Thursday, April 23, 2009

Buttermilk Glazed Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Icing

Packed:
1 J. Jill floral print skirt, chiffon overlay
1 10 and 1/2 inch Lodge Cast iron skillet
1 white rubber spatula (stained a bit yellow from the last time I made curry)
1 pair pink and white striped pajama pants
1 Henckels paring knife
1 white eyelit blouse
1 small jar crushed red chile peppers
1 adorable blue and yellow apron from dear reader Lynn Dickens
1 75 square foot roll tinfoil
1 dark denim jacket, newly acquired from Tar-jay
1 dark green padded oven mitt
1 Ireland Rugby T shirt, for good luck
1 camera, extra battery and charger
3 novels (Outliers, Comfort Food, The Laws of Harmony), plus scriptures
5 NYT crossword puzzles, cut from this week's newspaper
All this inside of an extra large borrowed (thanks, Dad) suitcase. What will airport security think of me? And if they open my bag to rummage through, will they be able to get it closed again without my help?
I'm on my way to Tennessee for the National Cornbread Cook-Off. I wish my two little charges and the Quiet Man were going with me, especially since the festival promises to be full of small town fun, like the buttermilk chugging contest and watermelon seed spitting contest. I'm not sure if I made the watermelon contest up, but it sounds right. I'll be in South Pittsburg, TN, pitted against nine other amateur cooks, making my Four Cheese and Italian Sausage Lover's Pie with a Parmesan Cornbread Crust. I'll be home late Sunday with pictures and a full report.
In the meantime, I'm sharing my favorite carrot cake. It's a not too sweet cake-before the glaze, that is-baked in a loaf pan, then split and coated with a syruppy buttermilk glaze, then frosted with a cream cheese frosting. The glaze makes this cake extra moist and especially luxurious. It would be a perfect Sunday afternoon dessert. Have a wonderful weekend and wish me luck!
Money Saving Tips:
Skip the baby carrots and buy the full size carrots here. They're cheaper and they have better flavor. Swap the carrots for garden zuchinni in the summertime. The cake itself is fantastic on it's own, without glaze or icing, so if you're being extra frugal just dust it with powdered sugar. If you don't have buttermilk for the glaze, use regular milk.
Buttermilk Glazed Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Icing:
Estimated Cost: $5.00
Notes: This recipe is adapted from the carrot bread recipe in Bon Appetit.
3/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 and 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon EACH baking soda, baking powder, and cinnamon
3 large carrots, peeled and grated
1 cup chopped pecans, if desired
For Glaze:
4 tablespoons each buttermilk, sugar, and butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
For Icing:
3 ounces cream cheese
3 tablespoons softened butter
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
about 2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup chopped pecans, if desired
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9 by 5 inch loaf pan. In a large bowl, combine sugar, eggs, oil, vanilla, and salt, blending well. Add flour and soda, powder, and cinnamon. Stir until just combined. Add carrots and nuts if using. Pour into prepared pan and bake for 45 minutes. Let cool for ten minutes, before turning out onto rack. Let cool an additional ten minutes. While still warm, slice in half lengthwise, and place on rack with cut sides up. Prepare glaze by combining in a small saucepan, the butter, sugar, and buttermilk. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Spoon warm sauce, tablespoonfull at a time, over cut sides of cake, allowing the glaze to sink in. When all of the glaze has sunk in, let cool to room temperature. Prepare icing by combining butter, cream cheese, and lemon until smooth. Stir in powdered sugar and beat until fluffy. Frost middle of cake and put together; frost sides and top and sprinkle with nuts if desired.
Next Up:
My Italian Sausage and Cheese Pie with Parmesan Cornbread Crust

28 comments:

LizNoVeggieGirl said...

Great cake!! And hooray for using regular carrots versus baby carrots - the flavor's better.

Mary@Holy Mackerel said...

Wow, I love this recipe. I may even do this this w/e! Won't my family be surprised...

Catherine said...

That yellow and blue apron really is darling. I love this cake! I thoroughly enjoyed eating this on Easter! Good luck at the cornbread contest! I can't wait to see your recipe.

Jersey Girl Cooks said...

I love carrot cake. Have fun in TN ands good luck! It sounds like so much fun.

Kerstin said...

I love that your carrot cake has both a glaze and icing! Good luck at the contest, can't wait to hear all about it!

Tanji said...

Good luck Miss Prudy!! You'll do great! We tried to make it work to come see you - it's about a 7 hr drive. But between, soccer, flag football coaching, church stuff and more church stuff we just couldn't swing it. :( Hopefully we'll be seeing you this (scorching hot) summer in your quaint little town. Southern loves to you!

Marjie said...

Good luck, have fun and safe trip!

gigi said...

Oh, Prudy, you have a wonderful trip and Good luck with the contest! I wish I was there to vote for you cause I know you are the BEST!!

I love carrot cake just to much!

Dr. Mom said...

The cake sounds heavenly!

Good luck at your competition!

Lisa said...

This recipe looks great. I'm definitely going to make it for my MIL on her birthday, carrot cake is one of her favorites.

Good luck at the contest!

Sharon said...

Good luck at the contest! I'd love to be a judge for that one. This cake looks mighty fine. ;)

Mary Ann said...

Good luck Prudy! Although I know you don't need luck because you are so talented and everything you create is unbelievable. This carrot cake is the perfect thing for me this week. I was planning on making one for my younger brother and so, yeah!
Have fun!

Coleens Recipes said...

You can just LOOK at a cake and tell if it is moist and yummy. Your cake passes that test with flying colors, I love carrot cake.

Emily said...

I love a good carrot cake and I love trying out new recipes. Yours is next!

Cornbread..... mmmmmm..... I make it a few times a month here at my house because I love it so much. I can't wait to see your finished product, with the blue ribbon on it, of course! Good luck!

Maria said...

Love your cake!!

Anonymous said...

Best of luck my dear! The carrot cake sounds amazing! I've been craving carrot cake for a couple weeks now... I'm probably going to have to cave and make one.

~Cat

Debbie said...

Carrot cake is my fav! And I love trying new recipes for it. Always searching for the "perfect" one.
Have fun in TN.

Lainee said...

Good Luck, and have fun! Can't wait to hear all about the trip! The cake looks delish!

wileyfamilyof5 said...

GOOD LUCK!!One question can you use a glass bread pan??We will be making this very soon. YUMMY.

Melanie Anne said...

mMMM That looks beautiful!! Yum!

jill said...

Good luck and this looks fab!

Emily said...

Best of luck!

Clumbsy Cookie said...

Lovely yummy cake! I love carrot cake, but usually have it plain. I can't wait to hear how you did in the contest!!!

Prudy said...

Wiley Family:
Yep, a glass pan will work just fine. I actually prefer glass so I can see when it's browning. Good luck!

Astra Libris said...

Good luck!! How exciting!! I love your list of items in your suitcase... :-) I can't wait to hear all about the challenge when you return!!

In the meantime, oooh la la, your carrot cake is gorgeous... Love the buttermilk glaze!

Amy said...

for whatever reason, my son was asking to make carrot cake this morning and I've been searching for a good recipe and then thought, I should search PP to see if she's done one and what a NICE surprise to see it on the very first page, looks simple and yummy, we'll be trying it now. THANKS!

gigi said...

Can't wait to hear how your weekend went??!!

mrsbingley said...

Did you ever end up posting the Italian Sausage and Cheese Pie with a cornbread crust? I can't seem to find it with the search function, and I'd love to try it!

Thanks :-)