Since its debut at a bridal shower my mother and I hosted last February (edit: now over 8 YEARS ago!) , I couldn’t wait to re-make this cake! Carrot cake is my favorite dessert. This one has a dense moist center- full of crushed pineapple, chopped nuts, flaked coconut, and chewy raisins. But the frosting is what really sets it apart- real whipped cream and whipped cream cheese- not a speck of butter in site (in the entire cake actually). This is my all-time favorite frosting, on one of my favorite cakes. Enough said.
Carrot Cake with Whipped Cream Cream Cheese Frosting
INGREDIENTS
3 large eggs 3/4 cup buttermilk 3/4 cup canola oil 1 1/2 cups white sugar 2 tsp. pure vanilla extract 2 tsp. ground cinnamon 1/4 tsp. salt 2 cups all-purpose flour 2 tsp. baking soda 2 cups shredded carrots 1 cup flaked coconut 1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (I used 1/2 cup pecans) 1 8 oz. can crushed pineapple with juice 1 cup raisins (optional- I use 1/2 cup)
DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease and flour a 9×13 inch pan. (Or 2 9-inch rounds.)
2. In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl, combine eggs, buttermilk, oil, sugar and vanilla. Mix well. Add flour mixture and mix well.
4. In a medium bowl, combine shredded carrots, coconut, walnuts, pineapple and raisins.
5. Using a large wooden spoon or spatula, add carrot mixture to batter and fold in well.
6. Pour into prepared 9×13 inch pan (or two 9-inch rounds), and bake in preheated oven for about 45 minutes (or about 25-30 minutes for two 9-inch rounds), or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow to cool for at least 20 minutes before serving or to cool completely before frosting.
Whipped Cream Cream Cheese Frosting
INGREDIENTS
1 8 oz. package cream cheese, slightly softened 1 cup white sugar 1/8 tsp. salt 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract 1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
DIRECTIONS
1. In a small bowl (keep cold) beat whipping cream until stiff peaks form. Set aside.
2. In a separate large bowl combine cream cheese, sugar, salt, and vanilla. Beat until smooth, then fold in whipped cream. Keep in the refrigerator until ready to use.
Frosts one 9×13 inch cake. (Both recipes adapted from All Recipes- Carrot Cake and Frosting)
Baking is my first love. I learned to bake alongside my mom as I grew up and love making breads and desserts more than anything! My mom made some amazing rolls and they’ve always been my top comfort food. I still use her recipe to this day for classic dinner rolls and cinnamon rolls that are better than I’ve had in any bakery. I found today’s recipe on Mel’s site– you’ll see me share a lot of her recipes in the future. I was intrigued by the addition of cornmeal to the dough and had to try it out. Now I can’t stop making these because they’re just sooo good! This picture was taken when I took them to a friend’s baby shower and let’s just say I got a lot of recipe requests.
Cornmeal Dinner Rolls
INGREDIENTS
2 cups milk (1%, 2% or whole) 2/3 cup yellow corn meal 1 1/2 Tbsp. instant yeast (or active dry yeast*) 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter 1/3 cup granulated sugar 1 tsp. salt 3 large eggs 5 1/2 – 6 cups all-purpose flour (or you can use half white and half whole wheat flour)
DIRECTIONS
In a medium saucepan set over medium heat, warm the milk to just below a simmer; tiny bubbles will appear around the edges (this is called scalding milk). Add the cornmeal (SLOWLY) and cook and stir constantly until the mixture is thickened and bubbling. It should be the consistency of porridge before taking off the heat.
Pour the cornmeal mixture into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook or a large bowl (if mixing by hand) and let cool until lukewarm. Add the yeast, butter and sugar (if you dissolved active dry yeast with a bit of water and sugar until it foamed, add it now). Mix.
Add the salt and eggs. Mix well. Add the flour gradually until a soft dough forms. Knead for 2-3 minutes (slightly longer if you use half whole wheat flour).
Transfer the dough to a greased bowl and cover with lightly greased plastic wrap; let rise until doubled.
Portion the dough into 24 equal pieces (about 2.75 to 3 ounces each) and roll into a taut ball on the counter. Place each roll on a large, rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper, spacing about an inch apart to allow for rising (on a 11X17-inch rimmed baking sheet, I fit 24 rolls on the sheet – four across, six down). Cover lightly with greased plastic wrap. Let the rolls rise until doubled (mine took about 1 1/2 hours).
Bake at 375 degrees for 14-17 minutes (I baked for 12-15 min), until lightly browned and baked through. Remove from the oven and brush with butter while still warm.
*If you need/want to use active dry yeast instead of instant yeast, change the amount of yeast to 2 tbsp. active dry and dissolve the yeast in 1/2 cup warm water and 1 tbsp. sugar. Let the yeast mixture activate and foam (approximately 5 minutes) before adding it to the cornmeal mixture with the butter and 1/3 cup sugar
A healthy double chocolate muffin today! I know it sounds unlikely, but these muffins are still light on sugar/fat/calories. They’re made with whole wheat flour (I added flax as usual), cocoa powder, and sweetened with honey and a few mini chocolate chips. The zucchini keeps them extra moist, as does a bit of coconut oil and applesauce. I’ve made half a dozen muffins now from Ambitious Kitchen and loved them all! Check out her site for lots more good-for-you treats.
p.s. High altitude adjustments included below.*
Healthy Chocolate Zucchini Chocolate Chip Muffins
INGREDIENTS
1 1/4 cups white whole wheat flour (I replaced 2 Tbsp. flour with ground flaxseed)
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1 egg
1 cup shredded zucchini (about 1 medium zucchini)
1/4- 1/3 cup honey (I used 1/4 cup)
2 Tbsp. coconut oil, melted
1/2 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk (or regular milk)
1/4 cup applesauce
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1/4- 1/2 cup chocolate chips (I used 1/4 cup mini chocolate chips)
DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Lightly coat a muffin tin with cooking spray.
2. Squeeze shredded zucchini of excess water with a paper towel (or just use your hands).
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour (and flaxseed, if using), cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
4. In a separate bowl, whisk together coconut oil, honey, vanilla, egg and egg white until well combined. Add in zucchini, applesauce, and almond milk; mix again. Slowly add in dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Gently fold in chocolate chips.
5. Evenly divide batter into prepared muffin tin. Bake 18-22 minutes or until toothpick inserted into the middle of a muffin comes out clean. Remove muffins and transfer to wire rack to finish cooling.
*for high altitude: +1 Tbsp. flour, halve baking soda, +1 Tbsp. milk, increase baking temp to 375, and decrease baking time slightly
Pumpkin season it is so pumpkin muffins I bake. Clara and I have been devouring these spiced pumpkin and zucchini filled muffins all week. As usual, they’re whole wheat and minimally sweetened with honey (and chocolate chips if you wish- I just tossed a few on top as a treat). And they’re easily made dairy-free by using coconut oil and almond milk (I tested them this way).
Pumpkin Zucchini Muffins
INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 cups white whole wheat flour (I replaced 1/4 cup flour with ground flaxseed)
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
2 tsp. cinnamon
pinch of nutmeg
pinch of cloves
pinch of ginger
3/4 cup canned pumpkin
1 cup shredded zucchini, squeezed of excess moisture
1/3 cup honey
1 Tbsp. olive or coconut oil
1 egg
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup milk or unsweetened almond milk
1/2 cup chocolate chips (I just sprinkled a few on top)
DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease a 12 cup muffins pan with cooking spray.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and ginger.
3. In a separate large bowl combine pumpkin, zucchini, honey, oil, egg, and vanilla until well combined and smooth. Whisk in almond milk. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Gently fold in chocolate chips (if using), reserving a few for sprinkling on top.
4. Bake in preheated oven for about 18 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean. Cool on wire rack for several minutes before removing muffins from the pan to the wire rack to finish cooling.
I can’t remember for sure (as it has been 20+ years) but being a toddler must be tough. Learning to move and communicate with a tiny awkward body. Constant tumbles. Constant rejection. Constantly sick and snotty. It must be frustrating figuring out a new world. Finding out that world isn’t fair.
Most of my day revolves around a miniature being who is so full of life and energy and so fed up with it at the same time. One minute I’m being smothered in hugs and kisses and the next I’m ducking swinging arms and legs amidst wails of despair. (It must be diaper changing time again.) She’s so sweet and innocent and meanwhile clever and mischievous and I never know what I’ll get.
I consider myself a pretty nice mama. I patiently walk in to her bedroom in the middle of almost every night, to give her a hug and a kiss, a sip of water, and lay her back down to sleep. I cook her breakfast, lunch, and dinner and try my hardest to not throw a tantrum when she doesn’t eat. I spend hours at the park and on the floor playing blocks and drawing beside her and reorganizing the drawers she’s emptied. I set limits and stick her in time-out when she loses it. (Which she then begs for anytime I’m making her do something she doesn’t want to be doing. -i.e. diaper changing.) I’m her nurse, stylist, chef, maid, teacher, therapist, and punching bag.
And I love it. I lover her. But what I’m really saying is that some most days being a mama is tough and exhausting. But I’m guessing that being under two (or three, etc.) is hard too. And just like my little Clara, who can’t seem to remember that her potty is for poo-poo and not for stashing toys, I need reminding. That she’s not out to get me. That she needs me. And that she’s allowed to have bad days too.
Anytime I ask Clara what she wants for a snack (which isn’t often, I usually decide what we eat) she’s guaranteed to say one of three things: “chi-chi’s” (cheerios), “oie” (orange), or muffie (muffin). (And she begs for pizza every night. I don’t blame her.) She’s loves her muffins and I love that I can stuff them full of healthy things: oatmeal, whole grains nuts/seeds, fruit (banana, raisins, whatever is in season) and even veggies such as carrots and zucchini.
Today we have coconut banana muffins. I always make my muffins low-sugar (so beware, if you want a dessert-type muffin you’ll want to increase the amount of sugar) and usually low-fat by swapping out the oil for yogurt or applesauce. This time I left in the coconut oil because it adds so much flavor and has nutrient benefits. And instead of whole wheat flour, I used spelt. It’s still whole grain but makes for an even lighter, more tender muffin. Stock up on spelt- it makes some amazing bread and baked goods! There’s a bit of tang from the sour cream/yogurt and texture from the coconut. And they’re just sweet enough with banana and brown sugar and cinnamon.
Coconut Banana Muffins
INGREDIENTS
1 3/4 cup whole spelt flour (or white whole wheat flour)
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
1/2 cup sour cream or plain yogurt
2 large eggs
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1 cup mashed ripe banana (about 2 large bananas)
1/4-1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut + extra for topping (If you use sweetened coconut you could reduce the sugar further)
DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 375 F. Line with muffin liners or lightly grease a 12 cup muffin pan.
2. In a large bowl, whisk to combine the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. In a separate bowl, whisk to combine the brown sugar, coconut oil, sour cream or yogurt, eggs, vanilla, and mashed banana. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix until just combined. Stir in the coconut. Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin pan.
3. Bake in preheated oven for about 15 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean. Cool in the pan for several minutes before removing muffins from the pan onto a wire rack to cool completely.
(NOTE: These muffins freeze well. Reheat at room temperature or in the microwave.)
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