One Monday morning, to my surprise, I found them eating carrot cake with their coffee and morning TV shows. I gave them a little questioning look and my mum says "what?" like what do you have a problem with. She then said, "try and tell me that carrot cake is not a breakfast food." Well, you got a point there mum.
My parents had come to visit me in Raleigh and we had carrot cake for dinner the night before. (I'm sure my pops made something wonderful on the Weber for Sunday night supper) When I got to work that morning, I had an email from my friend Frances, in Atlanta, exclaiming that carrot cake is a breakfast food. I replied with a what, um, how did you know what is going on in my house in Raleigh? Frances explained that she had been to a friend's house for Sunday supper and they had sent her home with carrot cake and it was so good, that it was time to declare it a breakfast food.
So I give you- wisdom from my mother Margaret Frances and my friend Frances: Carrot cake is a breakfast food, don't challenge them-you won't win. I don't think my mother has ever made a carrot cake, she liked to buy the Harris Teeter ones. I would tell her that I made a good one, she wouldn't respond. I knew just to let it go and let them pick up one at the grocery store. Sometimes buying a cake and spending more time relaxing with your family is better, than taking the time away from them to make one.
Making a carrot cakes does take more time, money, and clean up. If you have at least two of the three try this one. This recipe is adapted from the Atlanta Junior League cookbook True Grits. It makes two single layer cakes or one big layer cake. It ain't cheap to use olive oil and pistachios, but it makes a really moist, and complex tasting cake.
Cake Part:
1 3/4 cups Sugar
1/4 honey
1 cup veggie oil (use mostly olive oil for a richer tasting cake)
2 1/2-3 cups grated carrots
4 eggs
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons cinnamon
salt to taste
1/2 chopped nuts optional (most carrot cake recipes call for walnuts, I prefer pistachios), Or use on top of the frosting.
Frosting part:
1/2 cup butter, softened
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 pound powdered sugar
make the cake
- Combine the sugar, honey, and oil in a mixing bowl; beat until smooth. Add the carrots; mix well. Beat in the eggs, 1 at a time.
- Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt together. Add to the carrot mixture; mix well.
- Stir in the nuts. Spoon into 2 greased and floured 9-inch cake pans.
Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until the layers test done. Because of the olive oil your cake will look very done on top before the inside is completely cooked. Use a cake tester, link to the one I use. I bought it in Berea, KY, on a family trip to Keeneland for the Bluegrass Stakes.
- Cool in the pans for 5 minutes; remove to a wire rack to cool completely.
Mix the frosting
- Cream the butter, cream cheese and vanilla with a mixer until light. Add the powdered sugar gradually beating until fluffy between each cupful. Stop adding sugar when you think it is sweet enough.
- spread between the layers and over the top and side of the cake. Or ice for two small cakes
Carrot cake pairs well with pistachio ice cream, or coffee. And remember Breakfast is a meal best served at anytime of day of night.
Recipe for a 11x13 pan
9 this butter
2/3 cup Brown sugar
2 eggs
2 egg whites
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 1/2 ground carrion
1/2 ground ginger
3/4 cups buttermilk
2 cups shredded carrot
Frosting:
1/2 cup cream cheese
1/4 cup butter
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 cups powdered sugar
1 cup ground pistachios
350, check after 15 mins
