Monday, March 10, 2008

PS...

giving away the carrot cake does not ensure a bathing suit ready body...
it just will help it not get worse. Being a Baker (as I am now, see entry below)
means extra exercise and self disipline... This means squats while brushing teeth
and planks behind the counter at the store :)

Easter means Carrot Cake???

. . . and, we should celebrate Easter all month, right????
Lastweek I made Carrot Cake... my FAVORITE CAKE and had to give all
but 2 slices away (against Scott's wishes) so I can wear a bathing suit in Florida next week. I do have to say, I could have eaten it all... SO YUMMY!!!



Carrot Cake- a variation of a Cooking Light Recipe!
1 cup pineapple crushed and juice
5 cups shredded carrot (about 1 pound)
1/2 cup walnut
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs
2 large egg whites
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup golden raisins
Cooking spray


Frosting:
1 cup sifted powdered sugar
chilled 1 (8-ounce) block 1/3-less-fat cream cheese chilled
1/2 cup crushed pineapple
Preheat oven to 350°.
Combine carrot, pineapple and granulated sugar in a bowl.
Beat the brown sugar and butter with a mixer at medium speed until well-blended (about 2 minutes). Add applesauce, 1 teaspoon vanilla; beat until well-blended (about 2 minutes). Add eggs and egg whites, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition (batter will have a slightly curdled look).

Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups, and level with a knife. Combine flour and next 5 ingredients (flour through salt); stir well with a whisk. Add brown sugar mixture to flour mixture, stirring just until moist. Fold in carrot mixture and raisins (batter will be very thick). Spoon batter into a 13 x 9-inch baking pan coated with cooking spray.
Bake at 350° for 40 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center of cake comes out clean. Cool completely on a wire rack.

To prepare the frosting, beat the powdered sugar, pineapple and cheese with a mixer at low speed just until well-blended (do not overbeat). Spread the frosting over the cake; cover and chill 1 hour.

Tuesday, March 4, 2008

It's all about 3!

The first dessert made as a BAKER- Chocolate Cheese Cake!


So easy, this recipe was on the back of the chocolate package:
3 eggs
3 packages of cream cheese
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 table spoon of vanilla
1 package of bittersweet chocolate
13 chocolate cookies (I did sugar free oreos)
3/4 tablespoon of butter, melted

Crush cookies into melted butter. Place in bottom of 9 inch spring form pan. Preheat oven to 325.

Melt chocolate in microwave or double boiler. Allow to cool. Beat cream cheese, vanilla and sugar in your STAND UP MIXER :) slowly add eggs, one at a time.

Bake in a water bath for 55 minutes on 325.
Allow to cool overnight for best results!

If one has Stand Mixer and Spring Form Pans, Is she a Baker?

I think so!
Three months down and officially a baker... as of last weekend that is!
I am now the proud owner of a stand mixer. Yes, it is true.
Thanks to Miss Betty Allen Hall (Scott's Mom) I now own the tool that
I feel makes me ligitamately a baker. Her husband bought her one and she
has her mom's original SunBeam. . . and so the story goes. Looks like Scott
is off the hook for a little while in the Kitchen Aid department!