Family Recipes Blog to Share Family Recipes

*A coordinator at the Manhattan Temple bragged about his carrot cake for months and we thought we would never taste it and that if we did it would be overrated – not so.  He did bring it and it was amazing – delicious and flavorful.  Truly worth the work.

INGREDIENTS
3 cups whole wheat pastry flour
2 cups sugar (I used 1 cup honey instead)
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2    tsp nutmeg
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups coconut oil; (next time I might add 1/2 cup applesauce too)
4 eggs, beaten
3 cups raw carrots, grated
1 cup raisins
1 cup walnuts
1 can of crushed pineapple (cg: included juice this time, but I have also drained it)
INSTRUCTIONS
Whisk or beat wet ingredients; Mix dry ingredients;
Slowly whisk in the dry mix to the whisked wet ingredients.
Add carrots, nuts, raisins, pineapple.
Pour mixture in greased and floured pan.
Bake for 30 – 35 minutes. 350 degrees
NOTE: If you use beaters, do not beat too much because it will draw out the gluten which drys the cake.
CREAM CHEESE FROSTING: I adjust it each time.
Normally Two 8 oz packs softened cream cheese (I used 3 packs for this last cake)
2 to 3 cups powdered sugar.
Teaspoon vanilla (I used the inside seeds of two real vanilla beans)
Pinch salt

Whisk or beat cream cheese until it’s airy
Add sugar and beat 5 minutes
Add vanilla and salt
NOTE: America’s Test Kitchen says if whisk by hand, it will prevent a runny frosting.

Ingredients:

Directions:
1. Heat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 9-inch round baking pans.

2. Stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in large bowl. Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla; beat on medium speed of mixer 2 minutes. Stir in boiling water (batter will be thin). Pour batter into prepared pans.

3. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely. Frost with “PERFECTLY CHOCOLATE” CHOCOLATE FROSTING. 10 to 12 servings.

VARIATIONS:
ONE-PAN CAKE: Grease and flour 13x9x2-inch baking pan. Heat oven to 350° F. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake 35 to 40 minutes. Cool completely. Frost.

THREE LAYER CAKE: Grease and flour three 8-inch round baking pans. Heat oven to 350°F. Pour batter into prepared pans. Bake 30 to 35 minutes. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely. Frost.

BUNDT CAKE: Grease and flour 12-cup Bundt pan. Heat oven to 350°F. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake 50 to 55 minutes. Cool 15 minutes; remove from pan to wire rack. Cool completely. Frost.

CUPCAKES: Line muffin cups (2-1/2 inches in diameter) with paper bake cups. Heat oven to 350°F. Fill cups 2/3 full with batter. Bake 22 to 25 minutes. Cool completely. Frost. About 30 cupcakes.

“PERFECTLY CHOCOLATE” CHOCOLATE FROSTING

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine
2/3 cup HERSHEY’S Cocoa
3 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Melt butter. Stir in cocoa. Alternately add powdered sugar and milk, beating to spreading consistency. Add small amount additional milk, if needed. Stir in vanilla. About 2 cups frosting.

(Serves: 10)
•    2 cups white sugar
•    1 cup vegetable oil
•    1/4 cup orange juice
•    2 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
•    4 eggs
•    3 cups all-purpose flour
•    3 teaspoons baking powder
•    1/2 teaspoon salt
•    1 cup chopped nuts
•    Confectioner’s sugar
•    2 cups diced, peeled apples
•    1 tablespoon white sugar
•    1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Filling: Combine apples, 1 tbsp sugar, & cinnamon. Set filling aside.
Cake: Sift together flour, baking powder, & salt. Beat 2 cups sugar, oil, orange juice, vanilla, & eggs at high speed. Stir in sifted ingredients. Fold in nuts. Pour 1/3 of the batter into a greased Bundt or tube pan. Add alternate layers of filling & batter, ending with batter.  Bake at 350o, 55-60 min., till  top springs back. Remove cake from the pan while hot. Cool, and sprinkle with confectioners’ sugar.

(Serves: 10)
•    2 tablespoons butter — melted
•    5 1/2 cups sugar
•    1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
•    1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
•    1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
•    1/2 cup butter
•    2 large eggs
•    1/3 cup milk
•    2 teaspoons vanilla extract
•    2 tablespoons finely chopped pecans
•    1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
•    1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
•    1 1/2 teaspoon salt
•    3 tart apples — peeled, halved, and sliced (3 cups)
Preheat the oven to 350o. Brush the sides of a 8 x 3 1/4-inch spring form pan with the melted butter. Mix together 1/2 cup sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and 1/4 cup flour and sprinkle the mixture evenly over the bottom of the pan. Wrap foil around the pan to prevent leakage. Starting at the outside edge, arrange a ring of apple slices in the pan, slightly overlapping and pointing to the center. Fill in the center with another circle of apples, with some overlap occurring. Layer any remaining apple slices evenly, overlapping to prevent the batter from escaping. With a wooden spoon or electric mixer, beat together the butter and 1 cup sugar. Add the eggs, milk, rum, and vanilla. The batter will look curdled. Add 1 1/4 cups flour, the nuts, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, beating only until the flour is completely incorporated. Pour the batter over the apples and spread evenly. Place the pan on a baking sheet and bake in the middle of the oven until a toothpick inserted in the cake comes out clean, about 70 minutes. Cover with a piece of foil if the top begins to brown too quickly. Let the cake rest in the pan on a rack for 5 minutes, then, using a small, flexible knife, gently separate the sides of the cake from the pan. Invert the cake on the rack, letting it stay in the pan for another 10 minutes, then remove the pan, lifting it up carefully.