Carrot Cake...OMGGGGG!

Amazing Carrot Cake!

 

 
I highly recommend that you make this cake ASAP!!!!  Okay so I saw this cake on the following blog:  Lovin' From the Oven.  She raved about the cake sooooo much that I decided to make it.  Let me tell you, this cake is AMAZING!  I have made Carrot Cake before but this one was so moist, sooooo good, so not too sweet, not too overpowering but OMG!  All I can say is OMG! 

So here's what I did.  I used fresh carrots for this.  I am guessing that you can use the carrots that come already shredded but I highly recommend shredding them yourself.    I bought a bag of carrots and just started shredding the old fashioned way with a grater.  I am sure there is a easier way but this is how my mom, grandmother, aunts...you get the picture did it and it brought back soooo many memories of when I helped my grandmother and mother cook.  I love memories! 

So After this I mixed everything up.... and it looks like this...and oh yeah,  I used the wooden spoon as per the recipe.

So after the mixing is done....ready to bake.  I used two 9 inch pans. 

30-40 Mins later.....TA-DA!  Oh and did I mention that it smells sooooo good! 

And after you put the frosting on the cake...it may look like this..YUMMY!

I love it!  My new favorite recipe!

OMG, Almost forgot to include the recipe:

Carrot Cake

•1 cup vegetable oil

•1/2 cup water

•2 cups AP flour

•2 tsp baking soda

•2 tsp baking powder

•2 tsp cinnamon

•3 cups shredded carrot

•1 cup chopped walnuts

•4 eggs

•2 cups sugar

Mix all ingredients well with a wooden spoon. Pour into desired pan and bake at 350 degrees for 40-50 minutes (more or less depending on pan size) until a toothpick comes out clean.

For the cream cheese frosting:

•8 oz cream cheese (only use Philadelphia brand!)

•1 cup powdered sugar

•2 tsp vanilla

•1/2 cup (1 stick) butter

•few drops of water

 

Beat all ingredients well and spread on top of cooled cake.

 

Thanks for checking it out!  Feel free to ask me anything or leave me comments! 

Chocolate Kaluah Cupcakes with Kaluah Frosting!

WHAT A HEADACHE! But I got them done!!! Oh Yeah!!! Kaluah Cupcakes with Kaluah Frosting. OMMMMGGGG.....Last night at 1AM I was making them. I went to Give a Day, Get a day early that morning and had such a pouding headache afterwards. Not sure why because the weather was fantastic and it wasn't that labor entensive. See the Pic! The weather was fantastic in Miami, FL. Well if are taking a trip to florida and would like a free day at a disney park, then all you have to do is volunteer for one of the participating organizations and you'll get a FREE ticket. It's really cool. Go to the Disney Website and seach for Give a day-Get a day for more information! Of course you have to wait for the voucher. Anywho----back to the cupcakes....well I used a recipe that I use to make Rum Cake but I switched it around and used Kaluah and used it to make Cupcakes instead of a cake...YUM! I got the recipe from AllRecipes.com. I didn't use the walnuts or do the whole melting of butter over the saucepan glaze....This is great for the cake but I didn't want to do it on the cupcakes. Oh Yeah....AND I USED KALUAH!!!

The frosting I used from one of my favorite blogs-Lovin' from the Oven! It is DELICIOUS and people love it! It's not super-duper sweet but what I love is the Kaluah After-Taste.....Yumx2!!! Well the cupcake stays moist for a few days so this is a plus! I've made cupcakes before and they get hard the next day but not these! OHHHHH YEAH!

See my cupcakes!


I made mini cupcakes also!!!


Okay...One more pic!


Anyways I am waiting for the Oscars to begin! So I will check you out laters. Don't forget, Recipes below!


Kahlua Frosting
5 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
2.5 tablespoons Kahlua
16 ounces powdered sugar

Cream together cream cheese and butter until fluffy. Mix in Kahlua, then powdered sugar in one cup increments until frosting reaches desired consistency. Apply to cupcakes. (frosts 24 cupcakes generously)

Golden Rum Cake
Ingredients-this is for the cake!
1 cup chopped walnuts (DID NOT USE)
1 (18.25 ounce) package yellow cake mix (USED CHOCOLATE CAKE MIX)
1 (3.4 ounce) package instant vanilla pudding mix(USED CHOCOLATE)
4 eggs
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup dark rum
1/2 cup butter


Glaze
1/4 cup water
1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup dark rum
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease and flour a 10 inch Bundt pan. Sprinkle chopped nuts evenly over the bottom of the pan.
2. In a large bowl, combine cake mix and pudding mix. Mix in the eggs, 1/2 cup water, oil and 1/2 cup rum. Blend well. Pour batter over chopped nuts in the pan.
3. Bake in the preheated oven for 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean. Let sit for 10 minutes in the pan, then turn out onto serving plate. Brush glaze over top and sides. Allow cake to absorb glaze and repeat until all glaze is used.
4. To make the glaze: in a saucepan, combine butter, 1/4 cup water and 1 cup sugar. Bring to a boil over medium heat and continue to boil for 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and stir in 1/2 cup rum. (DID NOT DO!)

Banana Banana Bread

I had the most horrible, stressful day at work and was soooo happy to get home and bake. Baking for me is so relaxing and just makes me forget I even had a bad day. I hated work today. So many DRAMATIC people today. So I got home and was like, I AM BAKING! My hubby was super excited because when I saw those super ripe banana's I thought--"I will make a banana banana bread." I've made this recipe forever and I still love it. The recipe calls for only walnuts but I love to add Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips. Yummy! :)

Recipe from All Recipes.com but I included the recipe below! Enjoy!!!!

Before it went in the oven.....

After it comes out!



Its super simple to make and its not too sweet and it doesn't have the banana overpowering taste. The recipe is below. Have fun making it! :)



Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 eggs, beaten
2 1/3 cups mashed overripe bananas

Directions
1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan.
2.In a large bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt. In a separate bowl, cream together butter and brown sugar. Stir in eggs and mashed bananas until well blended. Stir banana mixture into flour mixture; stir just to moisten. Pour batter into prepared loaf pan.
3.Bake in preheated oven for 60 to 65 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into center of the loaf comes out clean. Let bread cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack.