Carrot Cake recipe

Fish Fillet with Lemon

My First Carrot Cake - A winner!

Spring Carrot Cake with M&M

I guess the nice weather has made me feel like shining my cooking and baking skills -- last night, I made some fish fillets by breading some nice basa fish in egg and flour. Then fried them in shallow pot of oil. Ok, maybe not exactly deep frying. I have always been health conscious when I prepare dinner for my family. I like to watch the amount of oil and salt I use.

Since Easter is this weekend, I decided to bake a rabbit friendly dessert -- carrot cake. I know, that was a bad pun. But it was a coincidence that I had a craving for carrot cake. And I never liked carrot cake -- the thought of a vegetable in a dessert sounded weird. My first attempt -- so far so good. The house smells like it. The ultimate test is the taste....we'll see when I bring the dessert over to mom's. Stay tuned!!!

Carrot cake was moist and yummy...the M&Ms melted and made the orange flavour icing messy. Yes...orange flavour, I decided to fancy up the vanilla whipped topping with some orange rind. You can see the specks of rind in the white icing.

Carrot Cake recipe

Cake

2 cups flour

2 tsp. Magic Baking Powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1 Tbsp. ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg

Dash ground cloves

1/2 tsp. salt

4 eggs

1-1/4 cups oil

2 cups granulated sugar

2 large carrots, shredded (about 2 cups)

1 can (19 fl oz/540 mL) crushed pineapple, well drained

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Icing

1 pkg. (250 g) Philadelphia Brick Cream Cheese, softened

1/4 cup butter, melted

2 cups icing sugar

1/2 tsp. lemon zest

1 tsp. lemon juice

HEAT oven to 350°F.

CAKE:
SIFT together flour, baking powder, baking soda, spices and salt in medium bowl; set aside. Beat eggs and oil in large bowl with whisk until well blended. Gradually add granulated sugar, mixing until blended. Add flour mixture, carrots, pineapple and nuts; mix well. Pour into greased and floured 3-L fluted tube pan or 10-inch tube pan. (I used my 9 inch spring form)

BAKE 50 min. to 1 hour or until toothpick inserted near centre comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 min. Loosen cake from sides of pan with knife. Invert cake onto wire rack; gently remove pan. Cool cake completely.

ICING:
BEAT cream cheese and butter in large bowl with mixer until well blended. Gradually add icing sugar, zest and juice, beating until well blended after each addition. Spread onto cake.

OR Whip up 1 pouch of Dream Whip and spread.

You can also substitute pecans for the walnuts.