Awesome news on the broody! Gotta love a good mama.
Would you mind sharing the carrot cake recipe when you have time? I have loads if carrots to process as well.
Sure! Recipe from Cooks Illustrated Jan/Feb 1998
A big whisk and big bowl are your friend, and recipe requires no mixer. However, read the directions bc they are different than most cake recipes:
2 2/3 C all purpose flour
4 tsp baking powder (yes, four tsp)*
1/2 tsp baking soda
2tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp salt
2 pound carrots, finely grated (7 Cups)
1 cup, plus 2/3 Cup granulated sugar
1/2 lb (2 sticks) unsalted butter
1 Cup light brown sugar
5 eggs
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Heat oven to 350. grease and flour cake pans (or grease wide mouth pint jars, removing any grease from rim. You will use 8-9 jars).
Whisk flour through salt in a bowl, set aside.
Toss grated carrots with 1 Cup sugar. - place in colander over a bowl, let drain for approx 20 min, until 1 Cup liquid has drained.
Melt butter in a large skillet over med-low heat, stirring frequently. cook until golden brown, approx 8-10 min, stirring frequently. Transfer to a large bowl and cool for 10 min.
Once butter is cooled for 10 min, then stir in the remaining granulated sugar (2/3C), and the brown sugar. Add eggs one at a time, whisking each until fully incorporated.
Add vanilla to the butter/sugar/egg mix, then add flour mixture, stirring until almost combined.
Stir in carrots.
Divide batter into the 2 prepared pans. OR put in 1C batter per pint jar - an ice cream/batter scoop is helpful here. Wipe rims again to remove any batter or carrot bits.
Bake until cake is firm in the middle, and toothpick comes out perfectly clean, approx 40-50 min. For the jars, I place onto a baking sheet with a silicone baking pad, with space between jars, and it still took about 40 min to cook - but check after 30 or so min to assess.
cool in pans for 10 min, run knife around edge and remove from pans to continue cooling.
If using jars, have warmed lids ready, and once out of the oven, apply lids and rings, tighten, then let cool completely, and they will cool sealed.
The above cake tastes great - its just carrots and spice - and yummy. But, you might want additional ingredients:
Variations:
1. Pineapple and pecans: Toast pecans and chop to get 3/4 cup. Drain crushed pineapple, squeezing out juice to get it as "dry" as possible. Measure out 2/3 Cup of the pineapple. Add these to batter with the carrots.
2. Raisins and Walnuts: toast and chop walnuts to get 3/4 Cup. Measure 3/4 Cup raisins. Add with the carrots.
