Homemade Carrot Cake

I found this recipe on http://www.momontimeout.com/2012/08/to-die-for-carrot-cake-recipe/ and it was a super easy recipe. I had everything I needed for this recipe in my fridge and cupboard except the can of crushed pineapple.

So yesterday I ran into the store to grab a can of crushed pineapple! And came home to bake an awesome carrot cake!

Cake Ingredients:

First Bowl:

1 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce

2 cups sugar

3 eggs

Second Bowl:

2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon

Third Bowl:

2 cups grated carrots

1 cup coconut

1 cup chopped walnuts

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup crushed pineapple in juice


Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly coat two 8-inch pans with baking spray.

Combine the first bowl ingredients. Add the second bowl to the first bowl. Stir until all of the ingredients are combined. Add the third bowl and stir until the ingredients of all three bowls are combined.

Pour the batter into the prepared cake pans.

 Bake at 350 degrees for 35 to 40 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.

Let the cakes cool completely before turning them out to frost.

Frosting:

2 sticks of butter, (softened)

16 ounces of cream cheese (softened)

2 teaspoons of vanilla 

8 cups of powdered sugar

Directions:

Beat the butter and cream cheese in your stand mixer until they are light and fluffy. Add vanilla and continue mixing.

Add the powdered sugar two cups at a time - continue mixing until the sugar is combined.

Place the first cake on a cake plate and spread a generous amount of icing on top and put the second cake on top.

Start icing the top and sides.

I usually sprinkle the tops of my carrot cakes with chopped nuts or toasted coconut - but I happen to have these icing carrots left over from Easter. So I used the icing carrots to decorate the cake.

This cake was so fantastic!

My husband loved it! He said it tasted like a Polly's pie. Note: I have never been to a Polly's Pie! I don't think he has either. And it was a cake - not a pie! He was doing his best to be complimentary.

Strawberry Carrots or Carrot Strawberries

These are so easy to make and scream "Spring."

And today is the first day of "Spring!" Happy Springtime!

Wash and dry your strawberries. Choose strawberries that have a generous green stem.

Now place a toothpick in the center of the stem and using basic kitchen twine tie the stem to the toothpick.

Now dip the strawberries into some melted orange chocolate. Place the strawberries on parchment paper to dry. Once they are completely dry you can remove the toothpicks and fluff out the stems.

These would also be fun to serve after Easter dinner. Serve these strawberries within twenty-four hours.

Carrot Floral Arrangements

I made two carrot floral arrangements today. Both were super easy!

I found my largest vase and placed three bunches of carrots with the tops attached. I just added water up to the carrot line to keep them fresh.

I did end up trimming some of the carrot tops because they were drooping.

Okay,  my next arrangement took a few minutes longer!

I put some white tulips in a small vase and put it inside a larger vase. On second thought I should have bought the yellow tulips. I digress.  Then I placed baby carrots all around the small vase in two layers!

This is a close up of the carrots layers.

To cover up the inner vase - I tied a ribbon at the top of the larger vase. The ribbon just added that little extra touch!

From this angle you can see the inner vase.

Good luck with your Easter floral arrangements.

Cheese Ball Carrots

I have been making "carrots" every year for Easter since Noelle was in pre-school and now she is 18! During the pre-school years I would put Pepperidge Farm Goldfish in the carrot cones.

For a long time (since third grade for both kids) I have been using Cheetos instead of Goldfish.

This year I used Cheese Balls that I bought at Target. They came in a HUGE container.

The cheese balls kinda, sorta look like candy.

I found these carrot colored and shaped bags at Michael's and I recently also saw them at Ralph's in the Easter aisle.

On one side of the carrot cone it is solid orange.

This carrot shows both sides the solid and clear sides.

I made 36 carrot cones for Christian's class and put them in a green basket.

These carrots look really cute packed tightly in the green basket.

These didn't take very long to make - however, I was covered in Cheeto dust. It was on my shirt, all over my hands, under my fingernails etc.

These would be a cute party favor for your Easter Egg Hunt or a unique treat at everyone's place setting on Easter Sunday.