Icing on the cake

I know what you are thinking...where is Sam, we want SAM!  I know this because I check the stats on my blog and Sam always gets double the pages views that I get.  I love him too, so I know what you are going through.  Sam finished his evening last night with a crazy out of the blue migraine and then has Kael by himself today while Caleb and I are here in Washington.  So he was a little stretched for time and energy today.  No prob babe, I got your back!  And so does Momma Marilyn with her tasty morsels of goodness otherwise known as:

Momma Marilyn’s Apple Spice Carrot Cake

Well if we get technical this is Betty Crocker’s Carrot Cake, but it is Momma Marilyn’s modifications that make it oooohhh so yummy special.

I think I will try and make a carrot cake when I get home and try and make it really healthy so that I can justify eating great gobs of it.  I never used to like carrot cake, but it has grown on me.  Oh, and great gobs of anything is usually not good; everything in moderation.

Mom sent the leftovers home with us; bad Mom!  I ate it for breakfast and then lunch yesterday.  This is so good you will have to either not like carrot cake to make it or you will need intense self control, or you may find that you have whittled the “uneven” slice down to a crumb (like me).

So to counterbalance my over indulgence I went for a nice little run and felt much better and can say that it was definitely worth it.

This morning I went to church in Machias the church where I was raised.  It was wonderful to see my church family and hear my dad preach.  What wonderful word I heard!  Yes, I am rhyming again, I stayed up way too late last night.  My dad taught out of Luke chapter 10 verses 1-24.  You can catch the sermon at http://www.machias.org/ in the podcasts.  Definately one to listen to!  I am SO grateful for this sermon because it touched on so many areas that the Holy Spirit has been training me in.  It brought a little tear to my eye at one point too because I got a pinch of personal conviction.  I would rather a pinch then a spank, so point taken God!  I am sorry.

God is so good!  I was blessed by the music, by prayer and by the word!  It was a great day!  Now we are up at my folks about to enjoy some of Papa Ron's delicious oriental fare that he is whipping up in the wok on the back porch.  *SMILES* YUMMY!

So without further ado I give you Momma Marilyn's Apple Spice Carrot Cake.

Ingredients

Betty Crocker Carrot Cake Mix

Instead of the cup of water the box calls for Mom uses pineapple juice (and the magic begins)

3 eggs

½ cup vegetable

1 large carrot grated fine

2 apples peeled and grated fine

Preheat oven to 340.  Grease two 8” cake pans and line with parchment paper.

Follow the directions on the box, mixing together the wet ingredients on medium speed for two minutes.  By hand, stir in the grated apples and carrot.  Pour batter evenly between the two pans.  Bake for approximately 30 minutes and a tooth pick inserted should come out clean.

Let rest in pans for 5 minutes and then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.  Then peel off parchment paper.  Cakes should be completely cool before you frost them.

While your cake is cooling you can whip up your cream cheese frosting that is the perfect complement to carrot cake.

Featherweight Cream Cheese Frosting

1 8oz package cream cheese

¾ cup butter at room temp

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups powdered sugar

In a medium bowl combine the first three ingredients and whip them on high until light and fluffy.

Gradually (slowly) add your powdered sugar and continue to whip until it is the right consistency.

Once your cakes are cooled and your frosting is prepared you are ready to bring it all home and put this thing together.

Place one of your cakes on a plate (make it a cute plate; first people eat with their eyes).  Spread a light coating of frosting on the top.  This is where Mom says you can get “creative.”  She took and spread Peach Mango Orange Preserves all over the top…sorry I had to pause so I could wipe the drool off my face.  This stuff was yummy and gave this cake a skip in its step.  Spread the preserves to ½ an inch from the edge of the cake.  Mom noted that these preserves that she used were ½ the calories of regular preserves, but they were full flavor!  Apricot or marmalade preserves would do if you needed a substitute.

Using a decorator bag and a “star tip” filled with your frosting pipe a border all the way around the top edge of the cake (this will keep your preserves contained when you top it with the second layer of cake).

Place your second layer of cake on top.  Frost the top of cake.  Then with your frosting bag go up and down to cover sides.  Drizzle preserves over the top and then pipe a small border around the base and top edge.

Mom toasted almonds by taking a frying pan and melting ½ tablespoon of butter to which she added ¼ cup slivered almonds.  She says to watch carefully and stir with a wooden spoon so they don’t burn.

When they look nice and toasty remove from heat and let cool.  Sprinkle on the top of your cake as a finishing touch.

Enjoy! Love, Mom.

And here is the cute little cake that she made special for Caleb:

I am so blessed to have such an amazing mother.  Next week we will resume with Sunday with Sam.

xoxo

Ronda