United Layers of Carrot Cake . . .

I don't know about you, but carrot cake sure seems like a distinctly American dessert to me. Despite the fact that carrots have for centuries been used in just about every conceivable culinary form, I want to believe that the modern carrot layer cake, blanketed in cream cheese frosting, stands tall as an American invention. Having moved beyond trendiness decades ago, the lofty treat has become a classic fixture on menus from coast to coast. A really good carrot cake is not something to be disregarded. A really good carrot cake is, on the contrary, something to be revered.

Famed Cake Love bakery owner Warren Brown, in his fun (and whimsically designed) cookbook, United Cakes of America, offers up a carrot cake recipe that I found pretty intriguing. One of its unique aspects involves mixing the shredded carrots with sugar and then letting them sit for a while to drain. I don't recall ever before seeing a carrot cake recipe that suggested doing that, but I don't think I'll ever make a carrot cake again that doesn't require this step.

It allows some of the excess juice to drain off while the carrots take on the sugar's sweetness. On top of that, the recipe calls for a relatively small amount of carrots--only 3/4 of a cup, which I also liked. Often, it seems to me, cakes featuring one particular ingredient (carrots, beets, bananas, etc.) tend to go overboard in its use. Not so in this case.

Though I made several small adjustments to Brown's recipe, rewriting it in the process, I tried to keep with the spirit of his formula. One ingredient that undoubtedly makes his cake special, and that I unfortunately did not have on hand, was dried, chopped pineapple; I decided to substitute moist raisins instead, knowing that my husband likes them. Also, Brown calls for 1/4 cup of whole wheat flour; instead of regular whole wheat I opted to use white whole wheat flour, which is somewhat lighter and fluffier. Brown's version calls for the use of no spices at all. Though I found that omission interesting, I decided to add in a modicum of cinnamon, a dab of ground ginger, and a scant pinch of allspice. I also reduced the amount of chopped nuts in the batter from 1 cup to 3/4 cup.

This cake also differs from the norm in that it's not as super-moist and heavy as most typical carrot cakes seem to be. It's not oil-saturated, if you know what I mean. It uses a combo of melted butter along with a little oil, and it produces a carrot cake that, texturally, won't necessarily weigh you down the way some of them are bound to do. It has nice chewy bits of carrot and coconut. It's just really good. 

I also think it's a cake that tastes best after being frosted and spending at least a day in the fridge. Gives the flavors a nice chance to mingle before serving. (Oh, and before I forget . . . you won't need your mixer to make the cake batter, but you will need it for the frosting.)

Carrot Layer Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

(For a printable version of this recipe, click here!)


Wet ingredients:
3/4 cup shredded carrots (I grated mine small, using a hand grater, and used well cleaned but unpeeled organic carrots.)
3/4 cup granulated sugar (Brown recommends superfine sugar, so use that if you want to.)
1 and 1/2 sticks (6 oz.) unsalted butter, melted
3 Tbsp. vegetable oil (I used canola oil.)
5 large eggs, lightly beaten

Dry ingredients:
1 cup granulated sugar (Again, Brown suggests superfine sugar; use that if you like.)
1/2 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
2 cups all-purpose flour (I used unbleached.)
1/4 white whole wheat flour (Brown suggests regular whole wheat flour, but white whole wheat is lighter and has the same nutritional value.)
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt (I used 1 generous tsp. of kosher salt.)
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground ginger
1 scant pinch allspice
1 cup coconut, dried, unsweetened, and finely shredded (This "dessicated" coconut can be found in health food stores; look there if you can't find it in the grocery store. If you can't find this, you can still use sweetened coconut, but chop it finely before adding it to the batter.)

3/4 cup walnuts or pecans, chopped small
1 cup raisins (Use moist raisins to start with, or soak your raisins in warm water for about 15 minutes then drain them thoroughly before adding to the batter.)


For the cream cheese frosting:

16 oz. of cream cheese at room temperature (Definitely use a thick, rich brand like Philadelphia.)
3/4 of a stick (3 oz.) of unsalted butter, softened
2 tsp. vanilla extract
4 cups (about 16 oz.) confectioners' sugar
1 very scant pinch of fine-grain salt (Add this if you like. I think it helps cut the sweetness.)

*****

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease two 9" round baking pans. Line them with circles of parchment paper, and then lightly grease the parchment.

Mix the carrots and 3/4 cup of sugar in a medium size bowl and dump them into a sieve or colander. Set it over the bowl and let this drain while you prepare the rest of the batter. You'll end up discarding the drained juice.

In a medium size bowl, whisk together the melted butter, oil, and lightly beaten eggs.

In a large bowl, stir together the granulated sugar, light brown sugar, all purpose flour, white whole wheat flour, baking powder, salt, spices, coconut, and chopped nuts.

In a small bowl, stir together the raisins and carrots.

Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the wet ingredients (butter, oil, eggs). Stir well to combine. Toss in the raisin and carrot mixture, stirring just to blend evenly.

Divide the batter between the two prepared pans and smooth it out with an offset spatula or the back of a large spoon.

Bake for about 30 to 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the top comes out mostly clean. Don't overbake; the sides of the cake should just be starting to pull away from the sides of the pan. Cool the cakes in their pans, on a rack, to room almost temperature. Invert them onto racks and peel off the parchment paper. Let them finish cooling completely before assembling with frosting.

To make the frosting:

In the large bowl of your mixer, on medium speed, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Add in the butter and vanilla until well combined. Gradually add in the confectioners' sugar on low speed, stopping to scrape as needed. If the frosting is extremely soft, chill it a bit before frosting the cake. Frost the layers when they're cool and, if you like, pat more chopped nuts onto the sides of the cake all around (you'll need about another cup of chopped nuts for this). Keep the finished cake in the fridge until shortly before serving.

*(And if you'd like to see another carrot layer-cake recipe that I posted previously, for a very moist cake made with crushed pineapple in the batter, check out this link).

If you'd like to comment on this post, or to read any existing comments, please click on the purple COMMENTS below!

Charley's Aunt at the Guthrie, review

Quote of the Day:  'Charley's Aunt'...brought Brandon Thomas fame and fortune, and I have been told that when the evergreen farce was first produced on tour, the author and Penley had been so frightened by a friend, who declared that a man playing a woman's part would never be accepted by any audience, that the author played one of the characters himself in order to save a salary in case of a dire failure. Jessie Millward, from her memoir Myself and Others, 1923. Printed in the program about the show from The Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis. "After the play opened in December 1892, it ran for a record-breaking 1,466 performances."

(And, men dressed in drag, portraying women, have had numerous successful shows ever since. Two of my favorites: Tootsie and Mrs. Doubtfire.)

Nothing cracks us up like a man in a dress.

My guest for blogger night for Charley's Aunt, friend Denise,

a theater fan and one of the readers for the table reading of my play

Coffee Shop Confession.

Charley's Aunt by Brandon Thomas, directed by John Miller-Stephany, is a good, old-fashioned British farce. It's full of color, quirky characters, mistaken identities, ridiculous situations, and plenty of sight gags and physical humor. While the need for chaperones and guardians when courting young ladies is long gone from our American society, the desperation of young men trying to woe women never will be out of style.

This is a period piece. The set is elaborate and stylish, like we're looking into a classic doll's house.  The costumes were colorful and detailed, reminding me of Mary Poppins.  The colors on the girls' dresses were like cotton candy. Again, images of gazing into the doll's house.

Then, the scene changes and after we come back from intermission, a new set has dropped down and we see the back of the building. The actors are running in and out of the gardens. Some are trying to steal a moment together, while others are running to avoid too close of contact. This show is a feast for the eyes.

As the plot rises to hilarity and major confusion in act three, the outdoor set rises, the inside of the Drawing room glides forward, and the pressure is on to make things right. The forward and rear views of the set and the actors, the ins and outs of the plot, the total physical show, brought memories of Noises Off. The way the young men plot to get the girl, dupe the old lady, and ward off the guardian were similar to watching The Importance of Being Ernest several years ago at the original Guthrie Theater.

Besides the rascally antics of John Skelly as Lord Fancourt Babberly, also disguised as Donna Lucia d'Alvadorez, I loved watching the college attendant Brassett, played by Charles Hubbell. He truly embraced his role. His looks to the audience, action behind the boys' backs, and the quips of his asides, were delightful. His eyebrows and facial expressions said it all.

One thing that did feel out-dated in this script was the portrayal of the young ladies. They were gorgeous to look at, but had few lines, and none of the jokes. They were eye-candy, pretty paper dolls. Denise and I had ideas for rewriting the ending, wanting the young woman to have plans of her own once she broke free from her guardian.

Come back later this week to see what's behind this door!

Go. Create. Inspire!

Journaling Prompt:  Have you ever watched a show where you wanted to rewrite the ending? How do you feel about the portrayal of women in plays?

Spezzatino (Italian Beef Stew)

This is a very rustic and delicious dish, normally served in the winter in Italy. It goes an incredibly long way, feeding many if you like.  I planned to be home most of the day, Holiday decorating.  I decided early on that this dish was going to be the best way to end my day.  I had some stew meat in my freezer that needed to be used and some good Organic Vegetables left in the refrigerator.  It was so wonderful to smell this cooking all morning.  Beef stew is so good re-heated.  When I got home from late afternoon grocery shopping, all I had to do was warm the plates, and heat the stew just  a little bit, some crusty bread and serve. 

Ingredients: four 4 people

2 pounds of beef chuck roast cut in small 1 inch pieces

One stalk of celery diced.

3 large carrots diced

1/2 Spanish onion diced

2 cloves garlic diced

about 8 small red potatoes cubed

3 turnips cubed (optional, from the broccoli rabe family)

one teaspoon of tomato paste

One cup of white wine

A dutch oven  with a secure lid

3 tablespoons of olive oil/ one tablespoon vegetable oil

2 teaspoons of salt

one teaspoon of pepper.

One handful fresh parsley/ or/ one teaspoon dried parsley

7-8 cups of water or you can use vegetable stock. 

(I always use water)

Heat your oil in the bottom of your dutch Oven. Add your beef,  one teaspoon of salt, pepper and brown.  Let the fat bubble away.  Add your white wine and let reduce again until all that is left is your beef in the pan.  Remove your beef and set aside.   Add your onion and garlic and saute until fragrant. Add your teaspoon of tomato paste and mix into the oil.  Add your carrot and celery. Add your potatoes and mix. Add your cut up turnips if you like (optional).  Remember the more goodness you put into your stew, the more flavor you will get out of it.   Keep mixing until your vegetables are well heated.  At this point return your beef to the pan.  Add another teaspoon of salt.  Give it a mix. Add your water and stock to the pan.  Make sure your vegetables  and beef is covered by at least one inch of liquid. Sprinkle in a handful of fresh parsley.  If it's not available, a teaspoon of dried will do fine.  Place your lid on.   When your stew begins to boil, set it to simmer and place the lid ajar.  It needs to cook slowly for 2 - 2 and 1/2 hours.  Your liquid will reduce by at least a 1/3. If you are making this in advance of the day, set it aside to rest.  This dish is so much better well rested and re-heated some. The flavors intensify as they have a chance to come together.   Serve in bowls with some of the reserved liquid and lots of Crusty bread.  A wonderful glass of good Chianti and dinner is served!  Buon Appetito.

Special note:  If you see your liquid has reduced to much, it is fine to add some more liquid to your stew as it continues to cook.  Do not worry, just make sure your heat is set to simmer and let it evaporate again.

How Books Stack up Against Kids

Quote of the Day:  Outside of a dog, a book is a man's best friend. Inside of a dog it's too dark to read. Groucho Marx

Favorite Photos Friday
(I had fun planning and setting the scene for this photo. I also had help from my two youngest readers.)

I've been thinking about books and the stacks and stacks upon rows and rows of them in big bookstores, like Powell's in Portland, OR. It's overwhelming. And, when you're a writer and think you might like to see your very own book on those shelves, you can feel a bit intimidated by all those books. I look at them and think, "Look at all these books. How could you ever find my book in all these shelves? And, who could ever read all these books?" I've even wondered, "Aren't there enough books already?"

I know, it's crazy. Then, I look at my kids and measure how books stack up with them. They read and read and read (they have more time than us grown-ups), and then they go get more books and read them, too. And, when they're done with that series, they look for the next great one, and I think if you asked them, they'd say, "There aren't enough books." Because I've watched it happen. They devour books the way my almost 14-year-old polishes off a pan of lasagna. As soon as it's gone, he's looking for more.

Those same young readers were less helpful after the stack fell.

"Hey, guys, come back!

We need to put them all back, now."

*sigh*

So, keep this in mind as you gaze at the shelves, view the movies, or watch the plays. Once you've experienced a great story, you start looking for the next one, and the next one might be yours!

Also, I'll put in a plug for smaller independent bookstores. Their shelves are far less daunting. The staff is friendlier, and they support local authors.

Go. Create. Inspire!

Journaling Prompt:  What do you think a teen or preteen boy goes through faster - a shelf-full of books or a cupboard full of food?

Alfredo's Creme Caramel

Not sure what got into my husband tonight.  Felt compelled to share with me what he always has at his favorite Trattoria, "La Sora Pia" in Rome, Italy.  The Italian Creme Caramel (actually a French version served in Rome),  is slightly different than any version I have ever seen or had here in the States.  This version uses eggs and whipping creme as its base. I went to bed and left my husband in the kitchen.  I should have taken a picture of this in progress, but didn't want to scare anyone.  The kitchen was covered in sugar. I went to bed.  Not sure what exactly happened, but it turned out delicious.  Some things are better left a mystery.  Woke up to a clean kitchen!  Not a bad idea on occasion, right?
Ingredients:
6 ramekins
large baking dish to hold the 6 ramekins in a water bath while baking
1 plus 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
5 ounces of whipping cream
16 ounces  of fresh whole milk
4 eggs plus one egg yolk
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons  of sugar for the liquid
4/5 of a cup of sugar  for the Caramel

Melt the sugar under low heat and stir.  It will slowly become clear and light golden.  Pour into ramekins, and swirl and set aside.  Coat the ramekins completely on the bottom. Set aside. Make sure you do not burn the sugar.  You must be patient. ( If you burn it, throw it away outside as it will harden in your pipes if you pour it down your kitchen drain).
Into a saucepan on medium heat combine your whipping cream and milk to almost a boil.  Turn it off and set aside. Remove any film you see buy spooning it off, or passing it through a sieve.  Add your vanilla.  Slowly mix into another bowl your remaining sugar and eggs.   Mix the milk and egg mixture together.  Pour into your prepared ramekins. Pour hot water into the base of your baking dish about 1/3 high. This will ensure even cooking.  Place in the oven at 350 degrees for 50 minutes.  Remove from the oven and let cool. Refrigerate.  When you are getting ready to serve, dip the base of the ramekin in hot water for just a few seconds.  Cut them around the edge and invert them onto a plate and serve.  They should slip out.  Your caramel should drip out on top of you Creme Caramel.   Buon Appetito~

Explore. Dream. Discover.

Quote of the Day:  Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover. - Mark Twain

Happy Birthday to the great American writer, Mark Twain!
Thank you, Google, for your Google doodle and link to Twain quotes. The above quote is my favorite from their top ten list.

When self-doubts start to creep in,

When the mountain of "real life" work clouds your dreams,

When you aren't sure why you're even here,

Remember, you might be the one to shed light on the world today.

Your words, your art, your voice might be the one that people cling to.

The path is calling you to...

Go. Create. Inspire!

Journaling Prompt:  What does your ideal day look like?

Go to The Writer's Almanac today to hear more about Mark Twain and other authors who share his birthday.

Classic Minestrone Soup

Monday night Minestrone Soup was always popular growing up. My Mom's Minestrone would cure anything. Given the pain my husband was in after having his wisdom teeth extracted, he needed something soft and nutritious.  Just how much pudding can one man eat anyway?  

After a weekend of eating, this is just what the doctor ordered.   Who does not have a few fresh vegetables left in the refrigerator drawer we just can't think what to do with?

  What a great excuse for this soup.  A few of each is all you need.  I always have homemade chicken stock in the freezer ready to go. The more flavorful stock, the better your end result.  You may use vegetable or beef stock too.  So easy to make.

INGREDIENTS FOR 6 LARGE BOWLS OF MINESTRONE SOUP

4 medium carrots cleaned/trimmed and diced.

4 medium zucchini / diced

4 red potatoes/ diced

(everything diced the same size into small cubes)

2 tablespoons celery diced

1 clove of garlic/ cleaned and diced/ or 2 tablespoons of red onion diced

2 tablespoons olive oil

One large enough tall pot to hold all your ingredients

8 cups of chicken stock or any stock or you may use plain water.  Using stock will intensify the flavor.

(Optional tomato paste/ one teaspoon to add while garlic/onion is cooking in pan.  This will add color to your soup and great flavor).

1 pinch  salt/ one for the garlic/ one teaspoon for the vegetables once added to the pot.

Parsley for Garnish

Some grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese

In the bottom of your pan add your olive oil and heat on medium. Add your garlic or onion.  Saute until fragrant. (You can add your tomato paste option here and mix for a few seconds).  

 Add a pinch of salt.  Add your cut up/diced potatoes, diced carrots/ 2 tablespoons celery, diced zucchini and mix.  Let your mixture heat up and add one teaspoon salt and mix again.  After about 5 minutes of heating, add your heated stock until all your vegetables are completely covered.  Add some parsley and set your lid ajar.  Let boil, then simmer for one hour.  Your vegetables will soften and cook. 

 Remove your lid and check your vegetables.  They should be very soft but still in tact.  At this point remove your soup from the heat and let cool.  Wait 30 minutes, and puree in your blender, a little at a time.  Garnish with parsley and serve with some grated Parmigiano cheese if you like.  Even drizzle a little olive oil if you like.   We added a little cooked elbow macaroni to the hot soup as my Mom often does even today.    Just another way to serve this delicious Minestrone Soup that is so good for you too. If you are lucky, you might even have some leftover for the next days lunch. Enjoy!  Buon Appetito.

SPECIAL NOTE:

1/2 Pound of elbow macaroni cooked until right before al dente and set aside (the pasta will continue to cook in the hot puree at the end)

You can also Puree it some, saving some of the cooked vegetable pieces.  Add some red pepper or unsmoked paprika before serving with focaccia croutons or just pieces of bread.