BG Time: Cooking

Whenever my mother-in-law (GG) and I get together we cook. It is something that we both have a passion for. We will sit up until 2:00 a.m. watching cooking shows, picking through how food is prepped, cooked, and presented. This weekend we decided to cook three things; chicken and vegetable soup, carrot cake, and granola bars.

I have been watching The Pioneer Woman on the Food Network. I have come to realize that while I would never live on a farm......I would definitely live in her kitchen! Her food is gooooood and she definitely knows how to season her foods right. She cooks for her family and really enjoys doing it...my kind of woman. She recently had a show called "Horsing Around" where she showcased her carrot cake and granola bars. I could not wait to make them.

Carrot Cake
from The Pioneer Woman

Cake:

• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 4 whole eggs
• 2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups grated carrots
• Butter, for greasing

Icing:

• 1 stick butter, softened
• 1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
• 1 pound powdered sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup pecans, chopped finely

Directions

For the cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Mix together the granulated sugar, oil and eggs in a large bowl. In another bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Add the flour mixture to the sugar mixture and combine. Then add the carrots and mix well. Pour the batter into a greased and floured Bundt pan and bake until done, about 50 minutes. Leave to cool completely.
Meanwhile, for the icing: In a larger bowl, cream the butter and cream cheese together. Add the powdered sugar and vanilla and blend. Then mix in the pecans. Spread the icing on the cooled carrot cake.
Eat. Faint. Repeat as needed. 

This cake is so moist and delicious. The icing is what makes it. I made it on Saturday and today, Sunday, it is gone!