Carrot Cake..A special celebration

A big hello to all of you. Just in case you were wondering where have I vanished..here is something special to share with you. God has been really kind and has blessed us with a beautiful angel. My second daughter was born on June 9th, 2016. Our lives just got a lot happier, the big sister being the happiest of all. 🙂

This carrot cake was made to celebrate her “1 month” completion and is therefore a very special one. Just in case you have never had a carrot cake before, let me warn you that it won’t taste like carrot. That’s the primary difference between baking with fruits and vegetables, A banana bread has an amazing flavor of the fruit but hide some zucchini in a bread and no one will ever know. Shredded carrots lend a beautiful color and texture to this cake and makes the cake very moist and delicious. A full serving of vegetables in a dessert..How awesome is that 🙂

 

So without wasting any more time, lets make this delicious carrot cake

Ingredients:

All purpose flour – 2 cups

Grated carrots – 2 1/2 cups

Eggs – 4

Sugar – 1 1/2 cups

Oil – 1 cup

Raisins – 1/2 cup

Baking powder – 1 1/2 tsp

Baking Soda – 1 tsp

Cinnamon powder – 1 1/2 tsp

Salt – 1/4 tsp

Vanilla Extract – 1 tsp

Cream Cheese Frosting:

Cream Cheese – 8 oz

Unsalted butter – 1/4 cup

Powdered Sugar – 2 cups

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 350F and lighty grease a 9 inch cake pan. Finely grate the carrots and keep aside.
2. Mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon powder.
3. Using an electric or hand mixer, beat the eggs until frothy and then add in the sugar and beat till the batter is thick and creamy. Slowly add in the oil and vanilla extract and continue mixing.
4. Add in the dry ingredients to the wet and mix until just combined. Fold in the carrots and raisins.
5. Bake for about 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let it rest for about 10 minutes before removing the cake from the pan. You can enjoy the cake as is or frost it if you like.
6. Use an electric or hand mixer and blend together the ingredients listed under cream cheese frosting until smooth and well combined.
7. Spread the frosting as desired and sprinkle with chopped pecans. Enjoy.

So that is how I made this carrot cake to celebrate my daughter’s one month in our lives.

You never really know how happy someone can make you..until they come along. 🙂

Thanks so much for stopping by. Do let me know if you try this cake.

Love,

Ritu. 🙂

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stuffed Mushrooms..The vegetarian version

Mushrooms are a favorite in my house. Its such a versatile vegetable. You can make a sandwich with it, use it as a pizza topping, make a spicy mushroom curry or even turn them into an appetizer. Stuffed Mushrooms are such a great party appetizer. They are quick and easy to make and look so delightful. I am making the vegetarian version here but you can totally add sausage to it, if you like.

How do you like your mushrooms..?? 😀

It is very important to clean the mushrooms first before cooking. Most people prefer to just wipe it well with a wet kitchen towel. I however prefer to wash them well under running water. It is important to dry them quickly with a paper towel after rinsing. They should absolutely be not kept wet for longer periods or they will turn soggy and who likes soggy mushrooms. 😦

So after that cleaning up, lets make some stuffed mushrooms.

Ingredients:

Medium sized mushrooms – about 10

Olive oil – 1 tbsp.

Small onion – finely chopped

Parmesan cheese – 1/4 cup, grated

Garlic – 1 tbsp., minced

Spinach – 1/2 cup, chopped

Cream cheese – 1/2 cup or 4 oz

Salt to taste

Ground Black pepper – 1/2 tsp

Bread crumbs – 1/2 cup

Parsley – finely chopped for garnish

Method:

1. Clean the mushrooms well and make sure they are dry before you start cooking. Preheat the oven to 400 F.
2. Remove the stem from each mushroom and set aside. Scoop out some of the flesh from the mushrooms to make some space for the stuffing. Finely chop the stem sides and the scooped out flesh from the mushroom caps.
3. Heat the oil in a medium skillet and add in the minced garlic. Let it get a little color and add in the onions. Cook them for a few minutes and mix in the chopped mushroom stems and flesh. Cook everything for about 3 minutes. Add the chopped spinach and cook for 2 minutes or until just wilted. Turn off the heat.
4. Mix in the cream cheese, salt and pepper to the onion and mushroom mixture above and combine well. Do a taste test. Yummy.
5. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place the mushroom caps on it. Take a small spoon and fill in the mushroom with the stuffing we have prepared.
6. Top each of the mushroom caps with some shredded cheese and bread crumbs.
7. Bake them until the mushrooms are tender and the filling is heated through. You should be able to see a nice golden color on top. It should take about 25 minutes.
8. Garnish with chopped parsley and serve hot.

So that is how I make my stuffed mushrooms. Do give it a try and let me know if you like it.

Thanks so much for stopping by. I hope to see you again soon.

Love,

Ritu. 🙂