An Anniversary: Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

What kind of cake do you envision for an anniversary?

When I asked my husband what kind of cake he wanted for our 4 year wedding anniversary, he said:

"Carrot Cake!!!...with Cream Cheese Frosting!"

Yes...it's suppose to be a carrot. A BIG CARROT!
I KNOW it looks like a pumpkin...dangit.

I LOVE MY HUSBAND! This just defines how truly unique and special he is!

I had a white cake in my mind, kind of like the top tier of our wedding cake...but what a great way to change it up!

I guess I should have made the border brown...like dirt.
Would that have made it look more like a big carrot?
Just say..."yes"...with a convincing smile!

I thought that this was a perfect opportunity to try my hand at using fondant.

Made with care...and A LOT of confectioners sugar.

I even made it myself!!! I used the Wilton Rolled Fondant Recipe. It took a LONG time to knead...I was tired, sore, you name it!

But it was worth it! If you buy at the store it's $17.99! Booooo!

So smooooth!

I had so much fun! I LOVE working with  fondant...it tastes like PURE sugar, so we didn't eat it but it's so pretty!!!

Luckily I added a THICK layer of cream cheese frosting under the fondant!

This cake is made with fresh, organic carrots! YUM!!

3 packed cups to be exact!

I used 6" pans, and layered them.

Dog food? NO...heaven!

There was enough batter to make a few cupcakes too! YAAAAAY!

Pecans on top because I like using pecans more than walnuts!

I love this cake...so good and flavorful! The frosting is very cream-cheesy...not too sweet!

Pecan Power!

SOOOO much better than eating just a carrot!

I love you dear Eric. Thank you for being the man of my dreams and so much more. YOU are my happiest place on earth and thank God everyday for your love, support, and youthfulness. To endless more years of laugher and love!

So many miracles in 4 years!
Photo Credit: Jerek Barcelona

Love you all! Take Care and God Bless!

Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Print Recipe Yield: 10-12     Prep Time: 30 minutes    Total Time: 1 and 1/2 hours Ingredients: Carrot Cake 2 and 1/2 cups unbleached all purpose flour 1 and 1/4 teaspoons baking powder 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 and 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves 1/2 teaspoon salt 3 cups freshly grated carrots 1 cup chopped toasted pecans 1 and 1/2 cups granulated sugar 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar 4 large eggs, room temperature 1 and 1/2 cup vegetable or canola oil Cream Cheese Frosting 8 ounces cream cheese, softened 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature 1 tablespoon sour cream 1 teaspoon vanilla 1 and 1/2 cup confectioners sugar Directions: Carrot Cake 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour two 6" cake pans + 6 cupcake tins (you can also use a 9x13, two 8" pans, or two 9" pans and adjust the time accordingly). 2. Shred carrots and set aside.  3. Chop pecans and set aside. 4. In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves until combined. Set aside. 5. In a large bowl, whisk the granulated sugar, brown sugar, and eggs until frothy.  6. Slowly add in oil and combine completely. 7. Stir in the carrots, pecans, and dry ingredients. 8. Put 2 cups of batter in each 6" pan, and fill cupcake liners 2/3 full. 9. Bake cakes for 30-40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cupcakes will bake for 18-24 minutes.  10. Let cakes cool in pans for 10 minutes, then take them out and let them cool completely on a wire rack. 11. Decorate as desired and enjoy! Cream Cheese Frosting 1. Using a electric or standing mixer with the paddle attachment, beat all of the ingredients on medium speed until combined. (pretty easy huh?!) Recipes gently adapted from Cooks Illustrated

Perfect Fat: Chocolate Cupcakes with Blackberry Infused Chocolate Whipped Cream Frosting

FATS and CUPCAKES

Chocolate Cupcakes with Blackberry Infused Chocolate Whipped Cream Frosting

The Three Cupcateers!

I have been doing some research about the best kind of "fat" to use in cakes.

Do I use butter? Oil? Shortening? Margarine? The latter two make me cringe.

Too many choices, none of which seem like a "good choice". What about no fat? HA! That just wouldn't be right. I admire the people who can enjoy low-fat, low-calorie desserts but my taste buds just won't go there.

So dainty!

Go BIG or go HOME. 

(Hmmm..I am getting bigger and I like to stay at home, on the couch...uh oh. I blame this blog.)

After reading a few great sites and blogs on the "fats" issue (check out The Cake Blog), I wanted to find a great chocolate cupcake recipe.

Side Note: Cupcakes have less fat because they are smaller...;0)

Mission accomplished. The recipe I found used a combination of two kinds of fat. Butter (which many swear by for the flavor factor) and oil (which others swear by for the moisture factor).

Butter - Oil combo makes a perfect cupcake!

I have seen very few recipes that used both, but how could I resist with a title like "The Ultimate Chocolate Cupcake Test Baked by 50 Bakers and Counting" on The Cupcake Project?

Make that 51 bakers, Cupcake Project!! ;0) I just made a few minor adjustments.

The recipe let you use any type of chocolate, so I chose the Ghiradelli Midnight Reverie. Not sure why...because my favorite kind of chocolate is semi-sweet, but I guess I was trying to be fancy!

Snobby chocolate (buy two get one free at Target! Whoooo!)

For the whipped cream frosting, I used a blackberry and grape infused chocolate. Suuuper Fancy.

Never overlook whipped cream frosting!

Yum - this whipped cream frosting was VERY tasty but very distinct. You could really taste those berries!

I prepared the whipped cream first by melting the chocolate into the heavy cream. Then I had to re-chill it in the fridge (this took about 6 hours!) so plan ahead!

Chocolate on the chopping block!

Melty, melty!

When making the batter, I first creamed the butter. This is the MOST important step. Creaming the butter is a necessity to create a luxurious consistency for your cake.

It should look like wet sand.

Then, I added the chocolate.

EEEEE!

Combined the dry ingredients with the wet ingredients.

Always be sure you taste your batter, it's one of those hidden rules.
Seriously, test it twice. 

Then, put them in the cupcake liners and prepared them for the oven.

This is what happens when you buy the cupcake liners on clearance.
What's with the weird pinches?! Ugh.

YAY!

Heres proof that I need to calibrate my oven...

What the....?

The first batch was BEAUTIFUL. They have a great "crumb". That's why I love using cake flour - it helps make the crumb smaller :0).

SOOOO yummy!

These are the perfect consistency and moistness. Not too dense but not too many air pockets either. The whipped cream was a perfect compliment to make them taste lighter and refreshing (for chocolate). You could also do these with a chocolate ganache or chocolate buttercream and I bet they'd be a chocolate lovers dream!

I LOVE CUPCAKES!!!

ENJOY!

Love you all! Take Care and God Bless!

Chocolate Cupcakes with Blackberry Infused Chocolate Whipped Cream Frosting

Print Recipe Yield: 16 cupcakes     Prep Time: 20 minutes    Total Time: 1 hour Ingredients: Chocolate Cupcakes: 1/4 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature 1 cup granulated sugar 2 ounces of favorite chocolate (melted and cooled) 2 eggs, room temperature 2 egg yolks, room temperature 1/2 cup + 1 Tablespoon vegetable or canola oil 2 teaspoon vanilla extract 1/3 cup sour cream 1 cup + 1 Tablespoon cake flour 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 cup cocoa powder  1/2 cup room temperature water Blackberry Infused Chocolate Whipped Cream: 2 cups heavy cream 4 ounces Blackberry infused chocolate 1/2 cup sifted confectioners sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla extract Directions: Chocolate Cupcakes: 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 2. Line standard muffin tin with cupcake liners. 3. Melt chocolate in double broiler or microwave and let cool to the touch. 4. Cream butter and granulated sugar in medium bowl or bowl of stand mixer.  5. Add melted chocolate until just combined. 6. Mix in eggs and egg yolks, one at a time, until just combined. 7. Mix in oil, vanilla, and sour cream until just combined. 8. Sift together flour, salt, baking soda, and cocoa powder in a separate medium sized bowl. Use a whisk to ensure all ingredients are mixed together. 9. Slowly add dry ingredients to wet ingredients. 10. Mix in water until just combined. 11. Fill cupcake liners 2/3 full and put in oven. 12. Bake for 18-24 minutes depending on oven.  13. Immediately remove cupcakes from cupcake tin and place on a cooling rack. When completely cool, decorate and enjoy! Blackberry Infused Chocolate Whipped Cream: 1. In a small saucepan, on medium heat, combine heavy cream and chocolate until melted.  2. Put in fridge until completely cooled (about 6 hours). 3. Place bowl and whisk attachment in fridge 15 minutes before making whipped cream. 4. Put confections sugar, vanilla, and fully chilled chocolate cream mixture in the chilled bowl with whisk attachment.  5. Whisk until stiff peaks form. 6. Use immediately. Note: Cupcake recipe gently adapted from The Cupcake Project. You can also substitute the water with brewed coffee or 1 teaspoon of instant coffee powder.

A Novel: Chocolate Layer Cake with Whipped Cream Filling, Ganache Frosting and Glaze AND Chocolate Covered Strawberries

What's with chocolate commercials? 

Who eats chocolate naked while an enormous fan conveniently blows silk scarfs over her (never his) lady parts?

I certainly don't.
All I need is chocolate in my mouth and sweatpants. 

Chocolate Layer Cake with Whipped Cream Filling, Ganache Frosting and Glaze AND Chocolate Covered Strawberries!

These titles just keep getting longer and longer!

Chocolate Mania!!

This is what happens when I go to the grocery store craving chocolate!

It's a problem!

After mixing the cake batter and getting it into the oven, I spent some quality time with my extra-sweet California strawberries from Trader Joe's:

Naked!

Ahhh, cloaked in white chocolate and semi-sweet chocolate. Much more appropriate. 

What the...? The ugly duckling.

Since this cake was already starting to ooze chocolate, I decided to layer it with whipped cream. 

There's 4 layers in there somewhere!

Sweet, light, and fluffy!

Now to the good stuff: GANACHE! Pronounced Gah-nah-shhhh, take that Webster's!

Melt away!

I made both a ganache frosting as well as a ganache glaze.

The ganache frosting took a bit of time and care. After combining the cream and the chocolate, I had to put it in the fridge and stir it about every 5 minutes. After 30 minutes of doing this...I started to get impatient. It took 2 hours to get to a good "frosting consistency", but....it was worth it!

Ganache is rich and creamy...it should be its own food group!

I frosted the cake, piped a border on the bottom, and then set to work on the ganache glaze. 

Still working on my smoothing...eep.

Piped chocolate balls....spheres...

I poured the ganache glaze over the top of the cake and used my offset spatula to push it towards the edges.

I OBVIOUSLY used more than that!

Then, I let gravity do the rest. 

Drip baby, drip!

As if there's not enough chocolate in/on this cake already, I decorated it with chocolate covered strawberries (this gives the cake nutritional points).

See those two sad strawberries in the background?
Lunch BABY!

And the rest is history!

Two-tone cake? I experimented with different chocolates :)

One more picture...

I was smart and made this cake on my cake saver tupperware!

Okay, maybe one more...

Nom nom nom!

Love you all! Take Care and God Bless!

Chocolate Layer Cake with Whipped Cream Filling, Ganache Frosting and Glaze AND Chocolate Covered Strawberries

Print Recipe Yield: 10 servings    Prep Time: 45 Minutes    Total Time: 1 and 1/2 hours Ingredients: Chocolate Cake 1 and 1/2 cups cake flour 1 and 1/2 cups granulated sugar 8 Tablespoons (1 stick) of unsalted butter, room temperature 1/3 cup cocoa 1 teaspoon baking soda 1/4 teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon instant coffee 1/3 cup melted unsweetened Baker's chocolate Melt on stovetop using double broiler or heat proof bowl over saucepan 1/2 cup hot water 2 large eggs, room temperature 1/2 cup buttermilk Whipped Cream Frosting 1 pint heavy whipping cream, chilled 1 cup confectioners sugar, sifted 1 teaspoon vanilla Ganache Frosting 1 pound bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped 2 and 1/3 cups heavy cream 1/4 cup light corn syrup Ganache Glaze 6 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, finely chopped 2/3 cup heavy cream 1 Tablespoon light corn syrup Chocolate Covered Strawberries 6 ounces semi-sweet chocolate 3 ounces white chocolate 12 fresh strawberries (California Sweet if available) Directions: Chocolate Cake 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour two 9" round cake pans. 2. Combine flour, granulated sugar, butter, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and instant coffee in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment. Mix on low speed just until ingredients are blended together. Then raise the speed to low-medium and mix until smooth. 3. With the motor running, pour in melted chocolate until combined. Then pour in hot water until combined. 4. With the motor running, add eggs one at a time being sure to let each one absorb into the mixture before adding the next. 5. Continue to mix for about 1 minute to ensure all ingredients are combined. 6. Divide batter evenly between the two cake pans. 7. Bake in the over for 25-30 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. 8. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, remove cake from pans and let cool on rack.  9. Layer and decorate as desired :0)! Whipped Cream Frosting 1. Chill metal bowl and whisk attachment in the fridge for 15 minutes. 2. Using chilled bowl and whisk attachment, beat cream until frothy. 3. Add confectioners sugar and vanilla and beat until soft peaks form. Ganache Frosting 1. Place chocolate pieces in a large sized bowl (heatproof). 2. In a small saucepan, bring cream and corn syrup to just a simmer on medium high heat. 3. Pour cream mixture over the chocolate. Let stand until chocolate begins to melt. 4. Starting at the center, use a spatula and start folding the chocolate in the middle of the bowl. Work your way towards the edges, pulling the chocolate inward until the mixture is smooth and glossy. 5. Refrigerate and stir every 5-10 minutes until frosting begins to hold desired shape. Use immediately.  Ganache Icing 1. Place chocolate pieces in a medium sized bowl (heatproof). 2. In a small saucepan, bring cream and corn syrup to just a simmer on medium high heat. 3. Pour cream mixture over the chocolate. Let stand until chocolate begins to melt. 4. Starting at the center, use a spatula and start folding the chocolate in the middle of the bowl. Work your way towards the edge, pulling the chocolate inward until the mixture is smooth and glossy. Note: Glaze can be refrigerated for up to 5 days in an airtight container. Gently reheat before using. Chocolate Covered Strawberries 1. Line a baking sheet with wax paper or parchment paper. 2. Melt semi-sweet chocolate in double broiler or heat proof bowl on top of a saucepan, over medium heat until melted. Set aside. 3. Melt white chocolate in double broiler or heat proof bowl on top of a saucepan, over medium heat until melted. Set aside. 4. Dip half of the strawberries in the semi-sweet chocolate, twisting as you pull it out to help discard extra chocolate. Place on lined baking sheet. 5. Dip fork into the white chocolate and drizzle over the dipped strawberries. Let chocolate harden (about 30 minutes) Note: Ganache Glaze and Frosting are recipes from Martha Stewart. Also, I doubled the chocolate cake recipe to make 4 layers.

Carpe Diem: Lemon Curd Cupcakes with Lemon Buttercream

Some days...you need an extra kick to get you going. While many of us turn to coffee (usually my weapon of choice), I have turned to lemon cupcakes! ZING!

A very natural next choice, right?!

Lemon Curd Cupcakes with Lemon Buttercream

EAT ME!

Did you know that lemon is used as a weight loss aid because it helps with digestion and your liver?

It also helps diversify your facial expressions...holy sour!

Well, these won't help you lose weight...sorry. 

Don't feel guilty, just run an extra mile on the treadmill!

They are made with fresh lemon juice and zest and although there is also sugar and butter...and more sugar...and more butter, they taste light and very refreshing!

Squeeze away!

I love this recipe because it makes exactly 12 cupcakes (filled 2/3 of the way).

So messy!

YES...I baked the drippy spots! And then I ate them...

My husband and I are starting to pack on the pounds with all these sweets in the house!

I swear there are 12...one is camera shy!

BUT this serving size is perfect! 2 for him and 10 for me!!!

Filling with lemon curd! I hope the cupcakes don't feel violated.

Lemon curd trying to escape...

My favorite part: the Lemon Buttercream!

ACTION shot!

I could eat spoonfuls! 

Don't worry I didn't...I just squirted it in my mouth instead...SOOOO much easier!

Using a 1M tip and pastry bag makes frosting cupcakes so much fun! 

Sprinkle a little lemon zest on top and walla (like the magical word...not the onion)!

So delicious!

Love you all!! Take Care and God Bless!

Lemon Curd Cupcakes with Lemon Buttercream

Print Recipe Yield: 12 cupcakes    Prep Time: 15 minutes    Total Time: 45 minutes Ingredients: Vanilla Cupcakes 1 and 1/4 cups cake flour or all purpose flour 1 cup granulated sugar 1/2 cup canola oil 1 and 1/8 teaspoons baking powder 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla 1/4 teaspoon salt 2 large eggs, room temperature 1/2 cup milk Lemon Curd I used Trader Joe's Lemon Curd this time around but I have a delicious recipe I will share with you soon! Lemon Buttercream Frosting 1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks), room temperature 4-5 cups confectioners sugar, sifted 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 lemon, juice and zest 1 teaspoon vanilla extract Directions:  Vanilla Cake 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line or grease cupcake tin (12 cupcakes). 2. In a large bowl or stand mixer, combine flour, sugar, oil, baking powder, vanilla, and salt until blended. 3. Mix in eggs 1 at a time. Make sure each one is incorporated before adding the next. 4. Stop periodically to scrap down the sides of bowl and bottom (don't miss this step or you'll get clumps!) 5. Mix in milk 1/4 cup at a time. Stop to scrap down sides and bottom in between. 6. Mix for 1 minute more so that all ingredients are thoroughly mixed in and batter is smooth.  7. Evenly pour batter into each cupcake liner and bake for 18-23 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. 8. Let cupcake cool in pan for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, remove from pan and let cool on rack until completely cool. 9. Once cupcakes are cool, fill with lemon curd and frost the top of the cupcakes. Sprinkle some fresh lemon zest on each cupcake and decorate to your liking.  Lemon Buttercream Frosting 1. Using the paddle attachment of a stand mixer, beat butter on medium speed for about 3 minutes until smooth and creamy.  2. Turn mixer on low speed, add 4-5 cups of confectioners sugar (1 cup at a time). After adding each cup, turn the mixer to high speed to ensure the sugar has been incorporated. 3. Turn mixer to medium speed and add lemon juice, zest, and vanilla.