Carrot Cake

Not my best picture. This cake is 4 layers

Adapted from allrecipes.com.

Note: You can make this in either 2, 9-inch round pans or a 9×13 pan.

For the cake:4 eggs
1 1/4 cup vegetable or canola oil
1 cup white sugar
1 cup brown sugar
3 teaspoons vanilla
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
3 cups grated carrots (a food processor or box grater work the best)
1 cup chopped pecans

For the frosting:
1/2 cup butter, softened
8 oz cream cheese, softened
4 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoons vanilla (I used Vanilla Bean Paste)
1 cup chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350.  Spray with cooking spray (or Butter) and flour your pan(s) of choice.

In a large bowl, beat together eggs, oil, white and brown sugar and the vanilla.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. Slowly add into the wet ingredients, but don’t over mix.

Stir in carrots and then fold in 1 cup of chopped pecans.

Pour into prepared pan(s).

Bake for 25-30 minutes for round pans and 40-50 minutes for 9×13 pan, rotating the pan(s) halfway through.  Test with your cake tester and if it comes out clean, it’s done.

Let cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn onto a wire rack and let cool completely.

For the frosting, combine butter, cream cheese, powdered sugar, and 1 teaspoon of vanilla. Beat with a hand mixer or stand mixer until mixture is smooth and creamy. It takes a little bit for it all to come together so be patient. Frost the cooled cake and sprinkle with 1 cup chopped pecans.

*When I made this recipe I used Black Walnuts instead of pecans.

Black Walnut Cake

My dad has always liked black walnuts and wanted to have someone make him a black walnut cake; my mom had some in the freezer waiting to be used.  I found this recipe online.  It originally called for 1/2 cup of black walnuts, but I added an extra 1/2 cup.

Makes 12 Servings

Ingredients

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1/2 cup shortening
• 3 cups sugar
• 5 eggs
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup chopped black walnuts

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease and flour a 10 inch tube pan.
2. In a large bowl, cream together the butter, shortening, and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing just until the yellow disappears. Combine the flour, baking powder, and cinnamon; stir into the creamed mixture alternately with the milk. Stir in the vanilla and walnuts, and pour into the prepared pan.
3. Bake for 1 hour and 30 minutes, or until a knife or toothpick inserted into the crown comes out clean. Cool in the pan for about 15 minutes before turning out of the pan onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Coconut Oatmeal Cookies

Ingredients:
* 1/2 cup self rising flour 
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
* 1/3 cup sugar
* 1 large egg
* 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla 
* 1 1/2 cups sweetened shredded coconut
* 1/2 cup oatmeal 

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 375°. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. 
2. Using an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar at medium-high speed until creamy, about 2 minutes. Beat in the egg and vanilla. Beat in the flour on low speed. Stir in the coconut and oatmeal
3. Place rounded teaspoons of dough about an inch apart on the prepared cookie sheet. Bake until the edges are golden, 12-15 minutes. Let cool on a rack.


I automatically double the recipe.

Bacon Grease Chocolate Chip Pecan Cookies

This recipe comes from my friend Ross Sveback. Ross is a lifestyle expert who also teaches cooking classes. I have a link to his website on my blog too.  www.kon-tent.com


I wasn't quite sure what to expect when I first tried these cookies, but bacon seems to be trendy in food lately. You can find chocolate covered anything these days including the popular chocolate covered bacon. Also, I have not found anything Ross has made that I didn't like.


1/2 cup rendered bacon grease
1/2 cup butter-flavor shortening (butter if you like)
1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
1 tsp. maple flavoring. (I didn't have flavoring so I used maple syrup.)
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
2 cups flour
1 cup chocolate chips (Ross uses guittard dark chocolate)
1/2 cup chopped pecans
fine sea salt for sprinkling on top - if desired

In the bowl of an electric mixer cream bacon grease, butter and brown sugar together scraping bowl if necessary to combine.  Add egg, vanilla bean paste or extract, baking powder, baking soda and salt - mix on medium low to combine.  Add flour and stir to incorporate - scraping bottom of bowl to ensure all the flour is mixed together.  Add chocolate chips and nuts, then stir again.  Let dough rest for a half hour.



Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Using a 1/4 cup ice cream scoop, place dough onto silpat lined baking sheets. (If you do not have silpat, you can use parchment paper or spray pan.  I recommend a silpat, they make clean up easy). This recipe should yield two dozen cookies.  Bake for 16 minutes, turning pans or rotating them bottom to top if necessary depending on your oven halfway through the baking time.  Remove from oven and allow to cool on a rack.

Thank You Ross for another great recipe!!!