After such a day, I would generally have collapsed on an overstuffed chair, pulled out my latest piece of literature, and shifted my brain into neutral. Instead, I found myself pulling out our recipes. There’s something relaxing about creative activity. I rediscovered a recipe for carrot-pineapple cake, and deciding that it was abnormal enough to interest me, I made one:
The recipe:
Carrot-Pineapple Cake
Ingredients:
2 ¼ cups sifted, all-purpose flour
1 ½ cups sugar
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon
¾ teaspoon salt
1 cup oil
3 eggs
1 ½ cups finely shredded carrot
¾ cup crushed pineapple (with juice)
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla
Mix dry ingredients. Mix remaining ingredients and add, mixing on low speed. Place evenly in two 9” round cake pans, greased and lightly floured. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans. Cool completely and apply cream cheese frosting.
Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients:
4 ½ ounces cream cheese, softened
1 ½ tablespoons butter, softened
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla
3 cups sifted confectioners’ (powdered) sugar
In medium mixing bowl, combine cream cheese, butter, and vanilla. Beat at low speed with electric mixer until light. Gradually add sugar, beating until fluffy. If necessary, add a small amount of milk to make of spreading consistency.
This is how my cake looked the next day:
Carrot-Pineapple Cake
Ingredients:
2 ¼ cups sifted, all-purpose flour
1 ½ cups sugar
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon
¾ teaspoon salt
1 cup oil
3 eggs
1 ½ cups finely shredded carrot
¾ cup crushed pineapple (with juice)
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla
Mix dry ingredients. Mix remaining ingredients and add, mixing on low speed. Place evenly in two 9” round cake pans, greased and lightly floured. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans. Cool completely and apply cream cheese frosting.
Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients:
4 ½ ounces cream cheese, softened
1 ½ tablespoons butter, softened
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla
3 cups sifted confectioners’ (powdered) sugar
In medium mixing bowl, combine cream cheese, butter, and vanilla. Beat at low speed with electric mixer until light. Gradually add sugar, beating until fluffy. If necessary, add a small amount of milk to make of spreading consistency.
This is how my cake looked the next day:
Other assorted things of life:
Bonnie’s purple flowers that dried and are now immortal, arranged in a Japanese vase:
The book of medieval castles my brother bought in Seattle:
Some excellent Hillary Hahn cds I’ve been listening to recently:
The Italian cookbook Phillip bought for me. I have yet to try the recipes therein:
mmmmmm, the cake looks good
ReplyDeleteThe cake looks good.I luv carrot cake,never heard of pineapple and carrot cake before....interesting. :)
ReplyDelete