Best Carrot Cake Ever!

It's our friend Michael's birthday next week and we met him and his wife for dinner last night, so what better occasion to make another cake! He wrote this bestseller about the perils of genetic engineering in the 80's so that became the theme.

Michael loves carrot cake, so I went on a hunt for a good recipe and found it! Carrot cake is easier to make moist because of all the fresh carrots, but this one is extra good because it substitutes oil for butter and adds canned pineapple. I didn't have too many raisins so I added some dried cranberries.....very yummy...and seasonal!

The frosting is a basic cream cheese frosting that has a great consistency for spreading.

I made this on a half sheet pan, because I was shaping it, but 2 10-inch rounds would have worked as well.

Carrot Cake

6 cups grated carrots

1 cup light brown sugar

1 cup dried cranberries, or raisins, or a combination

4 (organic free-range) eggs

1 cup white sugar

1 cup canola oil

2 teaspoons of vanilla

1 cup crushed pineapple, drained

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

4 teaspoons cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1 cup chopped walnuts

In a bowl, combine the grated carrots and brown sugar. Set aside.

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease, or line with parchment, whatever cake pan you are using.

In a separate bowl, beat eggs until light and fluffy. Slowly beat in the white sugar, then the oil and vanilla. Mix in the pineapple.

In another bowl, combine the 2 flours, baking soda, salt and spices. Stir into the egg mixture until combined.

Add raisins and cranberries to the carrots, then add this and the walnuts to the cake mixture. When everything is combined, pour into cake pans.

Cooking time will depend on the pan you are using (30-50 minutes). A knife should come out clean, when it's done.

Cream Cheese Frosting

16 oz. cream cheese

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened

2 cups powdered sugar

vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract to taste

Combine everything in the mixer until there are no lumps.

Spread on the cool cake.

Apples Everywhere

The neighbors brought over a bag of apples from their trip to Long Island last week, so I wanted to use them to make something quick to serve as a weeknight dessert. I decided on an apple tart, and added a rim just to use up my extra dough.

Because I was making chili at almost the same time, I wasn't paying enough attention and ended up with only half the recommended amount of butter in the dough.
The result is a firm but crumbly crust. V. says it's the best tart or pie he's ever had. I wouldn't go that far - it's just not dessert-y enough. It also contains very little sugar, so I feel like I've discovered a delicious new breakfast item, as well as a dessert that we like, but that I might be hesitant to serve to guests (except for brunch)!

Here's the version that ended up in my oven:

I used a 10-inch tart pan with a removable bottom (one of the greatest inventions of all time)!

Nutty Pate Brisee

1 cup all purpose flour

1 cup whole wheat flour

1/2 cup ground hazelnuts

salt

1 teaspoon sugar

1 stick cold butter, cut into thin slices

Apple Filling

6-9 apples, depending on size, peeled and cut into small pieces

cinnamon

nutmeg

powdered ginger

honey

sugar

I instinctively kneaded all the ingredients for the dough by hand, though putting them in the food processor would have been just as good (except for the extra dishes).

I rolled out the dough and lined my buttered tart pan.

In a bowl, I tossed the apples with cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger to taste, and drizzled some honey over the top.

I pierced the tart crust we mixture with a fork a few times and filled it with the apples. Sprinkled a bit of sugar and butter over the top so the apples would caramelize.

Cut a wide strip of dough and laid it around the edge of the tart, pressing down the sides to adhere them. Cut out leaves and attached them with a bit of eggwash.

Baked at 350 degrees for about 45-50 mins.