The Easter Carrot Cake

This has become our traditional Easter cake - that old fashioned carrot cake so moist and delicious that we fight over leftovers - frosted with a cream cheese and butter icing, and planted with little tiny marzipan ( also known as almond paste) carrots this year.  I often make a more elaborate "garden" , but my two year old granddaughter insisted on helping to make the frosting and the carrots.  Which meant I spent most of the time making sure she didn't stick her hands in the mixer while it was running.   There's plenty of time for a perfect cake while she, on the other hand, is growing up much too quickly.

To make you will need:

2 or 3 round cake pans, greased and floured

Preheat oven to 350.

The Cake:

4 eggs

2 cups sugar

3/4 cup canola oil

2 cups King Arthur flour

2 t. baking powder

2 scant t. baking soda

2 t. cinnamon

3 cups finely grated carrots

Beat eggs, add sugar, oil, and dry ingredients.  Add carrots and stir in well.

Scoop batter into pans, filling about halfway.

Bake for about 35-45 minutes - sometimes it takes longer depending on the moisture content of the carrots.  It will be done when the cake pulls a little away from the sides of the cake pan, and the middle is somewhat firm to the touch. Every once in a while the center falls a little, but it's just a little dip - again, it's the moisture content of the carrots.

Remove to cooling rack.  Run a knife around the edges of the cakes, and cool 15 minutes.  Take a spatula or dull knife and gently loosen the bottom of the cake. Flip onto another cooling rack and cool completely before frosting ( it will melt if it's still warm).

The cream cheese frosting:

1 large pack cream cheese, softened

1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature

juice of a lemon

1 t. vanilla

one box confectioner's sugar

Mix til creamy.  Double recipe if you think you'll need more for decorations ( roses, shells, etc.) - you can always freeze it - or eat it!

The carrots:

In the baking aisle of the supermarket, you'll find almond paste or marzipan in a small box - it costs usually around $3.50 or more.  Open the tube of paste and divide.  Knead in food coloring and go wild with your imagination!  Our tradition is to make fat carrots that can be "pulled" out of the cake for the younger set at the table. Izzie decided to make an Easter pumpkin instead!

 This is such a fabulous cake - good for year round celebrations, as a matter of fact, my April Fool's Day son just requested it for his birthday.

 I hope everyone enjoyed their Easter Day!  In spite of four foot high snowbanks and ice chunks in the driveway, we welcomed Spring with this very green and cheerful centerpiece and forgot about winter for a few hours....

And here's the "baby" - no longer!  She had a wonderful time coloring and playing with her older friend Tom and wrestling with the dogs inbetween the indoor egg hunt and eating a wonderful dinner.