I love carrots and I love carrot cake, neither one having to do with half of Salt Lake City calling me "caret."
But I happened to have fallen in love with a particular cupcake from Trader Joes and recently found out they aren't as healthy as initially thought to be. So I went on a mission to make my own.
As Cat says, "Everything is better when you can taste the energy put into it."
I have never claimed to be much in the kitchen but I am showing signs of improvement.
Number one mistake – I started off with long, shredded carrots… I had already mixed in all of the spices and flour before I started to wonder how those long-cut carrots were going to fit into a muffin tin. Kortney laughed – I got out the chopper. It all ended well.
Ingredients-The recipe is for a cake, but......
Unsalted butter, for the pan
12 ounces, approximately 2 1/2 cups, all-purpose flour, plus extra for pan
12 ounces grated carrots, medium grate, approximately 6 medium
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
10 ounces sugar, approximately 1 1/3 cups
2 ounces dark brown sugar, approximately 1/4 cup firmly packed
3 large eggs
6 ounces plain yogurt
6 ounces vegetable oil
Cream Cheese Frosting, recipe follows
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Butter and flour a 9-inch round and 3-inch deep cake pan. Line the bottom with parchment paper. Set aside.
Put the carrots into a large mixing bowl and set aside.
Put the flour, baking powder, baking soda, spices, and salt in the bowl of a food processor and process for 5 seconds. Add this mixture to the carrots and toss until they are well-coated with the flour.
In the bowl of the food processor combine the sugar, brown sugar, eggs, and yogurt.
With the processor still running drizzle in the vegetable oil. Pour this mixture into the carrot mixture and stir until just combined. Pour into the prepared cake pan and bake on the middle rack of the oven for 45 minutes. Reduce the heat to 325 degrees F and bake for another 20 minutes or until the cake reaches 205 to 210 degrees F in the center.
(Cooking time varies - I cooked 12 cupcakes for about 25 minutes but the small loaf pan took about 35, i think, but now I don't remember. Just use the ol' clean toothpick trick)
Remove the pan from the oven and allow cake to cool 15 minutes in the pan. After 15 minutes, turn the cake out onto a rack and allow cake to cool completely. Frost with cream cheese frosting after cake has cooled completely.
Cream Cheese Frosting:
8 ounces cream cheese
2 ounces unsalted butter, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
9 ounces powdered sugar, sifted, approximately 2 cups
In the bowl of a stand mixer with paddle attachment, combine the cream cheese and butter on medium just until blended. Add the vanilla and beat until combined. With the speed on low, add the powdered sugar in 4 batches and beat until smooth between each addition.
Place the frosting in the refrigerator for 5 to 10 minutes before using.
Yield: approximately 2 cups
Definitely chill the frosting before putting it on the cakes… and feel free to add more of the spices - I used whole teaspoons.
Delicious overall…
and if I can do it – you can do it.
It was ah-mazing and so much fun! I went with Tom and we met up with a bunch of his friends at the show. They played 8 sets including an acoustic set on Sunday.
They had fire breathing....... things - I don't know exactly what they were but they made a lot of noise and flames burst out every once in awhile.
Ferris Wheel and all. (little round thing about in the middle of the darkness - see it?)
Til next time....
This time five girls traveled our way... Lisa (New Mexico), Lizzie, Trish, Joanna (all Utah) and Courtney (Texas). 
