Never Go Out of Style

10.18.16

I had wanted these posts up last week.  Problem was, I hadn’t written them.  I hadn’t edited them. They didn’t exist.  I love making deadlines for myself so I can check things off the list.  But last week, that list grew and grew and nothing was getting checked off.  It’s easy to get stressed about it (I did) and rush and try and get things done. Or not sleep to haphazardly finish in time (I didn’t). Instead I thought, “OH WAIT, I’M IN CHARGE.” And when you’re the boss, you do whatever the f*ck you want.  So I sat down Sunday and edited tons of photos, worked on auditions, and realized that sometimes things don’t go as planned. But with a fresh start this week, I am ready and able to share the precious and perfect carrot cake I made this weekend for my friend’s birthday.  I had other recipes in my mind at first to put up today, but when I made this and it turned out exactly how I saw it in my head I couldn’t help it.  Carrot cake is a classic, but I put some white chocolate carrots on top, turning something classic into something special.

When I headed home for my sister’s baby shower last month, I spotted this faux fur vest in the closet of my old room at my parents house.  I asked my mom where it came from, and was tickled to find out it was my great-grandmother’s! Whaaaa??? Who knew she was so hip? It was a true testament that everything is cyclical.  And anything will come back in style.  Fun, furry vests are everywhere right now. So I decided to go for it. And remember that birthday party for which I made the carrot cake? Oh yeah, the theme was ‘Western Couture.’ A fur vest and some cowboy boots couldn’t be more perfect.

 

I snapped some pictures of the cake at my apartment, but also got some from the party! Nothing says friendship like letting your idiot blogger friend stand on top of a picnic table to get aerial shots of the cake she made.  And what was even better? This cake was super soft with hints of cinnamon and nutmeg, with shredded carrots and pecans woven in.  The cream cheese frosting is an obvious pairing, but I threw a little cinnamon into that too. And the white chocolate carrots.  Don’t even get me started!! I wanted to decorate the cake but keep it classy.  After attempting (and succeeding) in making truffles last week, I figured, why not give it a go again? I grabbed some icing food coloring, melted some white chocolate and it came out perfect! It was such a simple choice, but made all the difference in presentation. A carrot patch on top of your carrot cake.  Could it get any cuter?

 

 

The party was after an epic 30 second race between our friends in Brooklyn. Sometimes your friends are drunk and argue about who’s faster.  And sometimes  they settle that argument with an actual race a week later.  And maybe there were signs? And a trumpet? Maybe. The party consisted of spiked cider and took place at a game store.  Like a store where you rent tables and choose from a million games to play with your friends.  Sound super hipster? Good, it was.  I loved it.

The cake was basically devoured, and the birthday girl took home the rest. After a disco nap, there was yet another birthday party to attend that night.  I’m not normally this much of a social butterfly. But it was fun to pretend, and then proceed to sleep in til noon the following day.

 

It was the perfect autumn day. This year has been full of them so far! Between the cake and the vest, I felt like I really won that day. And while carrot cakes have been around forever (and apparently so have fur vests), there’s a reason why some things never go out of style.  If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it (just put some white chocolate carrots on it)! 

 

I know putting crushed pineapple in a carrot cake sounds like blasphemy, but I swear it’s genius.  Not genius I came up with, but I’m glad someone figured it out.

My earrings are paper airplanes!!! I love these! I rediscovered them and was so mad I hadn’t worn them in so long.

The aftermath of a perfectly Pinterest worthy party.  

Wear It:

Fur Vest (similar) / Stitch Fix Grey cowl neck sweater (similar) / Stitch Fix Skinny Jeans (similar) 

Carrot (Patch) Cake

Ingredients

For the Cake

• 4 eggs
• 3/4 cup canola oil
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 8 oz can crushed pineapple, drained
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 cups flour
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 3 cups shredded carrots
• 3/4 cup pecans, chopped, plus extra for decorating

For the Frosting

• 16 oz (2 packages) of cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 2 cups confectioners sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• pinch of cinnamon

For the White Chocolate Carrots

• 4 oz white chocolate
• 2 1/2 Tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 1/2 Tbsp heavy cream
• pinch of salt
• 1/8 tsp orange icing or food coloring
• rosemary sprigs (or dill would work as well)

Instructions

For the Cake

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease two 9″ cake pans
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg, set aside
• In the bowl of a stand up mixer, using the paddle attachment, beat eggs, oil, sour cream, both sugars, pineapple and vanilla until smooth
• Add in flour mixture slowly on low speed, then pour in carrots and pecans and allow to just combine
• Divide batter between two cake pans and bake for 25-30 minutes, until tester comes out of center clean
• Allow to cool slightly, and once able to handle, flip cakes onto a lined rack to cool completely

For the Frosting

• In the bowl of a stand up mixer with a paddle attachment, beat cream cheese and butter together
• Add in confections sugar and allow to mix in before adding in cinnamon and vanilla, allow to combine

For the White Chocolate Carrots

• In a double boiler (or a heatproof bowl over simmering water) slowly melt chocolate, butter, heavy cream, and salt together over medium heat, stirring frequently
• Once it becomes almost completely smooth, stir in food coloring until no white streaks are visible
• As soon as chocolate is smooth and orange, take off heat and allow to cool slightly before covering with plastic wrap and chilling in fridge for about 2 hours
• Once hardened in the fridge, scoop out various sizes and roll into cylinders in your hand
• Press cylinders onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet and stick a piece of rosemary on top, the chocolate should have softened from the warmth of your hands and pressing the sprig in should be easy
• Place ‘carrots’ back into fridge to firm up

To Assemble

• If slightly domed, cut off the tops of cakes for even surfaces
• Pipe frosting on top of the bottom cake layer, I start from the middle and make a spiral out
• Carefully flip second layer on top of frosting to ensure an even top surface
• Frost the outside layer as desired, either with a crumb coat first, chilling for a about 10 minutes, then adding a second layer of frosting, or just frosting the whole cake to begin with
• Place carrots on top in a small area to create your carrot patch, press down slightly so they don’t fall over
• Sprinkle chopped pecans around the carrots to create ‘dirt’ and then around the bottom of cake
• Chill for at least 15-30 minutes so frosting and carrots can set, but allow to reach room temperature to serve

P.S.

*Carrots can definitely be made the day before and kept chilled if you’d prefer to have the cake making process a little faster

Adapted from Half Baked