Celebrating with Carrot Cake

It feels really good to be able to celebrate Thanksgiving together this year. So much has changed, but so much hasn’t at the same time. I think the greatest change is what has happened to each one of us. With an entire year thrown off and out and completely gone, gratitude for being able to gather is in the air everywhere. With time gone so abruptly, it’s also refreshing to be able to gather with more freedom and more fun. There is life this year in everyone. I think celebrating the holidays this year is going to be filled with a lot of joy; I can feel it.

Gathering together always, without a doubt, includes sitting together around the table and hanging out in the kitchen with food as the centerpiece. Laughter and talking and just sitting and listening are the most beautiful sounds and I can’t wait to hear that echo more and more throughout our home and in the spaces we gather. This year not only are we getting together for Thanksgiving, but we are also catching up on celebrating birthdays that have passed. Along with all of the turkey and stuffing and fixings, we are indulging in birthday cake. Simms requested a mint chocolate chip ice cream cake, of course, and my niece Allie Jane wanted carrot cake.

I was seriously a little nervous that her 16th birthday cake was. well, I was going to screw it up. Thankfully, it turned out, and can’t wait to sing happy birthday to her and see her new car. It’s so weird she is driving now. Fun fact: she was in Patty’s (my SIL) belly when Matt and I got married. Now we are celebrating her 16th birthday. Crazy, doesn’t even describe it.

Anyway, I had to share this recipe because it is on point. It’s not my recipe, but it’s my go-to now for any and all carrot cakes from here on out. Thank you, Ree Drummond and your mom’s friend Sigrid for this delicious cake. Now let’s party.

Sigrid’s Carrot Cake (courtesy of The Pioneer Woman)

Ingredients

FOR THE CAKE

1 c. vegetable oil, plus more for the pans

2 c. all-purpose flour, plus more for the pans

2 c. granulated sugar

4 large eggs

1 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp. kosher salt

2 c. grated carrots

FOR THE FROSTING

1 1/2 sticks (12 tablespoons) salted butter, softened

12 oz. cream cheese, softened

1 1/2 lb. powdered sugar

2 tsp. vanilla extract

1/2 c. chopped pecans, toasted

Directions

  1. For the cake: Preheat oven to 350˚. Grease two 8-inch round cake pans. Line the pans with parchment and grease the parchment. Dust the pans with flour.

  2. Whisk the granulated sugar, oil, and eggs in a large bowl. In another bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, salt. Add the flour mixture to the egg mixture and stir to combine. Then, add the carrots and mix well.

  3. Divide the batter between the prepared pans and bake until a toothpick inserted into the centers comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes in the pans on a rack, then run a butter knife around the edges of the pans and remove the cakes to the rack to cool completely. Remove the parchment.

  4. For the frosting: In large bowl, beat the butter and cream cheese with a mixer on medium speed until smooth. Add the powdered sugar and vanilla and beat until fluffy. Put one cake layer on a platter and spread with frosting, then top with the other layer. Frost the top and sides of the cake with the remaining frosting. Top the cake with the pecans.


Megan McDougal