Cake # 12 Carrot Cake with Orange Frosting

So carrot cake is a first for me. I have never tried it before, and I never thought I would try it. I guess it is the idea of putting a vegetable into something sweet that confuses me. But after tasting the batter, I understood why people love carrot cake. To me, it tastes very similar to a spice cake, which is a flavor I can get down with. I think that I have mentioned once or twice before on this blog that I actually don't like cake. I know it seems stupid to make something every week for 2 years that you don't like. I feel like I have to explain myself. I love to bake,Ted loves cake,Ted bought me this recipe book for Christmas, challenge started. (There is some asyndeton for all you rhetoric lovers out there). It is not that I hate cake, I don't. I simply would prefer candy or a brownie or a cookie, or ice-cream cake to a regular cake. Anyway, I tried a bite of this cake (as I do with all of the cakes I make) and it tasted so good that I ended up eating a whole piece! A first for me in this baking adventure. I guess even Bugs Bunny would be proud.

Ted actually shredded all of the carrots for me, which was so helpful because by the time he finished that I had prepared the rest of the batter and the icing! Evie wanted to help too- she helped me mix the batter with this cake- well sort of - she really took the spatula out of my hand and waved it up into the air, flinging bits of carrot cake batter with it. I love the weekends for that reason. Getting out of the chaos that is work and spending time with someone who delights in everything. I know that she will lose that curiosity and awe of the world and its things as she ages, but it is a beautiful thing to be a part of now.

I made my own frosting again with this cake. It is an orange flavored frosting with a cream cheese base. It also contained orange juice, orange rind, and powdered sugar. The cake itself, besides calling for a cup and a half of shredded carrots, contained: butter, brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, ginger, eggs, orange juice, and pecans.

My husband loves carrot cake and I know there is at least one or two members of his department that enjoy it too- we have to get all of this cake out of my house! We still have cake left over from Evalyn's first Birthday. So plan on cake at work on Monday friends. 

Here is the book's picture of the cake:

 Here is my cake whole -and then without the piece I ate!

Next week I am making a Honey & Poppy seed Ring cake- sounds like my kind of cake....because it is not too cakey! See you then.