Carrot Cake

Hello, again!  I searched high and low for a moist, rich carrot cake and stumbled upon Rachael Ray's recipe.  With a few tweaks, I am happy to say this is by far the best carrot cake I have tried and will make again for future occasions.  If you are a carrot cake lover, this cake is for you!





Yield: 12 servings


Ingredients:

For the cake:
- 2 c. granulated sugar
- 3/4 c. vegetable oil
- 3/4 c. applesauce
- 4 large eggs
- 2 c. sifted cake flour
- 2 tsp. baking soda
- 1 tsp. salt
- 2 tsp. ground cinnamon
- 1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg
- 1/8 tsp. ground allspice
- 3 c. grated carrots
- 4 oz. chopped walnuts

For the frosting:
- 8 oz. (1 pkg) cream cheese
- 1/2 c. softened butter
- 4 c. powdered sugar
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F and spray the two 9-inch round cake pans.  In a large mixing bowl, mix the sugar, vegetable oil, applesauce, and 4 eggs.  In another mixing bowl, sift together cake flour, baking soda, salt, and spices (I used a fork to mix these dry ingredients together). 

Cake flour ingredients (All- Purpose flour and corn starch)

 Fold dry ingredients into wet mixture and blend well.

Fold in carrots and chopped nuts until well blended.  Distribute the batter into 2 greased 9-in. round cake pans. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes.

 

Cool in pans for approximately 1 hour.  

Next, refrigerate the cake layers in their pans, inverted, for about 24 hours. When inverting the cake layers, place a paper towel on top of the plate before inverting the cake to soak up any remaining oil overnight.
 

To make the frosting, combine the butter, cream cheese, and vanilla in a large mixing bowl.  Beat the mixture until it is smooth and creamy.  Remove the paper towel from the first layer and frost the first cooled cake.  Place the next layer on top and use remaining frosting for the second layer.  

This recipe is based on Rachael Ray's Carrot Cake recipe.

Tres Leches Cake

Hello, Cinco de Mayo-ers!  Just because it's June doesn't mean you can't celebrate with some traditional Tres Leches Cake.  This light cake is great for summer parties or any occasion.

Yield: 15 servings

Ingredients:

For the cake:
1 c. all purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
5 eggs (separate whites from yolks)
1 c. sugar (1/4 c. plus 3/4 c.)
1/3 c. skim milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 can evaporated milk
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1/4 c. heavy cream

For the icing:
1 3/4 c. heavy cream
3 Tbsp. sugar
1 lb sliced strawberries

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and spray the 9 x 13 inch pan.  Next, combine the flour, baking powder and salt in a mixing bowl.  Set aside.  Beat 5 egg yolks with 3/4 c. sugar until yolks change to a pale yellow color.  Add skim milk and vanilla to the mixture and stir.  Pour egg yolk mixture over the flour mixture and fold in gently until mixed well.  Set aside.
 

Beat egg whites on high until peaks form (about 5 mins).  Add the remaining 1/4 c. of sugar and beat until egg whites are stiff.  Fold egg white mixture into the batter until the egg whites are no longer visible.

Pour mixture into the pan and spread it evenly.

Bake for 35 mins or until a toothpick comes out clean.  Allow to cool (or cover and freeze for 20 mins). In a small container, combine evaporate milk, condensed milk and 1/4 c. heavy cream.  Poke the surface of the cake several times with a skewer or fork (make sure you have plenty of holes for the mixture to sink in). 

Drizzle all of the milk mixture evenly over the cake (I used a Blender Bottle to shake the mixture well).  Next, allow the cake to absorb the milk mixture in the fridge (about 30 mins).  Whip 1 3/4 c. heavy cream with 3 Tbsp. sugar until thick and fluffy. 

Spread the whipped cream on the cake.  

Cut the cake into slices and add strawberries on top of each piece.  And enjoy!

 This recipe is based on The Pioneer Woman's Tres Leches Cake recipe.