Carrot Cake

The best carrot cake I've ever had was made by a German woman who confided that the secret to a good carrot cake is...pineapple.  Pineapple?  I didn't even notice it in her cake, but it truly is the secret.  That and a good cream cheese frosting.  Here you go!


4 eggs, well beaten
1 c. brown sugar
1 c. white sugar
1 1/2 c vegetable oil
2 c. flour
2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp nutmeg
3 c. finely grated carrots
1 c. coconut
1 8 oz. can crushed pineapple
1 c. golden raisins (opt)
1 c. walnuts, coarsely chopped (opt)

Preheat oven to 325.  Oil 3 8" cake pans (I just used a Bundt) Set out 1/2 c. butter and 1 8oz cream cheese to soften (for frosting).  Put pineapple in a strainer to drain.  Beat eggs in a large bowl.  Add sugars and beat till light and fluffy.  Add oil and mix well with whisk.  Put in the dry ingredients and beat till smooth.  Stir in remaining ingredients and pour batter into oiled layer pans.  Bake for 40 minutes or until knife comes out clean when inserted in center of cake.  Cool slightly and frost.

Frosting:
1/2 c. butter
8 oz. cream cheese
2 c. powdered sugar
3 tsp vanilla
Mix together till smooth. Frost between layers and on top  Try toasted coconut for decoration.

Martha Washington Cake, or Fluffy Yellow Cake

All this cake talk is making me very hungry! I thought it would be good to add this wonderful recipe for standard yellow cake to the growing list of "from scratch" cakes. It's from the old 23rd Ward cookbook and I've used it for years.

1 c. shortening

1 c. sugar

4 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla extract

3 c. flour

1/2 (or a little more) tsp. salt

3 tsp. baking powder

1 c. milk

Thoroughly cream shortening and sugar: add eggs and vanilla extract; beat well. Add sifted dry ingredients alternately with milk. Bake in 3 (8-inch) round layered cake pans at 375 degrees for 25 minutes. (You may use any other kind of pan - oblong, cupcakes, 9" pans - just adjust the baking time.)

Chocolate Macaroon Cake

From Lion House Desserts.  It will bring a tear to your eye.  The frosting is pretty much fudge.

Coconut Mixture:
1 egg white (reserve yolk for frosting)
1/2 c. sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1 Tb. flour
2 c. grated  coconut

Beat egg white until soft mounds form.  Add sugar and vanilla, gradually beating until stiff peaks form.  In a separate bowl, mix flour with coconut, then stir slowly into egg white mixture.  Set mixture aside.

Batter:
3/4 c. hot water
1/2 c. cocoa
3 egg whites (save yolks)
1/2 c. sugar
1/2 c. sour cream
1 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 c. sugar
1/2 c. shortening
3 egg yolks
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp salt
2 c. flour

Preheat oven to 350.  Grease and flour an angel food cake pan.  Set aside.  In a small bowl, measure hot water and add cocoa.  Stir to dissolve; set aside.  In a large mixing bowl, beat egg whites until soft mounds form; gradually add sugar, beating until meringue stands in stiff peaks.  Set aside.  Place sour cream in a medium bowl and fold the soda into it.  The mixture will grow as you stir it.  Set aside.  In another bowl, beat sugar, shortening, egg yolks, salt, and  vanilla until creamy.  Add half of the cocoa mixture and beat until creamy (about 4 minutes).  Add the flour, sour cream mixture, and remaining cocoa mixture; blend well.  Fold in egg white mixture.

Place one-third of the cake batter in bottom of prepared pan, then crumble half of the coconut mixture on top of batter.  Spread half of the remaining cake batter on top of the coconut mixture.  Crumble the rest of the coconut mixture on top of the second layer of cake batter, then spread the remaining cake batter on top of the coconut mixture for a total of 5 layers.  Bake for 55 to 65 minutes or until cake tests done.  Remove from oven and allow to cool until bottom of pan feels slightly warm.  To loosen the sides and center, slide a thin knife along the edges and carefully turn upside down.  Allow to cool completely; frost with Frosting.

Frosting:
1 c. chocolate chips
2 Tb. butter
1 egg yolk (reserved from coconut mixture)
1/4 c half-and-half cream
1 3/4 c. powdered sugar

Melt chocolate chips and butter together in a small saucepan.  mix together with egg yolk, half-and-half, and powdered sugar.  Beat until mixture reaches desired spreading consistency.  you may need to add a little more half-and-half to reach proper consistency.