Carrot Cake with Spiced Cream Cheese Frosting

The other night my youngest daughter and I were watching Throwdown with Bobby Flay.  It was a carrot cake throwdown, and she was glued to the show.  As soon as the credits rolled, she looked at me with her big blue eyes and said, "Mom, we HAVE to make a carrot cake tomorrow!  It HAS to have cream cheese frosting too!".  How could I say no to that!?!  So, I kept my promise and we made a delicious carrot cake with spiced cream cheese frosting for dessert after Sunday dinner.  All I've heard since that day is, just how good it was and that both of my girls love carrot cake now.  I love that they have great taste!

Carrot Cake with Spiced Cream Cheese Frosting
Serves 12

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp salt
1 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
4 eggs
1 cup sugar
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla
4 cups grated carrots (about 4-5 large carrots)
1/2 cup dried currants or raisins
1 cup chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.  Grease and flour two 9 inch round cake pans.

In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder,baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine applesauce, eggs, sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla.  Mix until the mixture looks light and pale in color, about 3 minutes on med-high speed.  Add 1/3 of the flour mixture and mix until just combined, continue adding flour mixture in thirds until it is just combined. Fold in carrots, currants, and 1/2 cup of the pecans, until thoroughly combined.

Divide batter evenly between prepared pans, and smooth out the tops.  Bake for 40-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Cool in the pans for about 10 minutes, then continue completely cool on a wire rack.

Spiced Cream Cheese Frosting
1 stick of butter, at room temperature
2 8 oz  packages of cream cheese, at room temperature
1 tbsp vanilla
5-6 cups of powdered sugar
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
pinch of salt

In the bowl of  a stand mixer, beat the butter, cream cheese and vanilla until smooth, 3-5 minutes.  Gradually add the powdered sugar, cinnamon, and salt, and beat until light and fluffy, about 7 minutes.

To assemble the cake:
Using a serrated knife, level the tops of each of the cakes so they are flat.  Place one, cut side down on a serving platter.  Spread a generous spoonful of frosting on the first cake, spread evenly.  Place the other cake, right side up, on top and frost the top and sides of the cake.  Decorate with remaining pecans, if desired.  Enjoy!

Adapted from "The Back in the Day Bakery Cookbook"

Dark Chocolate Sorbet (Dairy Free!)

The other night I decided it was time to start making ice cream regularly again.  Last summer I don't think we ever bought any ice cream, but made it fresh weekly.  Narrowing down which flavor to make is always the hardest part for me.  I like them all, from salted caramel, to roasted strawberry and buttermilk, to a deep dark chocolate.  It is so hard to choose.  So, naturally, I put it out onto Facebook, asking my friends to help me decide.
One of my friends, whose son has numerous food allergies, asked if I'd do a dairy free recipe, either with coconut milk/cream or a sorbet with no dairy at all.  I loved that idea, especially since it is Food Allergy Awareness Week!  Dark Chocolate Sorbet was the way to go.  A rich dessert that will leave you satisfied and not missing the milk or cream at all.  Minimal ingredients and super easy instructions make this a great alternative for anyone really!

 

Dark Chocolate Sorbet

Makes 6 servings

2 1/2 cups water

1 1/4 cups sugar

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

3 ozs bittersweet chocolate, chopped fine

2 tbsp vanilla

In a medium saucepan, bring water to a boil.  Stir in the sugar and cocoa powder.  Reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring frequently.  Remove from the heat and add chopped chocolate, and vanilla, stir until chocolate melts.

Pour mixture into a gallon size zip top bag and place in a large bowl filled with ice water. (make sure the bag is completely closed).  Let it sit for 30 minutes to cool completely.

Prepare your ice cream freezer, turn it on, and snip the corner of the zip top bag to pour contents into the, already running ice cream freezer.   Freeze according to manufacturers instructions.  Transfer to a freezer safe container, and freeze for at least 1 hour to set completely.

Enjoy!

Adapted from Cooking Light

Chocolate Dipped Marshmallow Eggs

Easter is my second favorite holiday.  It has a lot to do with the promise of spring after a long cold winter.  Being able to wear sundresses, and sandals again.  And of course the candy, Easter candy is, well, YUM!  I remember making marshmallow eggs as far back as I can actually remember.  It is one  tradition that I had to carry on with my own family.  It is sticky, and really messy, but oh so worth it.

How to Create the Molds
Fill 3 9x13 pans with an inch and a half to two inches of flour.  Level it off with a knife, chopstick, spatula, or even a drinking straw.  Take an egg, real or plastic and press it into the flour to make indentations.  You'll get about 12 per pan.  Be careful to not bump the pans and loosen the molds.  Set them aside until they are needed later.

Marshmallow Eggs
2 Envelopes of Unflavored Gelatin (Knox Gelatin)
1/2 cup Cold Water
3/4 cup Hot Water
1 cup Corn Syrup, divided
2 cups Sugar
1 tsp Vanilla

Mix together the unflavored gelatin and cold water until gelatin has dissolved.  Let it stand for 5 minutes.

In a large heavy saucepan combine the hot water, 1/2 cup corn syrup, and sugar.  Bring to a rolling boil.  Cook until it reaches soft ball stage using water test method. Remove pan from the heat and add the remaining corn syrup and gelatin/water mixture.  Pour into a stand mixer or using a hand mixer beat on high for 10 minutes (it must be 10 minutes!  Trust me on this one.  It will not set up correctly if you don't beat it for the full 10 minutes.  And you'll end up with marshmallow sludge).  Stir in the vanilla.

Pour into prepared molds. Makes about 36 marshmallow eggs.  Let them sit overnight to fully set, then tap the excess flour off (and trim some of the excess off, I use scissors or kitchen shears for this part, super fast and easy and a bit more control) and dip into melted chocolate.  Place them on wax paper or parchment paper until chocolate has set. You can also decorate them using sprinkles (applied before the chocolate has set) or colored chocolate piped on using cake decorating bags.  Enjoy, and hope that there are some left to stick in the Easter baskets.

Dora's Hot Fudge

I truly believe there are people placed in our lives for a reason. People who help to mold us into the person we are destined to become. Dora, for me, is one of those wonderful people.  Dora is our neighbor at our previous home.  We lived there for 7 years.  It just became tradition to go every Sunday evening and share dessert, whether it was something I'd whipped up or just a bowl of ice cream covered in Dora's amazing Hot Fudge.  We often found ourselves chatting into the night when we all should have been in bed.  She is a wonderful cook, and shared many recipes with me.  This one is by far one of my favorites.

Dora's Hot Fudge
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/2 cup butter
1 can (12 oz) evaporated milk
1 tsp vanilla

Stir sugar and cocoa in a medium saucepan, add butter and continue to stir over low heat until melted, mix well.  Add evaporated milk gradually, and stir well.  Bring to a boil and cook for 4 minutes, stirring continually to keep from burning.  Remove from burner and add vanilla.  Stir to combine.   Store in the refrigerator.  (I've found it works best to store in a mason jar, easy to reheat that way) Enjoy.

Mint Brownies

St. Patrick's Day at our house is taken quite seriously. I spent the week sewing green dresses and making green necklaces for my two girls.  We started the day with Green Apple Pie waffles, then had lunch on Rainbow Bread (watch for the recipe tomorrow), and finished off the day with a very traditional St. Patrick's Day meal, Corned Beef and Cabbage, Boiled Potatoes, and Irish Soda Bread.   We finished off the meal with Mint Brownies, one of my absolute favorites.

I took a few different recipes and combined my favorite aspects of each to create these decedent, fudgy, and perfectly minty brownies that sent the meal right over the top.

Mint Brownies
Makes a 9x13 pan

Brownies
4 squares unsweetened baking chocolate (4 ozs)
1 cup butter (2 sticks)
4 eggs
2 cups sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/4 cups flour
1/2 tsp baking powder

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.  Lightly spray a 9x13 pan with cooking spray and set aside. 

Chop the unsweetened chocolate and butter into chunks and place both in a microwave safe bowl.  Microwave for 30 second intervals, stirring in between each interval, until just melted and smooth.  Set aside to cool, stirring occasionally.

In the bowl of a stand mixer (you can also use a hand mixer) beat eggs, sugar, and vanilla for 2 minutes.  While mixer is running, slowly pour melted chocolate mixture into egg mixture and beat to combine.  Combine the flour and baking powder then add to chocolate mixture, and mix until just combined.  Pour the batter into a prepared pan and bake for 20-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. 

Cool completely on a metal rack.  When brownies are cool, prepare the frosting.
 
Frosting
1/4 cup butter, room temperature
1 pkg (8ozs) Neufchatel cheese, room temperature
1 tsp mint extract
4 drops green food coloring
4 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream

In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat butter, and neufchatel cheese until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.  Add mint extract and food coloring, mix to combine.  Add powdered sugar and beat until combined, then drizzle in the cream while the mixer continues.  Whip for 3 more minutes.  Spread evenly over the cooled brownies.

Chocolate Ganache
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

In a double boiler melt chocolate, stir in whipping cream.  Continue stirring until well combined.  Cool to room temperature and pour over the mint layer and spread evenly.  Let the brownies sit in a cool area to allow for the ganache to set up.  


I found that the biggest challenge with these wonderful brownies is eating just one.  My oldest came to me tonight and asked for a second brownie.  I told her I was still to full from dinner to even watch her eat it, and she replied, "Mom, I will hide in the kitchen and eat it so you don't have to watch me".  How could I say no to that.  Hope your St. Patrick's Day was lucky, and full of tasty treats!

Recipe adapted from Our Best Bites and Culinary.net

Ice Cream Pie

March 14, international Pi day. I wanted to treat my family to something yummy, but didn't want to bake a pie, more so I didn't want to make a crust today. We decided on the next best thing...  Ice Cream Pie.  Easy, delicious, and a huge hit with the kids.

Ice Cream Pie
1/2 container (half gallon size) of your favorite ice cream
1/2 container (8 oz size) cool whip, thawed
prepared pie crust, graham cracker, shortbread, or chocolate

Allow the ice cream to soften.  In a large bowl, stir together the ice cream and cool whip.  Spread it in the prepared pie crust and smooth out the top.  cover and place in the freezer to set (at least 2 hours).

When serving slice pie into 8 slices, top each with your choice of toppings, and enjoy.

My kids told me this was the best pie they'd ever eaten.  They loved it!  As I'm sure you will too!

Home made Salt Water Taffy

Sunday night is our "treat night". We don't do many desserts during the week, but Sunday is our day to splurge. Tonight we decided to do something really fun and "pull" taffy with the girls. This is something I remember doing a lot as a kid. And after tonight I have to give my mom a lot of credit for keeping 6 kids (and sometimes friends too) all pulling taffy without getting it everywhere. My girls gave up after a few minutes, and just ate the taffy that had stuck to their fingers. The hubs did pretty well, but had me finish it off when my portion was pulled and done. Taffy is so easy to make, pretty quick too, but the most time is spent pulling,and pulling, and pulling to get the air into the taffy and change it from clear to opaque. Just make sure you have plenty of butter on your hands, and some extra to replace it as you go, get comfy and pull :)

Home Made Salt Water Taffy
2 cups sugar
2 tbsp corn syrup
2 tbsp butter
1/2 cup white vinegar*
1/8 tsp cream of tartar
1/4 tsp salt
In a heavy saucepan (I use a 4 quart saucepan) combine all six ingredients. Stir until the sugar is dissolved. Cook it on medium high heat  until it reaches hard ball stage (determined with the water test*).  Remove from heat and stir in flavoring of choice, we used 1/2 tbsp root beer extract and it was so yummy!.  Pour it onto a well buttered cookie sheet and let it cool until it is luke warm, or cool enough to handle.  Divide the taffy into 4 pieces and stretch/pull until taffy turns from dark and clear to light and opaque (it will still be a bit shiny).  Form it into ropes and cut into pieces with scissors.  Wrap in wax paper squares or caramel wraps.  Enjoy!

*for a less strong vinegar bite use 1/4 cup vinegar and 1/4 cup water.