3 cups flour
4 eggs
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
12 ounces junior stage baby food carrots
2 cups oil
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 1/ 2 cups sugar
2 cups chopped nuts

2 cups Confectioner’s sugar
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
4 ounces butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla

1. Oven to 375 degrees.
2. Grease and flour 2 9-inch tube pans
3. In a larger bowl, beat well sugar, oil, eggs and baby food
carrots. Mix together in a another bowl, flour, baking soda,
baking powder and cinnamon, sift together. Gradually add the
flour mixture to the large bowl with wet ingredients, beat
on low speed until blended well. Stir in chopped nuts.
4. Pour cake batter into the pans. Spread evenly in tube pans.
5. Bake in oven for 40 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.
Cool for 30 minutes before removing from pan. Gently loosen
sides of cake before removing from pan. Cool completely on a
wire rack.
6. In a separate bowl beat the cream cheese, butter with vanilla.
Add the confectionery sugar while beating on a low speed.
(These measurement amounts are for the icing of one cake.) Ice
the carrot cake when completely cooled.
7. The second cake can be frozen for another day.
8. ENJOY! – Baby food isn’t just for babies, it’s for baking!

My first experience with carrot cake took place at Laurie’s home, my good friend and neighbor. I have a quirky aversion to raisins and would not have let the cake pass my lips had not her mom, Saranne, assured me that this version had nary a one! But don’t let that stop you; many folks really enjoy adding pineapple, raisin, and other more exotic spices for that extra zing. This is a basic recipe for carrot cake and I have never changed it after all these years. Why would I? The cream cheese icing is pure heaven. It may be too sweet for some, but I just love it.

I must confess that I have a sweet tooth, and coupled with the fact that I love to cook, also means I love to eat! I believe most women fall into this same category, but they don’t allow themselves the luxury of eating what they want. I have been conditioned to not diet. Growing up, I never ate enough and my mother was always begging me to eat. Even as a young adult, I could never finish my dinner. I really never had an appetite until I was pregnant with my first child, followed up by two more children and a growing appetite. You know how it is, if you never have to watch your weight growing up, then it’s very hard to diet later on in life.

I really began baking and cooking more frequently over the years and really enjoyed creating recipes. I took such pride with each holiday dinner and desert because I would introduce my family to something new and excitingly different. The more I cooked and baked, the more my family enjoyed it. I had found my talent in life! I really love to write for this website and to hear from my readers how much they enjoy it too.

Wherever my passion for cooking takes me, I am ready. Even if it is simply praise from my family for a wonderful Sunday dinner, or a delicious carrot cake, I love what I do!