Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese/Pecan Frosting

Updated and republished February 2020

I love, love, love Carrot Cake!  I'm originally a "Northern" gal, so I wasn't introduced to Carrot Cake until I was married, and we were stationed in Duluth, Minnesota (my husband was in the US Air Force). It was there I met a transplanted "Southern" gal, Becky Rhine, who introduced me to Carrot Cake! 

Since then I have had all kinds, with pineapple and coconut, without pineapple and coconut, with raisins, without raisins, but I must say this simpler version is my favorite.

I add pecans and sometimes Golden Raisins if I have them, but they are optional. The cake is very soft and moist and the frosting delicious. Naturally, I think this cake is best when using fresh carrots from your local Farmers Market or family farm, but of course you absolutely can use carrots from your local grocer.

RECIPE
Ingredients
4 eggs
1 1/4 cups vegetable oil
2 cups white sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
3 cups grated carrots

1 cup chopped pecans (optional)
1 cup Golden raisins (optional)

Frosting
1/4 cup butter, softened
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
2 cups confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1-2 tsp cream 

1/2 cup flaked coconut (optional)
*Double frosting recipe if making this as a layer cake

Method

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 9 x 13-inch pan.

In a large bowl, beat together eggs, oil, white sugar and 2 teaspoons vanilla. Mix in flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Stir in carrots, fold in pecans and spoon into prepared pan.

Bake in the preheated oven for 40 to 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Let cool in pan completely.

To Make Frosting: In a medium bowl, combine butter, cream cheese, confectioners' sugar, 1-2 teaspoons cream, and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Beat until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Stir in chopped pecans and coconut (if using). Frost the cooled cake.

Enjoy,
Mary

© Cooking with Mary and Friends. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Cooking with Mary and Friends with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

Apple Butter Cake

Ooooo laaaa laaaaaa!  Apple Butter Cake with homemade Apple Butter is so moist, tender and delicious! Chock full of apple butter, raisins and pecans, it makes a wonderful snack cake for after-school or anytime. 

Recipe

Ingredients
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cup apple butter (easy to make crockpot recipe)
1 1/4 cup sugar
2/3 cup shortening
1/3 cup milk
2 eggs
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1 cup dark seedless raisins (or golden raisins or craisins)
1/2 cup pecans, chopped (could also use walnuts)

Method
Preheat oven to 350. Grease and flour a 13 x 9-inch baking pan. Measure all ingredients into a large mixing bowl, except raisins and nuts.

With mixer at low speed, beat until well-mixed, scraping bowl with spatula. Beat at high speed for 3 minutes, occasionally scraping bowl. Stir in raisins and nuts. Pour batter into pan. 

Bake for 40 to 45 minutes. Cake is done when a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Cool cake in pan or on wire rack.

Note: Can also be baked in 2 loaf pans if preferred

Frosting
4 tbls. butter
4 tbls. cream cheese
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 tbls milk
2 cups confectioner's sugar
Beat butter, cream cheese and vanilla until creamy. Slowly beat in 3 tbls milk until smooth and creamy. Add confectioner's sugar and beat on high speed until smooth. Spread frosting on cake.  Makes enough frosting for a 13 x 9-inch cake.  Double recipe if more frosting is desired.

Enjoy,
Mary

© Cooking with Mary and Friends Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Cooking with Mary and Friends with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

Italian Cream Cake

I love, love, love this cake! It makes an awesome presentation as a 3-layer delight, but it's just as tasty as a 13 x 9 sheet cake. No matter how you bake it, it's a hit every time I serve it.

Used to be I made this cake all the time, and we couldn't keep it in the house.  Now, with just my husband and myself at home, it's easier to make as a sheet cake, then he can easily bring some to work to share with the staff.

RECIPE
Ingredients
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup oil
5 eggs, separated
1 tsp baking soda
1 cup buttermilk (make your own by adding 1 tbsp. lemon juice or vinegar to the milk)
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup flaked coconut
1 tsp vanilla extract

Method
Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Cream sugar, shortening and oil. Add egg yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir baking soda into buttermilk; add alternately with flour to batter. Mix until well beaten. Fold in coconut.

Beat egg whites and fold into mixture; add vanilla.

Pour into 3 greased and floured 9-inch pans or one 13 x 9-inch pan.

Bake layers in 350 oven 25 minutes; bake sheet cake 35-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

Cool cake layers before frosting.

Frosting
One 8-oz package cream cheese
1/2 cup butter
One 1-pound box confectioners sugar
1-1/2 cups chopped pecans
1 tsp. vanilla extract
May need to add 1 Tbsp milk for desired consistency

Cream cheese and butter; gradually beat in sugar. Add pecans and flavorings.  This makes a lot of frosting. Cut recipe in 1/2 for sheet cake.

Enjoy,
Mary

© Cooking with Mary and Friends. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Cooking with Mary and Friends with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

Pumpkin Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Updated October 2019 

Oooo I just love Fall and all the yummy things you can make with fall produce!  

Pumpkins, squash, sweet potatoes, apples and more all come to mind when I think "fall" and this pumpkin cake has to be one of my all-time favorites ... easy to do, and so yummy! 

It's a hit every time I serve it. No mixer required; simply mix it all up in a large bowl and stir it with a spoon until all the ingredients are incorporated.

RECIPE
Ingredients

2 cups of All-Purpose Flour
½ tsp. of Salt
2 tsp. of Cinnamon
1 tsp. Nutmeg
1½ tsp. of Baking Soda
2 cups of Pumpkin puree (not pie filling)
2 tsp. of Baking Powder
2 cups of Sugar
1 cup of Oil
4 Large Eggs

Note: At this point, you should also set out the cream cheese and butter needed for the icing as those ingredients will need time to soften.

this recipe makes a tube pan, bundt pan or 13 x 9-inch pan.

Method
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Combine all of the above ingredients in a large bowl. Mix together thoroughly until entirely moistened and well-blended.

Lightly grease and flour your baking pan (I use Baker's Joy baking spray). Pour your cake batter into the prepared pan.

Bake 13 x 9 - inch pan for 35-40 minutes and tube or bundt pan for 45-60 minutes, or until you can insert a toothpick and pull it out clean.

Let the cake cool in the pan for 20 minutes. Then, remove it from the pan and allow it to cool on a cooling rack for one more hour.
 
Ingredients for Frosting
4 oz. of Cream Cheese
1/2 cup chopped pecans (optional)
⅓ cup of Butter
½ tsp. of Vanilla
1½ cups of Confectioner's Sugar

Note: This recipe can easily be doubled if you want a thicker layer of frosting.

Method
Beat the cream cheese and butter in a medium-size bowl. Add the vanilla and confectioner's sugar. Mix until smooth. Spread the frosting onto the cake.

Enjoy,
Mary

© Cooking with Mary and Friends Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Cooking with Mary and Friends with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

Zucchini Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Delicious, moist cake.  Perfect way to use up some summer fresh zucchini!

Recipe

Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. baking powder
3 tsp. ground cinnamon
3 eggs
1 cup vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups white sugar
2 cups grated zucchini
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

Method
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease one 13 x 9-inch baking pan.

Combine eggs, oil, sugar, grated zucchini, and vanilla. Beat until well mixed. Stir in the flour, baking soda, salt, baking powder, and cinnamon and mix until just combined. Stir in the chopped nuts. Pour batter into prepared pan.

Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.

Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe:
1/4 cup butter, softened
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
2 cups confectioners' sugar
1-2 tsp cream or milk
Beat well until of spreading consistency.


Enjoy,
Mary