Young & Hungry

Ah, birthdays! The one day a year that is absolutely, positively, narcissistically all about YOU. Everybody deserves to feel special on his or her birthday, and isn’t cake such an integral part of delivering upon that sentiment?

A happy birthday indeed!

  
I was recently preparing to bake a birthday cake, a carrot cake, to be exact. Ingredients had been purchased and measured. Butter and eggs were on my kitchen counter, coming to room temperature. Low and behold, Christine emailed me that same day to tell me that she had encountered the most enchanting carrot cake of.all.time (great cooking minds obviously think alike) and that I MUST make it or forever live with the guilt of having served a sub par confection. And just like that—boom!—course corrected. And the truth is that this just may be the best carrot cake ever. Incredibly moist, so much so it almost tastes candied, and super rich. Thank goodness that birthday was saved from the doldrums of an ordinary cake.,,,,once again, sugar saves the day!

PS–Happy Birthday, HC!
 

CAKE
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 3 large eggs
• 2 cups sugar
• 3/4 cup vegetable oil
• 3/4 cup buttermilk
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 cups grated carrot
• 1 (8-ounce) can crushed pineapple, drained
• 1 (3 1/2-ounce) can flaked coconut
• 1 cup chopped pecans

 
Heat oven to 350. Line 2 x 8-inch (or sub in 9-inch) round cakepans with wax paper; lightly grease and flour wax paper. Set pans aside
 
Stir together first 4 ingredients
 
Beat eggs and next 4 ingredients at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth. Add flour mixture, beating at low speed until blended. Fold in carrot and next 3 ingredients. Pour batter into prepared cakepans.
 
Bake at 350 for 25 to 30 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center come out clean. Drizzle Buttermilk Glaze evenly over layers; cool in pans on wire racks 15 minutes. Remove from pans, and cool completely on wire racks Spread Cream Cheese Frosting between layers and on top and sides of cake.
 

Out of the oven and drizzled with buttermilk glaze

 
BUTTERMILK GLAZE
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 3/4 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/4 cup buttermilk
• 1/4 cup butter or margarine
• 1/2 tablespoon light corn syrup
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

 
Bring first 5 ingredients to a boil in a large Dutch oven over medium high heat. Boil, stirring often, 4 minutes. Remove from heat, and stir in vanilla
 
CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
• 3/4 cup cutter or margarine, softened
• 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 1 (3-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 3 cups sifted powdered sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
 
Beat butter and cream cheese at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Add powdered sugar and vanilla; beat until smooth.
 

So moist!