Yummy Carrot Cake Loaves

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Will surprised me on Sunday afternoon by baking up 2 Carrot Cake Loaves, complete with Cream Cheese Frosting!

It's a recipe I found in an old Better Homes and Gardens magazine that I've adapted. What I love about it is the cakes are baked in loaf pans. That means, 1 for now, and another loaf you can pop in the freezer and pull out (any time you want!) or when unexpected company shows up!

What a cutie . . . And so serious about blowing out the candles!

I made this for John Isaac's 3rd birthday, with pineapple rings decorating the top, and candles in the center of each ring. John loved his birthday cake, and so did we!

This April John will be turning 9! It's fun to have a "big boy" to play Mario Kart with, but I miss the baby John Isaac!

Golden loaves of sweet perfection!

YUMMY CARROT CAKE

4 eggs

3/4 cup butter

2 1/2 cups unbleached flour

1 tablespoon finely shredded lemon peel

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 lb. carrots, cut up

1 cup pecans

1 1/2 cups pure cane sugar (I always make this measurement scant)

1/2 an 8 oz. package of cream cheese (Philadelphia)

1 8 oz. can of crushed pineapple (juice packed) drained

1 recipe Cream Cheese Frosting - 4 oz. cream cheese, 1/4 cup butter- softened, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, 2 3/4 cups of powdered sugar.

Fresh or canned pineapple slices, drained, for decorating top, optional

 

• Allow eggs, butter, and cream cheese to stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, grease the bottoms and 1-inch up the sides of two 8 x 4 x 2 loaf pans. Set pans aside.
• Preheat oven to 350F.
• In a large bowl whisk together: flour, baking powder, lemon peel, and salt; set aside.
• In a food processor bowl: Process carrots with pulsing until finely chopped.
• Add pecans and 1/2 cup of sugar; process until pecans are finely chopped. If you don't have a food processor, finely grate carrots, finely chop pecans, stir in carrot with the pineapple. Add all the sugar to the flour mixture and stir pecans into flour mixture.
• In an extra large mixing bowl, beat butter and cream cheese for 30 seconds; beat in eggs, one at a time, until combined.
• Stir in carrot mixture and drained, crushed pineapple into sugar mixture until combined.
• Stir in flour mixture.
• Divide batter evenly among prepared loaf pans.
• Bake 50 to 55 minutes, or until a wooden toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.
• Cool loaves in pans on wire rack 10 minutes before removing from pans; cool completely.
• Cream Cheese Frosting- In a large mixing bowl, combine cream cheese, butter, and vanilla; beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in 2 3/4 cups of powdered sugar.
• Frost with cream cheese frosting. Serve immediately of may be covered and stored in the fridge for 3 days.
• Just before serving, top with pineapple rings.

It would have been nice to show you a slice of YUMMY CARROT CAKE sitting pretty on a plate, but we just couldn't wait!

I've been spending most of my time outside, these days, working in the garden, and trying to keep up with the weeds all over our 3 acres! Maybe that's why Will is in the kitchen . . . maybe he misses the little sweets I usually make for him?

Anyway, I'm rather enjoying the new baker in my kitchen, and his delicious treats . . . Over at Julie's!!!

 

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