Carrot cake

I haven't been able to do a lot of baking lately, but I did find time to try out this carrot cake recipe I found in the January/February 2013 issue of Taste of Home. This recipe was crazy good, but it also has a crazy thick layer of cream cheese frosting on top. It was almost too much frosting. Almost. My hubby really enjoyed the addition of crushed pineapple in the cake.

Here's the recipe, if you want to try it at home.  This would be a terrific cake for Easter or to bring to a church potluck.  Enjoy!

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Carrot Cake

Recipe from Taste of Home

• 3 C. shredded carrots
• 1 can (20 oz.) crushed pineapple, well drained
• 2 C. sugar
• 1 C. canola oil
• 4 eggs
• 2 C. flour
• 2 tsp. baking soda
• 2 tsp. cinnamon

Frosting:

• 1 package (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
• 1/4 C. butter, softened
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 3-3/4 C. confectioners' sugar

In a large bowl, beat the first five ingredients until well blended. In another bowl, mix the flour, baking soda and cinnamon; gradually beat into carrot mixture.

Transfer mixture to a greased 13-inch-by-9-inch baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 to 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.  Cool completely in pan on wire rack.

For frosting, in a large bowl, beat the cream cheese, butter and vanilla until blended. Gradually beat in confectioners' sugar until smooth. Spread over cake. Cover and refrigerate leftovers.

My favorite carrot muffins

I love to bake muffins, and it's even better when I can use ingredients from my own backyard garden.  Last April (that sounds like so long ago!), I planted a few carrot seeds.  I finally got to harvest them this week.  How fun are these multi-colored carrots?!

I ended up with just enough carrots to make my favorite carrot muffins, a recipe from Taste of Home. It's a healthy recipe, with whole wheat flour and applesauce instead of butter or shortening.  I loved how these muffins turned out, with the different colors of shredded carrots in the mix.  Give these a try next time you see carrots on sale at the grocery store (or at the farmers market).

Carrot quick bread using Ultragrain flour

A couple weeks ago, I won a free bag of Ultragrain flour from the company's Facebook giveaway.  I discovered Ultragrain flour at the Iowa State Fair this summer, where the company reps were handing out free, warm chocolate chip cookies made with Ultragrain.  Even though Ultragrain is a whole-wheat flour, you can bake with Ultragrain like white flour.  It has more fiber than all-purpose flour, without the whole-wheat texture.

My husband and I are trying to eat healthier, but my hubby isn't a big fan of whole-grain breads and pastas.  That's why I buy the soft white whole-grain breads at the grocery store.  The Ultragrain flour is used in a lot of those breads, according to the company's website.

I've been using Ultragrain flour for the past few months in my cookie and quick bread recipes.  For the most part, I haven't noticed a difference in the taste of the baked goods, although sometimes the texture seems a little heavier, but it might just be imagining a difference.  My husband hasn't noticed a difference at all.  He'll gobble up anything I make for him!

I have found Ultragrain flour at the East Lincoln Way Hy-Vee in Ames and at the Fareway store in north Ames.  I believe the packaging has been redesigned and is no longer called "Eagle Mills" flour, according to the company's Facebook page.  Instead, look for the "Ultragrain" name.  The flour is available in both all-purpose flour and white whole wheat flour varieties.  I've been baking with the all-purpose flour.

One of my husband's favorite recipes is a carrot quick bread I found in Cooking Light magazine years ago.  It's a fun breakfast bread to make, mostly because it uses not one -- but three -- different types of flour, including soy flour for added protein. I thought it would also be a great recipe to showcase the Ultragrain flour.

Look for soy flour in the baking aisle, with the other flours.

As you could probably guess, the real reason why my husband likes the carrot quick bread is because of the cream cheese frosting!  It's like eating carrot cake, but a lot healthier.  You can find the recipe on the Cooking Light website.