on a low speed, making sure to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl between each addition. Mix in the lemon juice, zest, and vanilla. Pour the filling over the hot crust and bake for another 30 minutes.

Blend the ingredients for the sour cream topping. Pour over the hot cheesecake and bake for an additional 10 minutes. Cool the cheesecake on a rack for 30 minutes before adding the glaze.

To make the glaze, mix the sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a microwave safe container. (I like to use a 2 or 4 cup Pyrex measuring cup.) Whisk in the 1/4 cup cold water and stir into a smooth paste. Add the 1/2 cup boiling water and stir well. Microwave the glaze on high for 60-90 seconds until it is clear and bubbly. In a small bowl, whisk the egg yolk. Add about 2 Tablespoons of the hot glaze to the egg and mix until smooth. This tempering will keep the glaze smooth and free of scrambled eggs. Pour the egg mixture back into the glaze and whisk it all together with the lemon juice. Microwave for another 30-60 seconds. Be careful at this stage, because overcooking the glaze will make it thick and clumpy. Stir in the butter and lemon zest and microwave the glaze one last time for about 30 seconds. Pour the warm glaze over the top of the cooled cheesecake. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 6 hours, but preferably overnight, before serving.

Wacky Cake

I have so many fond memories of Wacky Cake. According to Mom, the recipe was brought home from a scouting activity by one of her younger brothers. (She'll have to clarify that if I'm mistaken.) Wherever it came from, wacky cake was my favorite childhood treat for one simple reason: the batter. Because it is an egg-free recipe, it was the only batter that Mom allowed me to lick from the bowl. I liked it so much that she'd often spoon a little of it into one of the silver ice cream dishes and let me eat the tangy batter like pudding.

Traditionally, Mom frosted her Wacky Cake with a basic chocolate icing. I believe that she made it from cocoa powder, hot water, shortening/butter, vanilla, and powdered sugar. (Again, Mom, please clarify my mistakes.) I remember how lovely the cocoa powder smelled when Mom whisked it with a little hot water. It was rich and glossy, and I couldn't resist it. As soon as Mom turned her back, I dipped my finger into the bowl and quickly licked it clean. There was no hiding my thievery - my face said it all. Mom had not yet added the sugar. All she could do was laugh at my expression. I'd rather suck a lemon than eat another mouthful of unsweetened cocoa. I wonder how many of my siblings made this mistake as well?

These days, Mom prefers to top her wacky cake with a shell of dark chocolate. She sprinkles finely chopped or shredded chocolate over the hot cake and carefully spreads it over the surface when it has softened. She allows it to cool and harden before serving.

As kids and teens, Leslie and I enjoyed many a slice of leftover wacky cake Dorothy style - swimming in a bowl of cold milk. Dad couldn't stand to watch us eat it, but I suggest you try it. Immediately. Here's the recipe so you can get started:

WACKY CAKE
(makes one very large sheet cake)

Ingredients:
4 cups all-purpose flour
2 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 T. baking soda
1 1/2 tsp. salt
3 cups water
1 cup oil
3 T. white vinegar
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour an over-sized sheet cake pan. In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, cocoa, soda, and salt. Add the remaining wet ingredients and whisk until smooth. Pour into the prepared pan and bake immediately for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean.


*You could also make a standard 13x9x2 inch sheet cake plus a 9 inch round from the above recipe OR three 9 inch round cakes OR 36 cupcakes.

**I usually halve the recipe to make two rounds or 24 cupcakes.

Let Us Eat Cake!

There are two reasons that I decided to start off the recipes with some family favorite cakes. (Two reasons beside the fact that I really love to eat cake.) I recently had the pleasure of chatting with Elder and Sister Ahlborn on Skype. Dad mentioned that all Albanian cakes are dry. Locals will pour a mixture of sugar water over the baked cake to moisten them up, but the effect is not so pleasant to the American palette. My Dad needs some good, moist cake or at the very least some good, moist cake recipes. The second reason cake is getting such a showing is because I personally thank the dessert for my existence. In the words of Mom/Grandma Dotty/Dot, here is the true story of "The Dry Cake and the Baking Contest":

"I made my first cake from scratch when I was eight years old. Mama was expecting her eighth baby, my sister Kathy, and was very tired that day as I embarked on my first baking adventure. She was resting in her bedroom, and I would walk from the pantry to her room for instructions for each step of a basic white cake. Somewhere in the process I got the amounts for the flour and milk mixed up and wound up with a very soupy mixture. Mama got up, came in and helped me add more flour and a cup of raisins to absorb the excess moisture. It came out in a solid form and the large, hungry family ate it. Over the next eight years I perfected my skills until I became the family’s chief spice cake maker. We had an oversized sheet cake pan that provided enough cake for a family of ten children.

It was during my sixteenth year that the Ahlborn family moved into our neighborhood. Their eldest son, Ernest, had grown up helping in the kitchen and was adept and confident with any kind of food preparation. He could read instructions with ease and would tackle any project put before him.

It was a pleasant Sunday evening the end of May 1963 when I was walking down our street where my sister Joan and Ernest were waiting for a ride to a young adult fireside. I stopped to chat and Ernest suggested that I come along. I don’t remember the speaker or subject of the fireside but I do remember the chocolate cake served for refreshments and Ernest’s comment. “This is a really dry cake. A woman must have made it.” I immediately spoke up in defense of my gender and asked why he made such a comment. His answer, “Women only cook because they have to. All the great chefs are men.” Those were fighting words, and I challenged him to a duel. This was a cake baking contest I was sure to win. A day and place were set, and at the appointed time I walked the four houses down the street with my sheet cake pan and ingredients. We chose his kitchen for the contest because ours was teeming with younger siblings, and I didn’t want any distractions.

I went first, measuring the ingredients by heart because I had done this so many times before. While my cake was baking, Ernest took out his mother’s cookbook and began measuring and mixing. He chose two round pans for his cake. He finished pouring the batter into the pans just as the timer rang for my cake to come out. With oven mitts on and in great anticipation of a beautiful cake I opened the oven door. In front of my eyes was a cake kind of high on the sides and flat in the middle. Nothing like this had ever happened to me before! This was a tried and true recipe and even though our street went slightly downhill to his house that shouldn’t be enough altitude change to mess up the recipe.

While Ernest’s cake baked I carefully re-measured, mixed and had another sheet cake ready to bake when his rounds were finished. His came out beautiful, high and golden. A half hour later my second sheet cake came out of the oven as flat as the first. I was dumb struck! What could have gone wrong twice? Just then Ernest’s father came in the door. Observing the disaster his only comment was, “Didn’t Ernest tell you our oven doesn’t bake sheet cakes for some reason. They come out flat every time.” My opponent felt very bad, and I decided to plunge the dagger in deeper, offering to ice his cake. I finished it off with bold letters in dark icing, ERNEST WON! To make up, he offered to take me to a movie. One date turned into another and the rest is history. I married my opponent and have been baking him moist cakes ever since."

Look for lots of yummy cakes in the days to come. For starters, here is Mom's tried and true Applesauce Spice Cake (also my wedding cake) from her very first Betty Crocker Cookbook. It tastes divine with cream cheese frosting.

APPLESAUCE SPICE CAKE

Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground cloves
1/2 tsp. allspice
1 1/2 cups applesauce
1/2 cup oil
1/2 c. water
2 large eggs

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 13x9x2 inch sheet pan. In a large bowl, mix all of the dry ingredients together. In a separate bowl, whisk together the applesauce, oil, water and eggs. Add to the dry ingredients and blend until smooth. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 40-45 minutes.