One Day Devoted to CARROT Cake!

Happy Monday! It's snow-covered and slushy here at Lizzy Bee's, making driving to the market for ingredients unlikely...and on National Carrot Cake Day, no less. *Insert dramatic sigh here.* A day to be cherished (can you tell it's my favorite cake?). So in honor of this beautifully delicious day, I bring you carrot cake recipes in all their glory - from breakfast to dessert, this versatile cake will satisfy at every meal.

Breakfast anyone?

Carrot Cake Pancakes

Southern Living

Ingredients

• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups buttermilk
• 1/3 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup butter, melted
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 cups finely grated carrots (about 1 lb.)
• 1/2 cup chopped toasted pecans
• 1/3 cup chopped golden raisins

Mascarpone Cream

• 1 (8-oz.) container mascarpone cheese
• 1/4 cup powdered sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup whipping cream

Directions

1. Stir together first 5 ingredients in a large bowl. Whisk together buttermilk and next 4 ingredients in another bowl. 
2. Gradually stir buttermilk mixture into flour mixture just until dry ingredients are moistened. Fold in carrots and next 2 ingredients. 
3. Pour about 1/4 cup batter for each pancake onto a hot buttered griddle or large nonstick skillet. Cook 3 to 4 minutes or until tops are covered with bubbles and edges look dry and cooked. 
4. Turn and cook 3 to 4 minutes or until done. 
5. Place in a single layer on a baking sheet, and keep warm in a 200° oven up to 30 minutes. Serve with Mascarpone Cream.

Mascarpone Cream

1. Whisk together mascarpone cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla in a large bowl just until blended. Beat whipping cream at medium speed with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form. Fold whipped cream into mascarpone mixture.

Note: When using a griddle, heat it to 350°.
Tip: For tender pancakes, don't overmix the batter; it should be lumpy.

Snack for your lunch box!

Inside-Out Carrot Cake Cookies

Gourmet April 2004

Ingredients

• 1 1/8 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, softened
• 1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
• 1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 cup coarsely grated carrots (2 medium)
• 1 scant cup walnuts (3 ounces), chopped
• 1/2 cup raisins (2 1/2 ounces)
• 8 ounces cream cheese
• 1/4 cup honey

Directions

1. Put oven racks in upper and lower thirds of oven and preheat oven to 375°F. Butter 2 baking sheets.
2. Whisk together flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt in a bowl.
3. Beat together butter, sugars, egg, and vanilla in a bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Mix in carrots, nuts, and raisins at low speed, then add flour mixture and beat until just combined.
4. Drop 1 1/2 tablespoons batter per cookie 2 inches apart on baking sheets and bake, switching position of sheets halfway through baking, until cookies are lightly browned and springy to the touch, 12 to 16 minutes total. Cool cookies on sheets on racks 1 minute, then transfer cookies to racks to cool completely.
5. While cookies are baking, blend cream cheese and honey in a food processor until smooth.
6. Sandwich flat sides of cookies together with a generous tablespoon of cream cheese filling in between.

After dinner!

Walnut Carrot Cake with Coconut Cream Cheese Frosting

Judy Haubert

Ingredients

For Cake

• 1 tbsp. butter, for greasing pans
• 4 eggs, divided and at room temperature
• 2 egg whites, at room temperature
• ½ tsp. cream of tartar
• ½ cup sugar
• ⅓ cup light brown sugar
• 1 ½ cups shredded carrot (4 medium)
• 1 20 oz. can crushed pineapple, drained and squeezed dry
• ½ tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 cup chopped walnut pieces
• 1 cup cornstarch
• ½ tsp. baking soda
• ½ tsp. salt
• ¾ tsp. cinnamon
• ¼ tsp. ground ginger
• ¼ tsp. freshly grated nutmeg

For Filling

• 8 oz. cream cheese, soft
• ½ cup butter, soft
• 1 (1 lb.) box confectioner's sugar (approximately 3 ½ cups)
• ½ tsp. vanilla extract
• 3 cups sweetened shredded coconut

Directions

1.  Heat oven to 375°F with rack in the center position. Grease two 8-inch round cake pans with butter and line with parchment; set aside. Combine egg yolks with ⅓ cup brown sugar in a medium bowl and beat on high speed 2-3 minutes until very thick and pale in color. Fold in shredded carrot, pineapple and vanilla extract; set aside.
2. Pulse walnut pieces in a food processor until finely ground. Add cornstarch, baking soda, salt and spices; pulse to combine and set aside.
3. Beat egg whites and cream of tartar in a large bowl until foamy. Slowly whisk in ½ cup sugar and beat whites until stiff and glossy. Fold walnut mixture gently into whites, then fold blended whites gently into carrot mixture. Spread mixture evenly in prepared pans and bake 20–25 minutes until cakes are lightly browned and have pulled away slightly from the sides of the pans. Allow cakes to cool 30–45 minutes in the pans. Run a knife around the edges of cakes to loosen from pan, remove parchment and invert onto a wire rack.
4. Beat cream cheese and butter in a medium bowl until well-blended. Slowly beat in confectioner's sugar and vanilla. Place one cake round on stand or serving dish and spread ¾ cup of frosting evenly over surface, leaving a ½-inch border around edges. Sprinkle with ¾ cup of coconut and press lightly into the filling to set. Top with second layer, using remaining frosting to cover surface and sides of cake. Press remaining coconut evenly around sides and over top of cake. Cover and chill until ready to serve.

Happy baking!