The Best Carrot Cake Ever

The Best Carrot Cake Ever

Ingredients:
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
4 extra large eggs, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup canola oil
1/2 cup buttermilk
2/3 cups firmly packed brown sugar
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 pound finely grated carrots
1 cup toasted chopped pecans
1 cup golden raisins

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Prepare two 9-inch cake pans by lightly coating with oil and lining with parchment paper.
Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, salt and nutmeg together in a bowl. Set aside.
Mix the eggs, sugar, oil, buttermilk, brown sugar, vanilla, and pineapple together in a large bowl. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until fully incorporated. Stir in the carrots, pecans and raisins just until evenly distributed throughout the batter.
Pour the batter into the prepared pans and bake on the center rack for about 35-40 minutes, or until a toothpick or cake tester comes out clean.
Cool cakes in their pans for at least 30 minutes before attempting to remove them. Then, removed from the pans and peel off the parchment paper. Continue to cool the cakes completely before frosting.

To assemble the cake, place the bottom layer on a cardboard round or other flat surface and put on a cake turntable. Scoop about 1 1/2 cups of the cream cheese icing onto the top of the bottom cake layer. Using an offset spatula, spread the frosting evenly over the surface. Carefully place the second layer on top. Scoop another 1 1/2 cups or so of the frosting on the top of the cake and spread evenly, easing the frosting down the sides. Spread the icing around the sides of the cake, adding more as needed. Lift the cake off the turn table and place on a cake stand or platter and chill a bit to firm up the frosting before slicing.

Cream Cheese Frosting with a Hint of Orange

Ingredients:
16 ounces cream cheese, softened
4 ounces (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon orange extract
3-4 cups confectioners’ sugar to taste

Directions:
Beat cream cheese and butter together until smooth. Add extracts and beat just until incorporated. Beat in sugar, one cup at a time, until frosting has the flavor and consistency you want. You may not need to add all of the sugar.

I made this for my father-in-law's birthday and he loved it! 

Along with everyone else! 

Then I took pieces to several of my friends and they all gave it a two thumbs up!  Yay!

Pinapple Butterscotch Bundt Cake

This was super easy - I had a Pineapple Cake Mix and a little box of Butterscotch instant pudding. I made the cake mix just the way it said on the package, but added the pudding powder in with the mix.

Chocolate Chip Cake

I wanted to make this cake with Samantha- I think she will have fun with it. I would love to make it with any of the other grand-kids- if they lived close enough...or maybe when I come to visit we could make it.

Ingredients:
1 pkg devil's food cake mix
1/4 c oil
2 eggs
1 1/4 c water
1 pkg chocolate instant pudding ( 4 serving size)
1 c chocolate chips (6 oz pkg)

Directions:

1. preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. pour oil into 9 x 13-inch pan and tilt pan until bottom is covered in oil
3. put remaining ingredients into pan
4. stir with a fork until blended - about 2 minutes
5. scrape sides and spread batter evenly in pan
6. bake at 350 degrees for 35 - 45 minutes (until toothpick comes out clean)
7. cake may be sprinkled with powdered sugar

Rainbow Cupcakes

Rainbow Cupcakes - So Easy, So Fun, So Cool!

This is one of those recipes that yields a cool result with just a tiny bit of work.  That's my favorite kind!

Mix up a white cake mix following the directions on the box.  Don't forget to just use the egg whites.  Pour the ready cake mix into seperate bowls.  Add food coloring and stir.  Using a spoon, glop the mixes into the cupcake cups in random orders, layering the colors however you want.  Bake per the time on the box.  Let cool, frost, and enjoy! 

Here are some pictures showing the process:

Carrot Cake

This was a really heavy, dense carrot cake. I made it in a bundt pan and didn't frost it. Kirt really enjoyed it.

Ingredients:
put these in a bowl-
3 c flour
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt

in another bowl-
1 c raisins
1/2 c chopped nuts

Take 2 T of flour mixture and toss with the raisins and nuts.

in another bowl-
2 c sugar
1 1/ c oil
1 tsp vanilla

then thoroughly beat 4 eggs

1. stir in dry ingredients alternately with
2. 3 cups finely grated carrots and blend until smooth
3. add raisin-nut mixture and mix well
4. pour into a greased bundt pan

Bake at 350 for 1 hour approximately.
Cool on wire rack for 10 minutes, top with cream cheese frosting is you want to.

Kirt's Gingerbread house

I bought this cool molded pan to make a gingerbread house. I followed a detailed recipe and turned out great and it did look very beautiful. We sprinkled powdered sugar on it and then took it to some friends.

Kirt thought is was such a cool thing that he wanted to get in on the action. Over the next few days I think he ended making about 8 and taking them to different people.

He mixed a box of brownie mix with a devil's food cake mix, did the math to see how long to cook it, etc. They were all wonderful!

I got lazy and did a few just with a devil's food cake mix, and another chocolate cake mix. His were more solid and smelled really good.