let them eat cake

My mother-in-law made one simple request for her birthday. She asked for her favorite carrot cake to be made. My father-in-law (professional chef) has a recipe that she particularly loves.

I instantly volunteered, but experienced immediate fear and doubt upon my offer for a few reasons:

1. I never tasted carrot cake in my entire life. I'm a picky gal and it just didn't ever sound appealing so I always declined the offer. It's one of those things that I always said I didn't like without trying. Yeah, littles aren't the only ones who play that card.

2. I've never baked a carrot cake before.

3. I know it's not so Martha, but I usually make a cake from a box (gasp!)

4. Multiple people would be eating this cake.

5. Her celebration fell on a Tuesday, which meant that I'd be baking something from a new recipe with the kiddos at home. This is not usually a biggie, but it is with fears 1, 2, 3, and 4 listed above.

However, I've known Jane for 16 years now and I love her to pieces. I wanted the Birthday Girl to have her cake. While Luke was at school I solicited help from Charlie and Jack...

I suggest you give it go:

-preheat over to 350 degrees
-shred 3 lg carrots



-Add the following in a large bowl:

2 1/2 c. flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp allspice
1/2 tsp salt



Mix all together and add the shredded carrots so the carrots are coated with the dry ingredients.



In a medium bowl mix:

1 1/3 c. sugar
1/4 c. brown sugar
3 lg eggs
6 oz. plain yogurt
6 oz. cooking oil

Once mixed, add to carrot mixture.



A "golden" touch to impress...



I added about 1/2 c. This is optional.

You can make this using two square pans, two round pans, or a bundt cake pan. If you use the two pan option, you'd layer the frosting and stack them.



Bake for 45 minutes at 350 degrees then reduce to 325 degrees for 20 minutes.

While it was baking, I whipped up the frosting:

8 oz cream cheese
2 oz butter
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups powder sugar

Dang! That's a lot of sugar.





Minus realizing I was out of baking soda, C and J pelting me with Nerf gun darts, and cooking it 100 degrees higher than the directions stated, all went well.

As for the extra crispy exterior of the cake? It was nothing that a little homemade cream cheese frosting couldn't fix. And for self proclaimed non-carrot cake eating girl, I have to say that it was super delicious.



Happy Birthday, Jane!



Much love,
Katie

P.S. I'm linking up to Life Made Lovely Monday. It is a great blog to visit!