Yay for Vitamin A

spending the 4th of july weekend in SA while everybody else cleared out of town translated into a lot of time to finish moving and settling in, running a gazillion errands, and just straight chillaxin'. so while i still have the time and kitchen all to myself, i decided to do some baking for the friends who helped me move. here goes another food/recipe-related entry (sorry for boring the rest of ya to death... but at least i figured out how to use the camera on my phone!)


Classic Carrot Cake

* 4 eggs
* 1 1/4 cups vegetable oil (purists will scorn this healthier modification preferred by me: 3/4
cups oil, 1/2 cup applesauce)
* 1 cup white sugar, 1 cup brown sugar
* 3 teaspoons vanilla extract
* 2 cups all-purpose flour
* 2 teaspoons baking soda
* 2 teaspoons baking powder
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 3 teaspoons ground cinnamon, add dash of nutmeg too if you have some lying around)
* 3 cups grated carrots (don't grate too fine or else will be kind of mushy)
* 1/2- 1 cup of nuts/raisins optional

For frosting:

* 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
* 1/2 cup butter, softened
* 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Preheat to 350. Beat eggs, oil, sugar and vanilla.
2. Mix in flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon.
3. Stir in carrots. Fold in nuts if desired.
4. Bake for 40-50 minutes. If making cupcakes, bake 20 min. Cool completely before icing.
5. To make frosting, just beat all ingredients together until smooth and creamy.

piping hot out of the oven...




















iced with chopped hazelnuts on top... yums!








































i leave you with my still very bare dining room.