#269_Birthday Cake for Yaye

A birthday cake for my friend, Yaye.

The first tier has 3 layers of carrot cake filled with cream cheese frosting.
The second tier is 3 layers of Banana-Chocolate cake, also filled
with cream cheese frosting, then wrapped with
white and purple chocolate picket fence
which are absolutely edible.

This is just my second "special occasion" cake to make.
I'm glad the birthday girl liked it and everybody at the party seemed to enjoy it.

#256_My First Ever "Special Occasion" Cake to Make

Since my sisters in New Zealand have been making beautiful cakes
for birthdays, anniversaries, special events, etc.
I've always wanted to try my hands at making one
just like their cakes too,
but there have not been any special occasion
for me to make one until early this month,
then I finally had the opportunity to make one for my
friend's daughter for her engagement party.

The cake is a Carrot Cake (recipe # 137).
Bottom cake is 12 inches and has two layers,
while top tier is 8 inches and has 3 layers,
frosted with cream cheese frosting.

#237_deLuscious Carrrot Cake

Carrot Cake
with pineapple and nuts then iced with
Orange Cream Cheese Frosting

Two-layer Carrot Cake

Sprinkled with toasted sweetened coconut flakes
not only to garnish the cake,
but also for added flavor as well as texture.
You can also sprinkle some toasted sliced almonds on top.

Please take a bite!!

In case you're wondering what those white stuff are?
The raisins and nuts are tossed in a tablespoon of flour
before adding them into the batter.

Prepare Pans

Line two 10-inch pans with parchment paper before pouring in the cake batter. If you don't have parchment paper, you can use clean copy papers making sure to grease the pans first before placing the papers in the pans, then grease the papers again.

Back home, back in the days when the word "recycling" wasn't a popular word and the term "going green" was unheard of, I used to use the brown paper sacks used by the bakeries which we called "supot ng tinapay". Back then bakeries made their own paper bags and I used those papers to line loaf pans and other baking pans, why not?

Spread Cream Cheese Frosting between layers and on top and sides of cake.

Here's the recipe for the Carrot Cake:

1 cup chopped nuts (pecans or walnuts, toasted)

2-1/2 cups grated carrots

1 cup raisins
(soak raisins in pineapple or orange juice for about 10 min.,
then drain on paper towels)

Wet Mixture:

1-1/2 cups brown sugar

1 cup canola oil

4 large eggs

1/2 cup crushed pineapple (optional)

2 tsp vanilla extract

1) In a mixing bowl, cream together oil and sugar until light and fluffy.
2) Beat in the eggs and vanilla until well mixed.
3) Stir in the pineapple.

Dry Mixture:

2 cups all purpose flour

1 tsp. baking soda
1-1/2 tsp. baking powder*

1/2 tsp salt

1-1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. ground cloves

4) Using a wire whisk, whisk all of the dry ingredients together then stir into the wet mixture until all ingredients are incorporated.
5) Fold in grated carrots, raisins and nuts.
6) Evenly divide the batter between the 2 prepared pans.
7) Bake in a pre-heated 350 degrees oven for 25-30 minutes or until a tooth pick inserted in the center of cake comes out clean. Do not over bake as the cake will be dry and crumbly.
8) Remove from oven and let cool on a wire rack for about 20 minutes before removing cakes from pans.
9) When completely cooled, frost cakes with the Orange Cream Cheese Frosting.

Orange Cream Cheese Frosting

1 stick butter, room temperature
1-8oz. cream cheese, room temp.
4 cups powdered sugar
3 tbsp warm orange juice
1 tbsp. orange zest

Beat butter and cream cheese until smooth. Beat in powdered sugar and gradually add orange juice. Continue to beat until creamy and spreadable.

ENJOY!!!

Notes from MaMely:
1) The measurements above is just for your guideline. I haven't really used a consistent measurement for frosting as I always eyeball the ingredients and use the "feel method"...if too thick add more juice, if runny, add more powdered sugar.

2) You can use this recipe to make muffins or cup cakes.

3) You can also use one rectangular pan instead of round ones.

4) Toasting the Nuts:
Spread the nuts (pecans or walnuts) on a baking sheet and bake in a 350 degrees pre heated oven until they become fragrant, about 8-10 minutes. Let cool, then roughly chop.

Carrot Cake baked in a 10"x15" pan

Recipe adapted from
http://www.joyofbaking.com/CarrotCake.htm

#229_ Another Cake by Melinda

Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Each flower stem is wrapped with plastic wrap
before they are arranged
on the two-tier cake, accented with cute spiky candles.

To view more pictures of Special Occasion Cakes,
visit my face book page by clicking on the link below:
http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/PinoyAmericanFavoriteRecipes/102145934577?ref=nf