Carrot Cake!

Happy Easter! or at least Happy Easter yesterday! To celebrate RJ grilled up some Filet Mignon (medium rare)  and sauteed mushrooms and onions. I made a Cesar salad and roasted red potatoes, YUM! It was a wonderful meal especially since we followed it up with Carrot Cake. What did you make for Easter dessert?

This is probably one of RJ's most favorite desserts and well, I can't complain about it either. Except for when there are raisins in it, then I am not a fan. I just don't like re-plumped raisins. What about you? Do you like raisins in your baked things? I guess they are alright in oatmeal raisin cookies, but that's about it. I do like to eat them uncooked though, and I definitely looooovvvveee them in Raisin Bran cereal. Yes I do, it's been one of my favorites since I was knee-high to a grasshopper.

But since this post is about carrot cake and not raisins, I will get back on subject. It's weird how easily conversations adjust from one topic to the next until you completely forgot how the whole conversation started.  Weird...

Anyway, I made this recipe as a cupcake before and I received rave reviews, mostly from RJ but who's counting, he's my biggest fan. Or are you my biggest fan? j/k but maybe... When I made this recipe for Easter I changed it up a bit from the cupcakes, but I liked the original so I will post that.

Carrot Cake:

2 C. Grated Carrot
1 C. Grated Apple ( I like Grannie Smith)
1 C. Oil
1 C. Sugar
1 tsp Vanilla
2 C. Flour
1/2 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Baking Soda
1 1/2 tsp Cinnamon
4 Large Eggs
1/2 C. Nuts/Raisins (optional)

Preheat oven to 350* Line 12 muffin wells.

Grate apple and carrots, set aside. Actually, you'll probably want to do this before you turn the oven on, it takes a long time to grate this stuff, but don't worry, it's worth it.

In a mixer combine oil and sugar until it becomes thick. Add eggs incorporating them one at a time, then add the vanilla.

Whisk together the flour, cinnamon, baking soda and salt in a separate bowl until lumps are eliminated. Gradually add flour mixture to oil mixture. Now fold in carrots and apples then the nuts and raisins.

Spoon into lined wells and bake for 20 minutes. Allow the cupcakes to rest for at least 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to finish cooling.

Cream Cheese Frosting:

1/2 C. Butter
8 oz  Cream Cheese
1 tsp Vanilla
2 Tbs Milk
3 C. Powdered Sugar

In a bowl combine the room temperature butter and cream cheese. Add the vanilla and one cup of the powdered sugar, mix. Next the milk and one more cup of the powdered sugar can be added, mix. Gradually add the final cup until it is spreading consistency, you may need more or less than this final cup.

Now, "Let them eat cake!"

Piece.