Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe

I love carrot cake!  It is one of my favorite cake flavors.  My husband requested a carrot cake for his birthday celebration, so I was very happy and eager to make it for him and his family.  As I was making this cake for Bill {with a huge smile on my face}, I was thinking back in my baking memories.  This is the first carrot cake I have ever made.  I have helped my mother and sister make one in the past, but I had never made my own. 

P.S. This cake went so fast I was lucky to get these two photos.  I apologize for the poor photos, but don't judge a book by its cover.  This cake is delicious! 

Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe

Recipe from Betty Crocker's Cookbook

Preheat oven 350^o

Carrot Cake

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 cup vegetable oil

3 large eggs

 2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 cups shredded carrots (5 medium)

1 cup coarsely chopped nuts (optional)

8 ounce can crushed pineapple, drained (optional)

Grease bottom and sides of 2 round cake pans, with shortening & flour.  I also cut out parchment paper to put at the bottom of my cake pans for easy cake removal. 

Beat sugar, oil and eggs in large bowl with electric mixer on low speed about 30 seconds or until blended.  Add remaining ingredients except carrots, nuts, and pineapple; beat on low speed for 1 minute.  Next, stir in carrots, nuts, and pineapple.  Pour batter equally into the two cake pans.

Bake cake rounds for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.  Cool pans on wire racks for 10 minutes, remove cakes from pans to wire racks.  Cool completely before frosting

Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe

1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup butter or stick margarine

2 to 3 teaspoons milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

4 cups powdered sugar

Beat cream cheese, butter, milk and vanilla in medium bowl with electric mixer on low speed until smooth

Gradually beat in powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, on low speed until smooth and spreadable.  Frost first round, then layer the second cake on top and finish frosting.  Store frosted cake or any remaining frosting in the refrigerator. 

Strawberry & Cream Cheese Stuffed French Toast Recipe

I love when birthdays fall on the weekends.  That means that a fun breakfast can be included into the festivities!  My husband celebrated his birthday on the 14th, and that meant a special breakfast for him to wake up to.  I love to add new twists on the traditional breakfast foods.  For Bill's birthday, I decided to add a smooth cream cheese and sweet strawberry 'stuffing' to french toast. 

The stuffed french toast was assembled like a sandwich, spreading cream cheese on both sides of the bread to hold everything together.  If you don't have strawberries on hand any other fruit would work well; blueberries, raspberries, banana, apple, pears, etc. 

Strawberry & Cream Cheese Stuffed French Toast Recipe

Serves 2

3 eggs

1 teaspoon of milk

2 teaspoon cinnamon

2 teaspoon vanilla

4 slices of bread

4 ounces of cream cheese

5 large strawberries, sliced

1 teaspoon powdered sugar, plus extra for dusting

Grease and heat a griddle pan. 

In a bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, 1 tsp. cinnamon and 1 tsp. vanilla.  Set aside.

In a small bowl, combine with a fork the cream cheese, 1 tsp. cinnamon, 1 tsp. vanilla, 1 tsp. powdered sugar.  Spread mixture onto all 4 slices of bread.  On two slices, place the strawberries in a single layer on top of the cream cheese mixture.  Place the extra slice of bread, cream cheese side down, on top of the strawberries and gently push them together. 

Dip the stuffed bread into the egg mixture, coating both sides, and place on the hot griddle.  Cook each side until golden brown, about 2-3 minutes per side.

Serve immediately sprinkled with powdered sugar. 

Tips:

      1)  Feel free to double this recipe if you want to make it for more people.  The measurements are flexible and you can make it to your taste.

      2)  We used whole wheat bread, but this would be just as good with white, brioche, challah, or your favorite type of bread

     3) As mentioned above, feel free to mix and match any of your favorite fruits to this recipe.