Time for Carrot Cake

This weekend I knew some company was coming, so I baked a cake - Carrot Cake.  I really like Carrot Cake.  It's in my top three favorite cakes, and that is saying something.  I love this recipe - it's wonderfully moist, rich, and raisin-free, of course.  

Really, I can't believe I haven't posted this recipe before now, but it's just as well as now you can consider it for your Easter celebration.  Carrot cake always seems just right for spring.

This recipe has been long in the process of dedicated refining.  I started with a basic recipe for a sheet cake and experimented with whole-wheat, which I actually prefer because it gives it a slightly nuttier, richer taste and is a bit healthier I suppose than white.  A friend suggested adding the crushed pineapple (you can just barely taste it), so I cut down on the sugar and oil (don't worry it's still very, very moist and rich and sweet! ).  Then I tried extra-light olive oil and changed up the frosting ratio.  Lately, I've been buttering and sugaring my 9" pans instead of flouring them and layering the cake without frosting on the sides.  It looks a bit prettier and more dramatic, esp. with the three layers I did this weekend.

Everyday Lovely Carrot Cake

Cake:
1 1/4 cups oil (vegetable or extra light olive)
1 1/4 cups sugar
4 eggs, well beaten
1 cup crushed pineapple, undrained
3 cups shredded carrots
2 cups whole-wheat flour
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. soda
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
2 tsp ground allspice
1 cup pecans or walnuts
1 tsp vanilla extract

1. Cream oil and sugar.
2. Add eggs, carrots, and pineapple and mix well.
3. Mix dry ingredients and add to carrot mixture, a small amount at a time, beating well.
4. Add nuts and vanilla.
5. Divide between 3 buttered and sugared 9" cake pans. Bake at 325 for 15-20, until toothpick tests done.  However, I usually just do two 9" cake layers and bake at same temp for 25-30 minutes.

Frosting:
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 8 ounce pkg cream cheese, softened
1 pound powdered sugar
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1. Beat butter and cream cheese until blended.
2. Add sugar a little at a time. Beat well.
3. Stir in vanilla and spread on cooled cake.

If you want to frost the sides of cake, you'd want to double the recipe. : )

Hope you enjoy. : )

love, cailan

Other Sweet Recipes {HERE}

Sugar Cookie Recipe

It may seem late for a Valentine's sugar cookie recipe.  But I'm guessing if you made them this weekend for post-Valentines, nobody would complain. ; )

This recipe has been in our family's favorite since I was little.   The cookie recipe calls for sour cream, and the frosting is flavored with almond extract, making for quite the perfect sugar cookie. We used it for Christmas cookies every year growing up and often broke it out for Valentine hearts and St. Patty's shamrocks.  It makes a big batch to you could easily use half for hearts and then freeze the rest for shamrocks in March.

Our little family didn't ever manage Christmas cookies this year, so was determined to make these with my kiddos for Valentine's. 

I managed to snap just a few pictures of the process.  Someday I'll look back and only remember the sweetness...but right now I admit my main memory was the stress.

The pictures look pleasant, but in truth this was a pretty emotionally charged cookie-cutting session.  

 

 

 I suppose, in the end, love prevailed.

Here's the recipe. Consider yourselves family. : )

Our Favorite Sugar Cookies

1 cup butter

2 cups sugar

3 well beaten eggs

2 tsp vanilla

1 cup sour cream

5 cups flour

 3 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp soda

1. Mix all together

2. Chill thoroughly

3. Roll out about 1/8 inch thick (you'll need quite a bit of extra flour for rolling)

4. Bake at 350 for 10 minutes

Frosting:

1/2 cup butter (softened)

1 pound powdered sugar

2 tsp. almond or vanilla extract

a little milk or 1/2 and 1/2 until smooth enough to spread

I'm sorry for my absence this week so far.  It wasn't planned, just happened.  I didn't see it coming, but somehow it seems every sort of event, work and trouble got dumped into this week.  The events are not all sad or unpleasant, but they compress the time and make the work and trouble feel more worrisome.   Suddenly there seems to be so much to sort out and not much time to do it in.  

So, trying to remember that God knows all about it all. 

He gives me sufficient grace for every trouble

And enough time to do everything I truly need to do.

The Perfect Cookie

 Now, I title this post fully aware that there are many wonderful cookies out there...(I believe I've made and tried most of them ;), but this one is perfect in the sense that it has ingredients I always have on hand, it comes together quick-quick,  it combines two of the best ingredients ever (peanut butter & chocolate), and since it has protein in it with the peanut butter it almost qualifies as a meal replacement. I kid, I kid.....I think.

Anyway, make some for your people quick-quick 

and have yourself a merry weekend! 

(oh! and these can easily be gluten-free)

 

The Perfect Cookie (a.k.a Monster Cookies)

Blend together:

3/4 cups butter

1 1/2 cups peanut butter  (use natural peanut butter, you won't regret it!)

1 cup (or less) sugar

1 1/4 cup (or less) brown sugar

Mix in:

2 eggs

2 tsp. vanilla

Add:

2 tsp baking soda

4 cups quick or regular oats (might need an extra 1/2 cup to 1 cup if it isn't stiff enough depending on how runny your peanut butter was)

Finally add:

1-2 cups of semi-sweet chocolate chips or 1 cup semi-sweet and 1 cup milk chocolate or half semi-sweet and half M&M's!

Bake at 350 for about 10 minutes for fairly large cookies (do not over-bake!!! This would be terrible)

Enjoy! Hope you have a lovely weekend.
I'm off to clean-up and bake for company tonight -
sure, it is a bit of extra work, but I love Friday night company.

 More Everyday Lovely recipes {HERE}

{Linking to Funky Junk Interiors}

Exceedingly Good Oatmeal Cookies

 At no other time of the year does some oatmeal sweetness seem more "right" than in the Fall.  

It's a perfect match for cooler, cozier days. 

  Today I'm sharing my all-time favorite absolutely delicious Oatmeal Cookie Recipe.  

 The secret to this recipe is the soaking of the raisins.

 "the best" Oatmeal Cookies

3 eggs, well beaten

1 cup raisins

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup butter

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup white sugar

2 1/2 cups flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 teaspoons baking soda

2 cups oatmeal

3/4 cup chopped pecans

1. Combine eggs, raisin, vanilla and let stand for one hour, covered with plastic wrap. 

2. Cream together butter and sugars. 

3. Add flour, salt, cinnamon and soda to sugar mixture. Mix well.

4. Blend in egg-raisin mixture, oatmeal, and chopped nuts.  Dough will be stiff.

5. Drop in heaping teaspoons onto cookie sheet or roll into balls and flatten slightly.

6. Bake at 350 for about 10 minutes.

See my other tried-n-true recipes {HERE}.

Hope you enjoy!

P.S.  Had to add a little FYI - I was just at Target and they have some great clearance stuff right now.  Tons of great deals in bedding: items from Shabby Chic, Fieldcrest, and kid's bedding 75% off.  And be sure to check out those endcaps!





{Linking to Bowl Full of Lemons}

Make A Bit of Raspberry Butter

What to do with a lovely little package of sweet-n-tart raspberries?

Make raspberry butter, of course.

1. It is beautiful. 2. It is yummy.  3. It will make your toast feel extra-ordinary special.

You will need some unsalted butter at room temperature (I used about 2 sticks);  Lovely ripe raspberries (One Half Pint ought to do it); A squeeze of orange or lemon juice; Also, a sprinkle of kosher salt. 

Whip up the butter and toss in the beautiful berries.

Mash them up nicely with your pastry blender or whatever you have in your drawer that will mash nicely.  Then add a little orange juice and a pinch of salt.

Toast up some yummy left-over bread from last night's company and spread on generously - today is a special day! 

Freeze up any leftovers for next week's company bread or to serve with some Sunday Morning Scones.

May you enjoy a long, lovely weekend!

See other tried-n-true recipes {HERE}

{Linking to Life Made Lovely Monday,
Just a Girl, Tatertots & Jello, and Funky Junk Interiors, Gingerbread Girl}

Very Good Gets a Bit Better

Awhile back I posted this - the recipe for my all-time favorite chocolate sheet cake.  Because when I find a recipe I really like and when it's also chocolate I tend to make it again and again,  I made it yet again for a get together this weekend but decided to shake things up a little and add some toasted coconut to the frosting.   

Have you added toasted coconut to chocolate frosting before?  Ah well, then you haven't lived, my friend!  Make sure to understand this is toasted coconut (toasted in a little pan on the stove or on a cookie sheet in the oven) which is an entirely different animal that coconut out of the bag.  It. is. so. delicious.  Try it soon - you won't be disappointed!

Chocolate Sheet Cake

2 1/3 cups whole wheat flour

2 cups sugar

1 tsp baking soda

1 cup butter

1 1/4 cup water

4 T cocoa

1/2 cup buttermilk

2 eggs, beaten

1 tsp vanilla

1. Mix dry ingredients in a bowl.

2. Bring butter, water and cocoa to a boil in saucepan. Pour over dry ingredients. Mix well

3. Add buttermilk, eggs, and vanilla. Beat well.

4. Pour into greased 9x13 pan and bake at 350 for 30 min. or until it tests done.

Frosting:

1/2 cup butter

4 T cocoa

6 T buttermilk

1 tsp vanilla 

1 pound powdered sugar

1/2 cup chopped walnuts (opt)

1. Heat butter, cocoa and buttermilk to boiling. 

2. Remove from heat and mix in vanilla, sugar and nuts.

3. Pour over cake soon after it comes out of the oven.

Optional: For Coconut Frosting, toast about 1 & 1/4 cups sweetened coconut in a pan on top of medium-low heat or in the oven on a cookie sheet (be careful to watch it as it can burn quickly!)  Add into the frosting after it's cooked - you won't regret it!

On an a non-dessert related note, here's picture I happily snapped this weekend of my most wonderful, beautiful sister and her impossibly adorable baby.  She has a very-good-for-my-heart-post at her sweet blog today.

Ice Box Cake

Remember the part in Disney's Pollyanna when she's at the bazaar and Cook hands her a big piece of fluffy cake, layered cake?  Yes, well that image has stuck with me for about 25+ years, and in my mind that cake is just like this wonderful cake of my mother's - Ice Box Cake.  

It is just about my favorite cake ever {chocolate must come very first}.  

It's a simple, wonderful, fluffy, yummy, yummy cake, and it's my mum's very special, rather top secret recipe.

Which means I can't exactly tell you how to make it.  But I'll give you some good hints..because no one should miss out on a piece of this four-layered-deliciousness.

Especially when it starts out with something as easy as a box yellow cake mix.  Yes, a box.  I have tried in vain to make a homemade yellow cake - it turned out just too dense for this recipe.  So revel in homemade goodness every other day, but today make up a box of yellow cake mix and put it in two 9 inch pans.

 Here are not the most helpful photos showing you how I use string (or floss in a pinch) to divide one cake into two layers. Do this for both cakes for a total of four layers.

{wrap the string around the middle, cross like pictured and then pull ends through the cake.  Yikes, does that make any sense???}

Do this for both cakes, for a total of four layers.

So obviously, the frosting is the secret, but I'll give you all the ingredients and I just know you'll figure it out. 

Start with a good bit {a lot} of this.

 And then add some of this...

And a little of this.  Getting the idea?

Then layer it all up like so... and around the sides.

And chill {the "Ice Box" part} for at least a few hours - making it a day ahead is best.

And serve straight from the fridge.

 

Then take your Lovely Ice Box Cake off the the bazaar to share with your family and friends.

And be sure to play the glad game. :)

{ Linking to Life Made Lovely Monday,  Bowl Full of Lemons,  

Funky Junk Interiors, & Lollipops}

Celebrating with Cupcakes

 As a last minute effort to have some festive dessert for the Fourth I threw together The Pioneer Woman's Flag Cake batter (though I guess she says it's actually Barefoot Contessa's) and made it into cupcakes because 1) I didn't have enough fruit to make the flag design and 2) Cupcakes are fun and 3) We couldn't possibly celebrate Fourth of July without some yummy sweetness.

The recipe made about 24 large cupcakes.

I also made the cream cheese frosting, but halved it as it as the whole recipe makes a TON.  Even for the cake (when I've made it in the past) it seemed a bit excessive - which says a lot coming from me, because the frosting is without a doubt the best part of any cake in my humble opinion.

Hope you all had a happy Fourth - and that you got a little yummy food before the day was over. :)

{Linking to Life Made Lovely}

 

You're Going to Have to Trust Me

That this cake was both presentable and delish.
Because I know you've seen more impressive pictures of chocolate cake.  Unfortunately, I forgot to take a pre-party picture.

Try to view this as a photographic evidence of a cake-much enjoyed.
 

Or rather just trust Ina as it's her recipe.

Last weekend I tried her chocolate cake recipe in this cookbook.

In my book of unwritten cake rules, cake must always have a substantive amount of butter to very good.

This however, shockingly has only 1/2 cup of...oil.  So I broke my rules and gave Ina a chance.

The result was a lighter, fluffier {compared to this favorite cake} very chocolaty cake - kind-of like the texture of a cake-box-cake, but moister and homemade-good.  The real win was that the couple odd ducks in my family who usually pass on chocolate {I'll never understand} liked this cake. Hurray.

So it was a yummy end to this party my Sister just threw together in their pretty backyard - isn't it so fun?

Sorry it's also a post-party picture, but you at least you get the idea of the funness.

See my Very Favorite Recipes {HERE}

{Linking to Just a Girl}

Pretend You're a Pastry Chef

You will certainly feel like one as you whip together this yummy Blueberry Cream Cheese Pastry. This has been a favorite recipe, modified and perfected, for many years.  It is quite delicious, quite easy, and has just the right amount of specialness for Father's Day breakfast or the like.

Recipe

1 package dry yeast (2 1/4 tsp)

1/4 cup lukewarm water

1 tsp sugar

1 egg, lightly beaten

2 cups flour, sifted

1/4 tsp salt

3/4 cup butter

1 8 oz pkg of cream cheese

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 tsp lemon juice

1/3 cup blueberry preserves (optional)

1. Mix yeast, water and sugar. Let stand for 10 minutes. Add egg.

2. Cut butter into flour and salt and mix well. Add yeast mixture.

3. Divide into two balls and roll each into 8x10 inch rectangles.

4. Make filling by combining cream cheese, lemon juice and sugar.

5. Spread half the filling on each rectangle, spread blueberry preserves on top.

6. Fold by taking each long side toward the middle, making sure the sides overlap a little.  Fold the ends up about 1 1/2 inches.

7. Bake immediately at 375 for 25 minutes.  When cool, dust with powdered sugar.

Enjoy some with coffee or tea, friends or family, on a lovely morning soon!

See my little collection of tried-n-true recipes {HERE}

{Linking to Bowl Full of Lemons}

Summer Dream Tart Redux

 I've posted this recipe before, but as the rains finally give way to real-live Summer Days, I feel compelled to bring this favorite tart before your eyes once again.  It's so simple, elegant, and just plain wonderful - my absolute favorite summer dessert.

If you haven't made it yet, here's your reminder to do so, quick-quick.

Recipe for Strawberry Dream Tart

Crust

1 1/4 cups flour

2 - 3 T. sugar

1/2 cup butter, well chilled or frozen 30 minutes

1 egg yolk, lightly beaten

2 T. very cold water

1.Preheat oven to 375. In food processor combine flour, sugar.  Add butter and process until mixture resembles coarse meal.  Combine egg yolk and water.  Gradually add to flour mixture and process until dough just holds together. 

2.Press dough into flat disk and press into bottom and up sides of a 9-inch tart pan with removable bottom.  Line crust with foil and fill with pie weights or dried beans.

3. Bake until edges are slightly browned, 15-18 minutes.  Remove pie weights and foil and continue baking 5-8 minutes, until golden brown.  Remove pie weights and cool on rack.

Lemon Cream Cheese Filling

3 oz. cream cheese, softened (usually use neaufatel-no noticeable difference)

1 T. fresh lemon juice

1 tsp. grated lemon zest

3/4 cup sugar

1 cup whipping cream

1/2 pound strawberries, sliced

1. In food processor, process cream cheese until fluffy.  Add lemon juice, lemon zest and sugar.  Process  until smooth, scraping down sides of bowl as necessary.

2. In medium bowl, whip cream to soft peaks.  Fold cream cheese mixture into whipped cream.

3. Place 1/2 of mixture in prepared pastry.  Layer sliced strawberries over cream mixture and cover with remaining half of cream mixture.  

4. Chill 3-5 hours.

If you want to be an Over-Achiever: Arrange 1 pound whole stemmed strawberries, pointed ends up, over entire tart.  In sauce pan, melt 1/4 cup currant jelly over low heat and stir in 1 T. triple sec or Grand Mariner.   Remove from heat and let cool about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent film from forming.  Spoon or brush jelly mixture over strawberries and Chill.  

Note: I rarely do this extra bit, and it's still the best ever.

Then there's this pretty little mini-sized variation on the same recipe.  

Just right for showers, teas and the like.

All my very favorite recipes can be found {HERE}.  Enjoy!



{Linking to Southern Hospitality}

The Yummiest Chocolate Cake Ever-Ever

Like the other recipes I've shared, I've made this chocolate sheet cake more times than I can count and ever time it is just absolutely yummy.

There are two ingredients that set this recipe apart.  The one you might doubt is whole wheat flour.  I'm not one to just bake anything with whole wheat.  Somethings are just plain, objectively better with white, but this cake is best with wholewheat.  It's makes it taste richer and moister with a little added nuttiness.  I'm always disappointed when I try it with white. Also, I add a pinch of salt to the frosting, which brings out the sweetness of the fudge-like frosting in the most wonderful way.  

Chocolate Sheet Cake

2 1/3 cups whole wheat flour

2 cups sugar

1 tsp baking soda

1 cup butter

1 1/4 cup water

4 T cocoa

1/2 cup buttermilk

2 eggs, beaten

1 tsp vanilla

1. Mix dry ingredients in a bowl.

2. Bring butter, water and cocoa to a boil in saucepan. Pour over dry ingredients. Mix well

3. Add buttermilk, eggs, and vanilla. Beat well.

4. Pour into greased 9x13 pan and bake at 350 for 30 min. or until it tests done.

Frosting:

1/2 cup butter

4 T cocoa

6 T buttermilk

1 tsp vanilla 

1 pound powdered sugar

1/2 cup chopped walnuts (opt)

1. Heat butter, cocoa and buttermilk to boiling. 

2. Remove from heat and mix in vanilla, sugar and nuts.

3. Pour over cake soon after it comes out of the oven.

        Cake is probably the very best a little warm with ice cream, but also delish at room temperature or cold out of the frig! 

You won't be disappointed - Enjoy!


See my other very favorite recipes {HERE}

{Linking to Funky Junk Interiors and Bowl Full of Lemons and Somewhat Simple}

French Coffee Cake

This coffee cake was one of my first baking ventures at 17.  It didn't disappoint me then, and I've been making it ever since.  It's fairly simple, and - taken from a "light" cookbook - it's got some good things going for it.  I've made a few adjustments along the way, subtracting sugar, adding whole-wheat and trying out the chocolate cinnamon filling - yum.

Here's the recipe!

French Coffee Cake

2/3 cup butter

1 1/4 cup sugar (i usually just use 1 cup)

3 egg whites or 2 whole eggs

3 cups flour (I usually do half whole-wheat and half reg)

1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

2 cups plain nonfat or low-fat yogurt

Brown Sugar Nut Filling

1/4 cup walnuts, chopped

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup sugar

1 1/2 tsp cinnamon

OR Chocolate Cinnamon Filling

1/3 cup sugar

4 tsp unsweetened cocoa powder

2 T. ground cinnamon

1. Preheat oven to 350.

2. Cream butter and sugar in medium bowl.  Add eggs and vanilla; mix thoroughly.

3. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda in separate bowl.

4. Gradually add flour mixture to creamed mixture alternately with yogurt, beginning and ending with flour mixture.

5. In a separate bowl combine ingredients of one of the two filling options.

6. Pour 1/3 of batter into a 12-cup bundt pan coated with cooking spray.  Sprinkle with half of the filling. Repeat layers, ending with batter.

7. Bake for 45 minutes.  Cool completely in pan and then turn out and drizzle with a simple powdered sugar/milk/butter/vanilla frosting.

Bake it up in your oven, brew some coffee (or tea!), and sit down for a nice Saturday morning treat with a friend or Sunday morning breakfast with your family.

 See all my tried-n-true recipes {HERE}

Raspberry Tartlets Are Cute and Sweet

 Now,  once I find a good thing I stick with it.  While it's nice to be adventurous sometimes, I find that adventure in the kitchen can easily turn into left-overs that no one. ever. eats.  Quite discouraging.  So yes, I admit I mostly play it safe and glory in my tried and true recipes.  Case in point: when we needed some tiny desserts for a little (engagement!) party we had this last weekend I happily turned to my favorite-favorite Strawberry Dream Tart Recipe to make these little Raspberry Tartlets.

All you need are some of these itty-bitty-cutie, 2 1/2" tart pans like these available here.  Mold a little ball of tart dough into them and bake at the same temp until just golden brown.  Then I piped the cream cheese filling into them. And topped them with raspberries instead of strawberries for an sort-of elegant look. I think two strawberry halves would top it nicely too.

Here they are on the buffet table in all their sun-bathed glory. :) 

These would be perfect for a nice little Mother's Day Tea, or Mother's Day Coffee, or Breakfast, or Lunch... or really perfect Anytime.

 

You can see my whole little collection of recipes {HERE}.

And view today's post {HERE}

{Linking to A Bowl Full of Lemons,  Not Just a Housewife , and Funky Junk Interiors}