A DOUBLE ANNIVERSARY

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This past week was my 26th wedding anniversary.  Yea, I know, I am too young to be married 26 years (not young at all).  Today marks 3 years of blogging.

 

This blog has been a vehicle for documenting many celebrations, triumphs, and my families achievements through the heart and soul of the food that I create.  Sitting down together as a family and eating a meal, or baking a cake with Levi as he stands on his tippie toes on the step stool in order to reach the mixer, is what brings us all together.  Food unites us.  And food has united me with a group of people and a community I had no idea existed three years ago.

Cheers to 26 years of marriage, 3 years of blogging, and many more happy celebrations together.

Classic Carrot Cake Cupcakes
adapted from here
yield: 28 cupcakes or 1 double layer 8″ round cake

ingredients:
for the cake:
2 cups organic white sugar or sucanat
1 1⁄2 cups coconut oil
3 eggs
2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. fine salt
1  8-oz. can crushed pineapple, undrained
7 oz. shredded, unsweetened coconut
1 cup finely chopped pecans, toasted
2 tsp. vanilla extract
3 large carrots, trimmed and finely shredded (about 2.5 cups)

for the frosting:
3-4 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
1 lb. cream cheese, room temperature
10 Tbsp.(5 oz) salted butter, room temperature
1 tsp. vanilla extract

instructions:
• preheat oven to 350*.
• spray 2 8″ round cake pans and dust with flour. or line 2-3 muffin trays with paper liners (if using the white solo cups, spray the cups a bit for easy removal upon eating).
• in a large mixing bowl, whisk the sugar, oil, and eggs until well combined.
• add the whole wheat pastry flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt.
• add the pineapple with the juice, coconut, pecans, vanilla, and grated carrots and mix to combine with a rubber spatula.
• divide the batter between the two cake pans.  if making cupcakes, using an ice cream scooper, place one scoop in each paper liner.
• bake the cake for 50-55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
• bake the cupcakes for 25-30 minutes or until the tops are golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean.
• while the cakes/cupcakes are cooling, make your frosting.
• using your mixer with the paddle attachment, cream the cream cheese and the butter until well combined.  add your vanilla and mix. slowly add your confectioners sugar, one cup at a time, until you get the consistency that you like(I like mine a bit thicker, so I always use more sugar).
• using an offset spatula, frost your cake or cupcakes! I like to let mine sit in the fridge a bit before eating – but you may not be able to resist.  let the kids lick the spatula!

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