It’s been awhile… I understand.. truly I do.. I have over 150 recipes backlogged to share with you. What’s a girl to do! They are all nicely organized with notes and the date, somehow they just never get typed up and shared like they are supposed too! I think part of it is the fact I was living off my Ipad and another part was I had no real dedicated place to type everything up. Well, everything is changing on both counts since I may or may not have made the decision to head back to school. Hence, the necessity of new computer (I’m loving this HP envy) and I am revamping the “office” (previously a catch all) to a space where I can (and want to) be productive. I already ordered a beautiful new desk which is awaiting assembly (Any volunteers? No? It’s ok, I see how it is…) Anywho, since writing is quickly going to be becoming part of my life, I hope sharing a recipe more often will become the norm once again…at least, that’s the plan. I will be sure to share photos of my new space when its finished.
Moving on, I still try my best to keep up with my groups, Sunday with Joy, Daring Kitchen, Tuesdays with Dorie, and the cook out of Midwestern Table and Lick the Bowl Clean. Have no fear as if with all that I wouls ever have a loss for recipes my library is growing at an alarming rate only fellow book lovers would find comforting…I’m trying not to mourn the loss of contact with my beloved culinary literature with all this math (currently) and nursing (future) stuff, but when I have gotten back into my kitchen it has been all the more rewarding!
Enough right? Just give the recipe hey? (picky picky…FINE) :). I’m sharing a recipe which my coworkers really enjoyed on Easter Eve (is that a thing.. have you ever thought about it..Christmas Eve, New Years Eve,…sorry just wondering) Anyways, I definitely received no complaints about this carrot bundt that is part of our Sundays with Joy Group. I love the fact that it has coconut and pineapple added-we are in Florida after all. I discarded the raisins (not a huge fan) and instead, subbed dried cherries. I also did not add nuts, some coworkers are allergic. I was a little concerned that the center was not cooked through but it ended up turning out beautifully.
Sunny Carrot Cake
Adapted from Kitchen Sink Carrot Cake
3 1/3 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ginger
3 large eggs plus one egg yolk
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
1 3/4 cup sunflower oil or veggie oil
1 cup crushed pineapple, drained
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon coconut extract
2 1/4 cups grated carrots
1/2 cup sweetened grated coconut
1/3 cup dried cherries
– Preheat oven to 350 degrees and ensure you have a rack centered for your cake.
– Prepare a Bundt pan with bakers joy. (The pan should have a 10 or 12 cup capacity)
– In a large bowl combine the first six ingredients (the flour through the ginger), and whisk thoroughly.
– In a separate large bowl combine eggs and both sugars. Whisk until well combined.
– Continue by adding the oil of your choosing followed by both extracts and the pineapple. Stir until combined evenly.
– Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and fold together until 75% combined.
– Add the carrots, coconut, and dried cherries, and fold until all ingredients are evenly incorporated.
– Pour into pan and place in oven for 35 to 45 minutes. (Mine went 50 minutes though).
– When tester comes out relatively clean go ahead and let it cool in it’s pan for 10 – 15 minutes. Then invert on cooling rack until completely cool before frosting it…. (You don’t want that frosting to melt!)
I did not use Joy’s cream cheese frosting. Feel free to use your favorite cream cheese frosting to finish it off. I added some cinnamon to mine and it seemed to balance out the sweetness perfectly. If you like nuts and are not concerned about allergies, I actually was toying with throwing in 1/4 cup of chopped hazelnuts or chopped black walnuts. If I used walnuts I was also toying with subbing in some walnut oil for some of the veggie oil….just some “food for thought” ;).
As always,
Dream. Bake. Believe.
Love, Steffie
Not Your Average Baker 