White Chocolate Filled Chocolate Cupcakes

I made these for dessert for Christmas dinner with the family.  I wanted you to see a picture without icing so you could see the filling and the plug.  I had some Harry and David Chocolate Cherries and cut them in 1/2 instead of using the maraschino cherries.  I also didn't have enough filling to cover the plug so made some buttercream icing.  I would suggest you just double the filling recipe and after you fill the cupcakes and replace the plug, put the icing back in the refrigerator and then ice the top, not the whole cupcake. This recipe is adapted from Emeril's Kitchen.
Printable Recipe:
https://sites.google.com/site/whatscookingsherry/white-chocolate-filled-cupcakes

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup sifted cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon instant coffee (optional- but Ina Garten would say to use it, Emeril doesn't)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 large egg, cracked into a small cup or saucer
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup hot water
White Chocolate Filling, recipe follows
16 maraschino cherries, garnish


Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly butter 1 (12-cup muffin tin. The recipe actually made about 18 cupcakes when I made them. I used paper liners, so I didn't need to butter the tins.

In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, salt, and coffe if using.  Add remaining ingredients, adding the hot water last. Beat with an electric mixer until smooth. Divide the batter evenly among the greased muffin tin wells.Bake until the cupcakes are puffed and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 20 minutes.

Cool to room temperature in the tins. Run a thin, sharp knife around the sides of the muffin cups to loosen the cupcakes, and carefully lift out. Place the cupcakes on a work surface.

Transfer the white chocolate filling to a pastry bag fitted with a small tip. With a small paring knife, cut a small plug from the top of each cupcake, reserving the plug, and scoop out a hole in the center of each cupcake to hold the filling. Place the tip in the cupcake and pipe in the filling to fill the hole. Replace the plug and place the cupcakes upright. Pipe a small amount of filling on top to hide the plug and top with a cherry.

Arrange the cupcakes on a platter and serve.

White Chocolate Filling:
4 ounces white chocolate, chopped (1/2 cup)
1/4 cup milk
4 ounces cream cheese
1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

In the top of a double boiler, combine the white chocolate and milk. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring, until the chocolate is melted. Let cool to room temperature.

In a bowl, beat the softened cream cheese, and vanilla. Gradually add the cooled chocolate and beat until smooth. Chill in the refrigerator for 2 hours before filling cupcakes. Use to fill the chocolate cupcakes as directed.

Pumpkin Cheesecake

Anything that Paula Deen makes for dessert is awesome. Just keep in mind that her recipes are meant to be served in small pieces unless you are not watching your calories, and if you aren't watching your calories, we can never be best friends. She says that if you ever taste this cheesecake, you will never make pumpkin pie again.  It is good, but I happen to love pumpkin pie.  I'm not a big graham cracker crust fan, so I used vanilla waffers.  


Printable Recipe:
https://sites.google.com/site/whatscookingattheedwards/pumpkin-cheesecake
Crust:
1 3/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
3 tablespoons light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 stick melted butter, salted  I don't use salted butter
Filling:
3 (8oz) packages cream cheese, at room temperature
1 (15oz) can pureed pumpkin
3 eggs plus 1 egg yolk
1/4 cup sour cream
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon fresh ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

For crust:  In a medium bowl, combine crumbs, sugar, and cinnamon. Add melted butter. Press down flat into a 9-inch springform pan. Set aside.

For Filling: Beat cream cheese until smooth. Add pumpkin puree, eggs, egg yolk, sour cream, sugar, and the spices. Add flour and vanilla. Beat together until well combined.

Pour into crust. Spread out evenly and place in 350 degree oven for 1 hour. Remove from the oven and let sit for 15 minutes. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 4 hours.  I feel that I would be safe in saying that Paula would add whipped cream and a little fresh mint to each slice.

Holiday Spice Cake

Jud's birthday is in October and spice cake has always been his favorite cake.  I have tried so many spice cake recipes and this is by far the best I have ever tried.  We took it to Austin to watch the grandkids trick-or-treat and it was a big hit.
You could always color the icing for an orange Halloween pumpkin and decorate it accordingly.  Fall just screams Spice Cake in our house.  Paula Deen from Foodnetwork


Printable Recipe:
https://sites.google.com/site/whatscookingattheedwards/holiday-spice-cake
Ingredients for the Cake:
3 cups cake flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
2 stick butter, softened
2 cups sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 eggs
1 1/4 cups buttermilk
Quick Butter Cream, recipe follows
Finely chopped nuts, for garnish - my children don't like nuts on their cake
cocoa powder, for garnish
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour 3 (8-inch) round cake pans.

In a small mixing bowl whisk together cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, ground nutmeg, ground cinnamon, ground ginger and ground cloves.

Cream the butter, sugar and salt until light and fluffy with an electric mixer. Beat in the eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the dry ingredients and the buttermilk alternately beginning and ending with the dry.

When the batter is well mixed and smooth, divide it amongst the 3 prepared cake pans and bake about 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cakes come out clean. Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes then turn out to cool completely. If the cake layers have domed a little during the baking process, slice off the tops with a long serrated knife so they are flat and even. Mine domed, but I just turned the two bottom layers with the dome down, and the top layer with the dome up.  I also put the cakes in the freezer for about 5 minutes to make icing crumb-free.
Place the first layer, cut side down, on a cake pedestal or serving plate. Spoon about 3/4 cup of butter cream onto the center of the cake. Spread it almost to the very edges with an offset spatula. Repeat with the remaining 2 layers. Garnish the top of the cake with finely chopped nuts and cocoa powder.

Quick Butter Cream Icing:
3/4 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup shortening
pinch of salt
6 cups confectioners' sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup heavy cream
Beat the butter, shortening and salt together until creamy with an electric mixer. Add half of the confectioners' sugar and beat until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Combine the vanilla extract and heavy cream. Gradually beat in the remaining confectioners' sugar alternating with the cream mixture until it is all incorporated and the frosting is very light and fluffy.

Chocoflan

This recipe came from Food Network's Marcela Valladolid

Printable Recipe:
https://sites.google.com/site/whatscookingattheedwards/chocoflan
Ingredients:
12-cup capacity Bundt pan
Softened butter, to coat pan
1/4 cup cajeta or caramel sauce
For the cake:
10 tablespoons butter, room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 egg, room temperature
1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/4 cups buttermilk
For the flan:
1 (12oz) can evaporated milk
1 (14oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
4 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
3 eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
For garnish:
1/4 cup cajeta or caramel sauce
1/4 cup chopped pecans
Directions:
Put the oven rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F.
Coat a Bundt pan with a little butter, then coat the bottom with 1/4 cup cajeta or caramel sauce and put it in a large roasting pan. (The roasting pan will serve as a water bath during baking.)
For the cake: Add the butter and sugar to a bowl and usaing an electric mixer, beat until light and fluffy, then beat in the egg. Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and cocoa in a medium bowl. Beat 1/3 of the flour mixture, and 1/2 of the buttermilk into the egg mixture. Repeat, ending with the flour mixture. Blend until well incorporated. I added 1 teaspoon of instant coffee because some of my favorite cooks from Food Network always add it, and I like the extra flavor.
For the flan: In a blender, combine the evaporated milk, condensed milk, cream cheese, eggs and vanilla. Blend on high for 30 seconds.
Scoop the cake batter into the prepared Bundt pan and spread evenly. Slowly pour the flan mixture over the cake batter. Cover with foil and add about 1-inch of hot water to the roasting pan. If you put the pan in the oven with the Bundt cake pan and add the water after it is in the oven, you won't spill water all over the floor.  This is the voice of experience.
Bake 1 hour, until the surface of the cake is firm to the touch, or an inserted toothpick comes out clean. When cake is done, remove from the water bath and cool completely to room temperature, about 1 hour.  It took mine about 1 hour and 20 min. to be done.
Invert a large, rimmed serving platter over the Bundt pan, grasp tightly together, jiggle a little and flip over. Remove the pan and add the 1/4 cup cajeta on the cake. Garnish with chopped pecans and enjoy.
Cook's Notes: The batters may appear to mix when you pour them into the pan, but they completely separate while baking.with the flan ending up on the bottom when it is inverted. She likes eating it warm, but traditionally, it is chilled 24 hours before serving.

Amaretto Cake

Printable Recipe:
https://sites.google.com/site/whatscookingattheedwards/amaretto-cake

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups chopped almonds - toasted for divided use.
1 package yellow cake mix without pudding
1  3.4 oz instant vanilla pudding
4 eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil I use Canola oil
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup amaretto liquor
1 teaspoon almond extract
--------------------------
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup amaretto
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
Sprinkle 1 cup toasted almonds into the bottom of a well greased and floured 10 inch tube pan; set aside. Combine next 7 ingredients in a mixing bowl. Beat on low spead until dry ingredients are moist. Increase speed to medium and beat 4 minutes. Stir in remaining 1/2 cup almonds. Pour batter into prepared tube pan. Bake 325 degrees 1 hour. Test with a toothpick. Cool 10-15 minutes. Remove from pan and cool completely.
Combine sugar 1/4 cup water and butter in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and gently boil 4-5 minutes. Stir in 1/4 cup amaretto and 1/2 teaspoon almond extract. Punch holes in top of cake and slowly spoon glaze on top of cake, allowing glaze to absorb into cake.

Coconut Cake

Make a white cake mix according to directions on box. Make it in a 9" X 13" cake pan. Punch holes in the cake after it is cooked. I used the end of my whisk. It made big holes, but they will be covered with cool whip. Pour 1 can of sweetened condensed milk over the cake and spread with spatula. Then pour over a can of coconut milk and spread evenly over cake. When cake is completely cooled spread with cool whip and top with coconut.  I toasted my coconut to give it some added flavor. The thing I love about making deserts on Monday or Tuesday is that Jud and I can enjoy it for a couple of days and then I can take it to church, and it will always get eaten.

Cake Balls

This is a very labor intensive dessert, and I'm not sure I will ever make them again. I will take them to church tomorrow night and see how they go-over. This dessert is not for the faint-of-heart or those who are watching their calories. I guess most desserts could fall into that category, but as you look at the recipe, you will see what I mean.  Susi Moore has something I don't have and that is patients. Dipping them in chocolate was very time-consuming and tedious for me. It is possible, though I haven't tried it, to make the cake like normal. Put the icing in the middle of the cake and then pour chocolate over the whole cake.  

Cake Balls dirrections:

Use any cake mix that you want adding melted butter instead of the oil that is called for on the box.  Bake accofding to directions in two round cake pans. Allow it to cool for about 15 minutes and then remove from pan. Cut the hard edges off the cake and crumble ito a large bowl.  Add about 1/2 a container of vanilla or chream cheese frosting.  I think I must have added about 3/4 can of frosting.  Just play with it. It has to be the consistency to make into balls.  Chill the crumbled mixture in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes.  Make into balls about the size of golf balls. I put these on a cookie sheet and allowed them to harden a little in the refrigerator. Take them out and dip them in melted chocolate with 1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil to keep the chocolate smooth. Place the dipped balls on wax paper and allow to harden.

Susi doesn't mention what kind of chocolate she used.  I used the chocolate bark that you find on the baking isle of the grocery store. This didn't need the olive oil.   It wasn't enough so I had to use part of a package of semi-sweet chocolate chips and I used a little olive oil for a smooth consistency.
* The balls where I used the semi-sweet chocolate with extra virgin olive oil did not get hard. The ones where I used the chocolate bark got hard, and we liked those best. They were certainly less messy.

Black Forest Cherry Cake

This week was Randel's 34th birthday and I made one of his favorite cakes. He had a little help from Anthony in blowing out the candles.  This is not a great cake to take somewhere because it needs to stay refrigerated.  I took it w/o the whipped topping, put it in the refrigerator at the restaurant and put it together when we were finished with the meal.  The middle layer didn't have whipped topping because I didn't want to put it on and be in the hot car for the trip to meet the kids in San Marcos.  It comes from Cooking Light 2010


Printable Recipe:
https://sites.google.com/site/whatscookingattheedwards/black-forest-cherry-chocolate-cake

Filling:
2/3 cup sugar
2/3 cup cranberry juice coctail (you could probably use the juice from the canned cherries, but I used the cranberry juice because it was a special occasion and I didn't want to try something new.
1/4 cup water
3 Tablespoons cornstarch2 cans pitted tart cherries in water, drained

Combine the first 4 ingredients in a medium-size saucepan; stir until cornstarch dissolves, stirring constantly.
After this gets thick,(about 1 minute) take it off the heat and add the 2 cans cherries and cool completely.

Cake:
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup nonfat buttermilk
1 cup fat-free milk
1/4 cup canola oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs
Cooking spray
2 cups frozen reduced-fat whipped topping, thawed
1 Tablespoon kirsch (cherry brandy)
1/2 ounce dark chocolate curls.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Combine flour and next 5 ingredients (through salt) in a large bowl; stir with a whisk. Combine buttermilk, milk, oil, vanilla, and eggs in a separate bowl; stir with a whisk. Add buttermilk mixture to sugar/flour mixture. Beat with an electric mixer at medium speed just until well blended (batter will be thin).  Pour batter into 2 (9") cake pans coated with cooking spray. Bake 350 degrees for 40 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 minutes; remove from pans. Cool completely on wire rack.  Place 1 cake layer on a plate, and spoon half of cherry mixture evenly over the top, leaving a 1/4 inch border around edges. Combine whipped topping and kirsch in a small bowl. Spoon 1 cup whipped topping mixture evenly over cherry mixture. Top with remaining cake layer. Spoon remainin 1 1/2 cups cherry mixture onto cake layer, leaving a 2 inch border from the edge of the cake layer. Garnish with chocolate curls. Cover loosely, and chill until ready to serve.

Chet's Rum Cake

The last night we were in Oregon, Chet and Carolyn (our host and hostess) made dinner for us.  Carolyn made poor man's stroganoff, beet salad, and marrinated carrots. Chet made this cake.  The whole meal was amazing. It made leaving Oregon a little easier, but not much.  I will give you the beet and carrot  recipe later.

Printable Recipe:
https://sites.google.com/site/whatscookingattheedwards/chet-s-rum-cake
Ingredients for the cake:
1/2 cup pecans, chopped
1 package butter recipe golden cake mix (18.5 oz.)
1 small package vanilla instant pudding mix (3.4 oz.)
1/2 cup light run (it is white)
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup vegetable cooking oil
4 eggs
Grease and flour a bundt pan. Crumble nuts in the bottom of the pan. Place cake and pudding mixes in a large mixing bowl. Add run, water, oil, and eggs. Mix for 2 minutes. Pour batter into pan and bake at 325 degrees F for 50-60 minutes. Remove cake from oven and immediately pour on the hot rum glaze (recipe follows). Glaze will cause cake to settle. Cool cake in pan for 30 minutes and remove to a serving plate.
Ingredients for Glaze:
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup light rum
1 stick butter
1/4 cup water
Place ingredients in a sauce pan and boil for 2-3 minutes.  Pour over warm cake.

Beatty's Chocolate Cake

I usually make a cake for everyone's birthday in our immediate family. I asked each child and in-law what kind of cake they wanted and wrote it on my calendar. I told them to tell me if they ever change their mind.  Otherwise, that get the same cake every year from me.  Tomorrow we are going to Austin and Stacy is hosting the 30th birthday celebrating in her new home for Juanita.  This is the cake I madefor Juanita's birthday.  I have made it before, and I like it. I'm not sure I made this same cake for her last year, but I know it was chocolate because that is the kind she likes.  The recipe comes from Barefoot Contessa at Home. This has become one of my top favorite cakes.  I use the icing recipe for red velvet cake.

Printable Recipe:
https://sites.google.com/site/whatscookingattheedwards/beatty-s-chocolate-cake
Ingredients:
Butter for greasing the pans
1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour, plus more for pans
2 cups sugar
3/4 cup good cocoa powder (like I might use bad cocoa powder)
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup buttermilk, shaken
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup freshly brewed hot coffee
For the Cake:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter 2 (8") round cake pans. Line with parchment paper, then butter and flour the pans.  Sift the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and mix on low speed until combined. In another bowl, combine the buttermilk, oil, eggs, and vanilla. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry. With the mixer still on low, add the coffee and stir just to combine, scraping the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Pour the batter into the prepared pans and bake for 35 - 40 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean. Cool in the pans for 30 minutes, then turn them out onto a cooking rack and cool completely.
For the icing:
6 oz good semisweet chocolate (recommended: Callebaut) They don't have that at my store
1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 extra-large egg yolk, at room temperature (for the cake, I used 2 eggs + 1 egg white)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
1 Tablespoon instant coffee powder dissolved in 2 teaspoons hot tap water
Chop the chocolate and place it in a heat-proof bowl set over a pan of simmering water (I have a double boiler that I use) Stir just until melted and set aside to cool to room temperature
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium-high speed until light yellow and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the egg yolk and vanilla and continue beating for 3 minutes. Turn the mixer to low, gradually add the confectioners' sugar, then beat at medium speed, scraping down the bowl as necessary, until smooth and creamy. Dissolve the coffee powder in 2 teaspoons of the hottest tap water. On low speed, add the chocolate and coffee to the butter mixture and mix until blended. Don't whip! Spread immediately on the cooled cake.

Blueberry-Raspberry Pound Cake

Stacy and Bodie are coming today so it is no surprise that I am cooking.  I can remember so well when I was younger and would go see my mom she would do the same. Even if I told her I was trying to diet and please don't make any sweets, she wouldn't have it.  Now, I totally understand. Cooking was her way to show me she loved me.  Isn't it funny how we begin to understand our parents as we get older.
This recipe is from Molly Wizenberg, of "A Homemade Life."

Printable Recipe:

https://sites.google.com/site/whatscookingattheedwards/blueberry-raspberry-pound-cake

Ingredients:
2 cups plus 8 Tablespoons cake flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
5 large eggs
1 2/3 cup sugar
2 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, diced, at room temperature
2 Tablespoons kirsch ( I had some cherry brandy and almond liquor so I used 1 T. of each)
1 cup blueberries, rinsed and dried well
1 cup raspberries, rinsed and dried well
Directions:
Set oven rack to the middle position, and preheat to 300 degrees F.
Butter a standard-sized 9-cup Bundt pan and dust it with flour, shaking out any excess. In a medium bowl, whisk together 2 cups plus 6 Tablespoons flour, baking powder, and salt.
In the bowl of a food processor (I used my mixer), blend the eggs and sugar until thick and pale yellow. Add the butter and kirsch, and blend until the mixture is fluffy, about 1 min, stopping once to scrape down the sides of the bowl. If the mixture looks curdled, don't worry. Add the dry ingredients and process to just combined. Do not overmix. The batter should be thick and very smooth. In a large bowl, toss the berries with the remaining 2 Tablespoons flour. Pour the batter over the berries, and using a rubber spatula, gently fold to combine, taking care that all the flour is absorbed. Pour the batter into the prepared Bundt pan, spreading it evenly across the top. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the cake's center comes out clean, 1 hour- 1 1/4 hours. Transfer the cake to a rack, and cool in the pan for 5 minutes. Carefully invert the cake out of the pan onto the rack, and cool for at least 20 minutes before slicing. Serve slightly warm or at room temperature.

Nathan's Lemon Cake

I really enjoyed this cake tonight.  It is very lemony and  refreshing.  It was in May 2008 Cooking Light.

Printable Recipe:
https://sites.google.com/site/whatscookingattheedwards/nathan-s-lemon-cake
Ingredients for cake:
Cooking spray
2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour for baking pans
2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
3 large eggs
1 cup nonfat buttermilk
2 Tablespoons finely grated lemon zest
2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Ingredients for icing:
3 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
1 Tablespoon lemon zest
1/4 cup lemon juice

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Prepare pans by coating 2 round cake pans with cooking spray; line the bottoms of pan with wax paper. Coat wax paper with cooking spray. Dust pan with 2 Tablespoons flour, and set aside.
3. Lightly spoon 2 cups flour into dry measuring cup, and level with a knife. Combine 2 cups flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.; stir with a whisk.
4. Place granulated sugar and 1/2 cup butter in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until well blended (about 5 minutes). Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add flour mixture and non-fat buttermilk alternately to sugar mixture, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Beat in 2 Tablespoons lemon zest and 2 Tablespoons lemon juice
5. Pour batter into prepared pans; sharply tap pans once on counter to remove air bubbles. Bake at 350 degrees for 32 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 minutes on a wire rack; remove from pans. Cool completely on wire rack; remove wax paper from cake layers.
6. To prepare icing, combine powdered sugar and the remaining ingredients in a large bowl. Stir with a whisk until smooth. Place 1 cake layer on a plate; spread 1/2 of icing on top of cake. Top with remaining cake layer. Spread remaining 1`/2 of icing over top of cake. I had enough icing to ice the sides as well.

Steve's Carrot Cake

This recipe was given to me by Merle Mitchell and it fast became my son-in-laws favorite cake. I make it for him on his birthday which is today.  Happy birthday Steve.  He has told me that if I ever think about making a different cake, don't.  We all love this cake and I think of Merle every time I make it.




Printable Recipe:https://sites.google.com/site/whatscookingattheedwards/steve-s-carrot-cake
Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
4 eggs
3/4 cup canola oil
3/4 cup applesauce
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 cups grated carrots (I use the pre-packaged in the produce)
Mix all dry ingredients together. Add oil, eggs, vanilla and carrots. Mix well. Bake in 3 -9" or 8" pans in 350 degree oven for 30 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

Frosting:
1 cup chopped pecans (Some in my family don't like nuts so I leave them out)
1 box powdered sugar
1-8ounce package cream cheese
1 stick butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
Cream cheese and butter. Add sugar, vanilla, and pecans if desired. Mix well.