Carrots Perfect Cake Compliment

Lindsay Wilson, Lifestyle Editor
April 28, 2014

If you are frightened by desserts with a vegetable in the title, you don’t know what you are missing.

I’ll be honest. I love vegetables.

There is nothing better than biting into a ripe, juicy tomato or crunching into a bright green cucumber.

Vegetables are also a great option for making dessert, especially in the spring and summer when veggies are plentiful. They provide cakes and cookies with a crisp, garden-fresh taste. Their healthful nutrients can also take little bit of guilt out of the dessert experience.

My favorite vegetable dessert is carrot cake. Although I am not especially partial to the taste of carrots, carrot cake is definitely one of my favorite desserts. I love the taste of the moist, flavorful, airy cake paired with sweet cream cheese frosting.

As a carrot cake connoisseur, I have tried many different recipes. Recently, I made Sam’s Famous Carrot Cake, the recipe for which is available online. It is definitely one of the best I’ve ever made. I had never tried a recipe with coconut and pineapple in it before, which I thought complemented the carrots well, giving them a richer, fruitier taste.

I also tried a new cream cheese frosting recipe, which turned out great. It had the perfect balance of sweetness and airiness.

Most carrot cake recipes provide for a decently sized cake, either in a circular or loaf shape. As with many other recipes, Sam’s Carrot Cake can be tailored to fit various shapes. It is always an option to make cupcakes, for a small, simple treat, or a layered cake, for a fancier occasion.

Also, substitutes can be made or certain ingredients can be taken out. I, personally, am not partial to nuts, so I did not use walnuts.

With a light, feathery texture, Sam’s Famous Carrot Cake is ideal for a evening get-together or just a guilty delight.

Cake Ingredients
Original recipe makes 1- 8×12 inch pan
3 eggs
3/4 cup buttermilk
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups white sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 cups shredded carrots
1 cup flaked coconut
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 (8 ounce) can crushed pineapple with juice
1 cup raisins
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour an 8×12 inch pan.
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 a very heavy whisk, add carrot mixture to batter and fold in well.
6. Pour into prepared 8×12 inch pan, and bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 1 hour. Check with toothpick.
7. Allow to cool for at least 20 minutes before serving.
Cream Cheese Frosting
2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup cup butter, softened
2 cup sifted confectioners’ sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1. In a medium bowl, cream together the cream cheese and butter until creamy. Mix in the vanilla, then gradually stir in the confectioners’ sugar. Store in the refrigerator after use.