Instant Pot Pot Roast

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2 LB pot roast
1 large onion
olive oil
salt, pepper, onion, garlic, horseradish
potatoes
flour and butter

Sear the roast on all sides
Deglaze with 2 C stock, then add to instant pot
Season: salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, horseradish
High Pressure 20 minutes per pound. Slow release 15 minutes.
Remove roast, and add potatoes
Cook 5 minutes
Remove potatoes
Add 2 TBL flour mixed with 2 TBL butter
Add to 1 C broth and cook until thickened.

Cranberry Scones

https://www.foodnetwork.com/fnk/recipes/cranberry-scones-7578632?lid=p8lukh3lw6jd

https://www.foodnetwork.com/fnk/recipes/cranberry-scones-7578632?lid=p8lukh3lw6jd&nl=ROTD_091624_featurecta&lvrmp=530f2b989e1f6b5c144e6d3a994151a8194204efeb4e51ad8247124d905dd5d6

Spices thrown out – need to replace

Corriander
Bay ground
alspice
cinnamon stick
ground clove
oregano
marjoram
mustard seed
ground mustard
gochuchuang
pumpkin pie spice

What Is a Smash Burger?

From AllRecipes.com

A smash burger is a burger that’s made by smashing two thin beef patties together with cheese in the middle. The act of pressing the burgers together over heat creates a perfect sear on the outside, ensuring juicy and flavorful results every time.

Cook’s Notes

Don’t use meat that is leaner than 80/20 for best results, and make sure the meat is very cold.
If you only have one spatula, wrap your other hand in an old dish towel for protection and use it to press down on the spatula with both hands.
You can make 4 (4-ounce) patties instead of 8 (2-ounce patties), but I prefer the thinner patties that have a more crispy surface area.
I buy American cheese freshly sliced from the deli, but individually wrapped slices will work, too.

How to Make a Smash Burger

You’ll find the full, step-by-step recipe below — but here’s a brief overview of what you can expect when you make homemade smash burgers:

Prepare and heat the griddle.
Butter and brown the buns.
Form the meat into loosely-packed balls.
Place each ball on the grill, cover with a piece of parchment, and smash.
Sprinkle the meat with salt.
Grill and assemble the smash burgers according to the detailed instructions below.

Test Kitchen Tips

Here are some smash burger tips from culinary expert Nicole McLaughlin (a.k.a. NicoleMcMom):

If you don’t have a flat top griddle, according to Nicole, a cast iron skillet will work perfectly.
Instead of buttering the buns, Nicole prefers to grease the buns with the drippings from the beef.
Nicole likes to keep her smash burgers simple with minimal toppings (pickles, mayonnaise, and onions), but you can dress your burgers up however you like

What to Serve With Smash Burgers

Explore our collection of Side Dishes for Burgers for tasty inspiration. Here are a few of the ideas you’ll find:

Editorial contributions by Corey Williams

Ingredients

4 hamburger buns
2 tablespoons butter, softened, or as needed
1 pound ground chuck beef (80% lean)
4 (6-inch) squares parchment paper
salt to taste
4 slices American cheese
burger toppings of choice

Directions

Preheat an outdoor grill for high heat and lightly oil the grate. Set a cast iron flat-top griddle or large cast iron skillet onto the grill and preheat until smoking.
Spread butter on the inside of the buns and toast on the flat-top until lightly browned. Set aside.
Form meat into 8 loosely-packed balls, 2 ounces each. Do not pack the meat tightly, as this will prevent it from smashing properly. Place each ball on the hot flat-top, cover with a piece of parchment (to prevent sticking to the spatula; re-use each parchment square on a second patty) and immediately smash down to a 1/4 inch thickness using 2 stiff, sturdy spatulas that are criss-crossed to get proper leverage as you press down. You may also use the bottom of small skillet. Sprinkle the meat with salt.
Grill for about 45 seconds, until the edges are dark brown and the centers are a light pink color. Using a bench scraper or firm spatula, gently scrape up the patties, flip over and immediately cover 4 of them with cheese. Grill an additional 15 to 20 seconds; stack the plain patties over the cheese-covered patties so you have 4 stacks. Move each stack to a bun and serve with your favorite toppings.

Marmalade Crepes

When my kids were little, I often used up surplus jam or marmalade by folding it into crepes (Julia Child’s basic crepe recipe.) You could add some grated chocolate too. To make them more grown-up, make a sauce of melted butter, sugar and rum or Grand Marnier (or whatever you fancy) and give the marmalade filled, folded crepes a bath in it. A quickie crepes suzette.

Bread & Butter Pudding

Bread and butter pudding. Spread slices of leftover bread (maybe you have a Christmas panetone lying around?) with butter and the marmalade, and arrange in the shallow baking tin. Whisk together 3 eggs, just over a cup of milk or half and half, 2 Tablespoons of sugar and a drop of vanilla. Pour over the bread. Plan the tin in a larger baking tray and half fill with hot water. Bake in a moderate oven for about 35 minutes. Yum!

BBQ Pork Sandwiches

Ingredients

US|METRIC

6 SERVINGS

3 lb. boneless blade pork roast (OR sirloin roast)
2 onions (medium, sliced)
1 cup barbecue sauce
1/2 tsp. hot pepper sauce
2 Tbsp. orange marmalade
1 Tbsp. corn starch
1 Tbsp. water
8 sandwich buns

Marmalade Cobbler

Ingredients

US|METRIC

12 SERVINGS

fruit filling
21 oz. berry pie filling
1 1/2 cups frozen fruit (or fresh)
1/4 cup orange marmalade
crust
2 1/4 cups buttermilk (CB Old Country Store®, Baking and Pancake Mix)
1/2 cup milk
3 Tbsp. butter (or margarine, softened)
2 Tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 tsp. grated orange zest (finely, optional)

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Marmalade Pork Ribs

We buy pork ribs. Them my wife makes a marinade with marmalade, soy sauce, garlic cloves, lemon slices and maybe some sake. Then we cut the ribs into individual. Marinate for at least 4 hours. Longer is better. Than she bakes the ribs around 350 for 75 mins. And then boils the marinade for 15-20 mins to concentrate it and kill any bacteria. We use that as a sauce over the ribs at the end. They are always a huge hit in our house and with any guests.

Orange Marmalade Chicken

original recipe

Ingredients

6 chicken drumsticks
salt and ground black pepper to taste
½ cup orange marmalade
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons barbeque sauce
1 tablespoon sambal oelek
½ tablespoon soy sauce

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
Season drumsticks with salt and pepper and place in an oven-proof dish.
Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes.
Combine orange marmalade, Dijon mustard, barbeque sauce, sambal oelek, and soy sauce in a small bowl.
Remove dish from oven and brush chicken with marmalade mixture. Return to the oven and bake an additional 10 minutes.
Remove dish again, turn chicken over, brush with marmalade mixture, and continue baking until chicken is no longer pink at the bone and the juices run clear, about 10 more minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted near the bone should read 165 degrees F (74 degrees C).
Remove dish from oven and baste chicken with remaining marmalade mixture. Preheat the oven’s broiler. Return to the oven and broil until chicken starts to blacken and blister, 3 to 5 minutes.

Citrus Cheesecake

original recipe

Ingredients

1 egg yolk
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
⅓ cup white sugar
½ cup butter, room temperature
1 egg white
3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese
1 ⅔ cups white sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon grated orange zest
2 teaspoons grated lime zest
1 ½ teaspoons grated lemon zest
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
3 eggs
1 cup sour cream
⅔ cup orange marmalade
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

Directions

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). Butter a 9 inch springform pan. In a small bowl, whisk together egg yolk, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1 teaspoon lemon peel and 1/4 teaspoon vanilla. In the bowl of a food processor, combine flour and 1/3 cup sugar. Add butter and process until coarse crumbs form. With machine running, add yolk mixture and blend until moist clumps form. Press dough onto bottom and 1 1/2 inches up sides of prepared pan. Freeze crust 10 minutes.
Brush crust lightly with egg white. Bake until crust is pale golden, about 15 minutes. Cool on rack while preparing filling. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and 1 2/3 cups sugar until smooth. Beat in cornstarch, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, orange zest, lime zest, 1 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla. Beat in eggs one at a time, then stir in sour cream. Pour filling into crust.
Bake in the preheated oven for 55 to 60 minutes, or until puffed and cracked around edges and center moves only slightly when pan is gently shaken. Allow to cool to room temperature, then refrigerate overnight.
In a saucepan over medium heat, boil marmalade and 2 teaspoons lemon juice until slightly reduced, about 2 minutes. Spread warm glaze on top of cake. Chill cake 10 minutes. Remove pan sides and transfer cake to serving plate.

Spicy Orange Beef

original recipe

Ingredients

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 pound round steak, cut into thin strips on the diagonal
¼ cup orange peel, cut into slivers
1 clove garlic, minced
½ teaspoon ground ginger
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 cup beef broth
¼ cup soy sauce
¼ cup sherry
¼ cup orange marmalade
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

Directions

In a wok or skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add beef strips 1/3 at a time. Stir-fry for 3 minutes or until browned, removing the done pieces to a plate lined with paper towels.
Return all the beef to the wok. Stir in orange peel, garlic, and ginger; stir-fry 1 minute.
In a medium bowl, combine cornstarch, broth, soy sauce, sherry, marmalade, and red pepper. Pour this mixture into the beef, stirring constantly. Bring to a boil over medium heat and cook for 1 minute. Serve hot.

Glazed Chicken Wings

original recipe

Sweet Chili and Orange Marmalade Glazed Chicken Wings

Ingredients

2 pounds chicken wing pieces, drumettes and flats
½ cup orange marmalade
¼ cup sweet chili sauce

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
Set a wire rack inside a large foil-lined rimmed baking sheet; arrange chicken wings on top.
Bake in the preheated oven until wings are no longer pink at the bone and the skin is crispy, 45 to 50 minutes.
Mix orange marmalade and chili sauce in a large bowl until thoroughly combined. Add cooked wings to marmalade-chili sauce and toss until well coated. Plate wings and pour extra sauce on top.

Butterscotch Pudding Blondies

ORIGINAL RECIPE FROM FOOD NETWORK

2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus more for the baking dish
1 1/2 cups firmly packed light brown sugar
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
One 3.4-ounce package butterscotch instant pudding mix
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3/4 cup roasted salted cashews, coarsely chopped
3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
Flaky salt

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a 9-by-13-inch glass baking dish with aluminum foil, leaving a 2-inch overhang. Grease the foil with butter.
Put the brown sugar in a large bowl. Melt the butter in a small skillet or in the microwave in a glass measuring cup. Stir the butter into the sugar until smooth. Cool to room temperature.
Meanwhile, in another medium bowl, whisk the flour, pudding mix, baking soda and kosher salt together.
Beat the eggs and vanilla into the sugar mixture. Stir in the flour mixture a bit at a time and mix until a smooth, thick batter forms. Fold in the cashews and chocolate chips.
Spoon the batter into the prepared dish and spread evenly. Bake until the blondies are light brown around the edges and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 20 to 25 minutes.
Remove from the oven and sprinkle with flaky salt. Let cool in pan slightly, about 15 minutes. Using the overhanging aluminum foil, lift the blondies out of the pan and transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely. Remove the foil and cut into 18 blondies.

Carrot Cake

From Live Well, Bake Often

What You Will Need

While there are quite a few ingredients in this recipe, I promise it’s fairly simple. I won’t cover every single ingredient, but I wanted to touch on a few important ones:

Spices: There’s a mix of ground cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg. All three spices add such a wonderful flavor to this cake, but aren’t too overpowering. Feel free to add more spices, if you prefer though.
Oil: Any kind of neutral-flavored oil is fine to use here, but I typically use vegetable or canola oil. You may also use melted coconut oil, just make sure all of your other ingredients are at room temperature so that it doesn’t solidify.
Applesauce: This adds the perfect amount of moisture, so you end up with a moist cake that isn’t greasy. I always use unsweetened applesauce whenever I make this recipe. If you can only find sweetened applesauce, just reduce the granulated sugar by 2 to 3 tablespoons.
Sugar: I use a bit more brown sugar than granulated sugar because it adds more moisture and flavor to this carrot cake.
Carrots: I don’t like to skimp on the carrots when it comes to this recipe, so there’s 3 cups of grated carrots. Make sure to use freshly grated carrots here too. Avoid using a bag of pre-shredded carrots as they are often too dry and thick for carrot cake.
Cream Cheese: Make sure to use a block of cream cheese. Avoid using cream cheese that’s either whipped or in a tub, it’s typically too thin and will result in a runny frosting.

How To Make A Carrot Cake

Make The Cake Layers

Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C). Spray two 9-inch round cake pans well with nonstick cooking spray, then line the bottoms of each pan with a parchment paper circle. This will make it much easier to remove your cake layers from the pan!
Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, spices, and salt to a large mixing bowl and give it a good whisk.
In a separate large mixing bowl, whisk together your oil, eggs, brown sugar, granulated sugar, applesauce, and vanilla extract.
Add the grated carrots to the wet ingredients and stir to combine. Adding them at this point will ensure that they are fully incorporated into your batter and prevent you from over mixing it later on.
Combine the wet and dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Make sure not to over mix your batter! This can overdevelop the gluten and cause the cake to turn out dense/gummy. Trust me, no one wants that.
Divide the cake batter evenly between both cake pans. Tip: If you want to get perfectly even cake layers, I recommend using a food scale to weigh your cake batter.
Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until the tops of the cakes are set and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow to cool slightly in the pans, then remove the cake layers from the pans and transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Mix Together The Cream Cheese Frosting

1. Beat the cream cheese until smooth, then add the butter and continue mixing until well combined.
2. Lastly, mix in the powdered sugar and vanilla extract. If needed, stop and scrape down the sides of your mixing bowl to ensure that all of the frosting ingredients are thoroughly mixed together.

Assemble & Frost The Cake

1. 1. Level the tops of each cake layer. You may use either a large knife or a cake leveler for this step, I personally love this cake leveler. It’s a great option for beginners too!
  2. Place one of the layers on a cake stand and scoop a little over 1/2 cup of the frosting on top, then smooth it out evenly.
  3. Place the other cake layer on top and use the remaining frosting to frost the top and sides of the cake. An angled spatula or even the back of a spoon works great for this step! If you want to add a little something extra, feel free to toast some chopped pecans or walnuts and sprinkle them around the top of the cake.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does carrot cake need to be refrigerated?

Yes, if you frost the cake with the cream cheese frosting it does need to be refrigerated. It will keep for 3 to 4 days in an airtight container in the fridge.

Can you freeze carrot cake?

Of course! You can wrap individual slices with plastic wrap and freeze them in a large freezer bag.

The cake layers and frosting can also be frozen separately for up to 3 months. I do suggest wrapping the cake layers tightly with plastic wrap before freezing them.

How do you grate carrots for carrot cake?

The easiest method is to use a box grater and grate the carrots just like a block of cheese. If you have a food processor with a grater attachment, that works too.

I also recommend peeling your carrots and removing any brown spots or blemishes before grating them.

Can I add nuts or raisins?

Absolutely! Chopped walnuts or pecans would be fantastic in this recipe, I suggest using about 3/4 to 1 cup. If you love raisins, you may also add 1/2 cup.

Adjusting Your Pan Size

One of the most common questions is whether or not this recipe can be baked in another pan. The answer is YES!

Here are a few more commonly used baking pans that you can bake this cake in:

9×13: Pour the batter into a greased 9×13 pan and bake for 35 to 45 minutes.
8-inch round pan: Grease two 8-inch round cake pans and line the bottom of each pan with a parchment paper circle. Pour the batter evenly between the two pans and bake for 35 to 40 minutes.
Cupcakes: The full recipe will make 28 cupcakes. Only fill each liner about 2/3 of the way full so that they don’t overflow and bake for 16 to 20 minutes. I also recommend doubling the frosting to have enough to cover all of the cupcakes. If you prefer a smaller batch, try my carrot cake cupcakes instead.

Baking Tips

When measuring your flour, don’t scoop it out of the container with the measuring cup. Instead, stir the flour around, spoon it into your measuring cup, and level it off with the back of a knife. I have a whole post that explains the spoon & level method.
Don’t have any applesauce? You may replace it with 1/2 cup of plain Greek yogurt, sour cream, or one 8-ounce can of crushed pineapple that’s been drained.
I opted to stick with my favorite cream cheese frosting. It makes enough to frost the carrot cake like you see in the pictures. If you really love frosting, then I suggest increasing the recipe by half.
Additional frosting options: If you want to try another frosting, my vanilla buttercream frosting, ermine frosting, or the whipped honey mascarpone frosting I used on my Pistachio Cake recipe would be delicious too.

Ekmek

Other YouTube Recipes

- 300 gm flour – sifted
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 TBL sugar
- 650 gm water – boiling
  - Stir until incorporated
  - Remove and knead 8-10 minutes
  - Adding 60 gm flour as necessary for firm dough
  - 30 ml vegetable oil
  - Rise 30 minutes
  - Cut in half – roll into tube – Cut into tennis ball sized pieces
  - Roll into ball and flatten slightly
  - Let rise 30 more minutes

Recipe 1 – Ekmek Bread

- Flatten very flat, then fry till browned

Recipe 2 – Meat Pie

1. Cook 300 gm Hamburger and 1 diced onion
2. Add spice
3. Drain

- Flatten dough, but not very flat
- Shape around spoonful of meat
- Flatten into a patty
- Fry until browned

Lemon Curd – King Arthur

https://www.kingarthurbaking.com/recipes/lemon-curd-recipe

Ingredients

1 cup (227g) lemon juice, freshly squeezed, from about 4 large lemons
8 tablespoons (113g) unsalted butter
1 1/4 cups (248g) granulated sugar
4 large eggs

Instructions

Combine the lemon juice, butter, and sugar in a large saucepan.
Place the saucepan over medium heat on the stove and heat, stirring occasionally, until the butter has melted and the sugar has dissolved, 3 to 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, break the eggs into a medium heat-safe bowl and beat them briefly to mix the yolks and whites together.
Carefully pour about half of the hot liquid into the bowl with the eggs and whisk to incorporate; this will “temper” the eggs so they won’t curdle when you combine them with the remainder of the hot liquid.
Pour the contents of the bowl back into the saucepan and return the pan to medium-low heat.
Whisking constantly, cook the curd until it thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon or spatula, 5 to 10 minutes. Use a spoon or spatula to scrape the bottom and sides of the pan occasionally to incorporate any stuck-on curd, stirring it back into the main mixture.
Remove the curd from the heat and pour it into a heat-safe bowl or measuring cup. If you see any small bits of cooked egg, pass the curd through a fine-mesh strainer to remove them.
Allow the curd to cool for 15 to 20 minutes, then stir briefly and cover the surface with a piece of plastic wrap.
Cool the curd at room temperature until barely warm then refrigerate until set, about 3 hours.
Storage Instructions: Store curd in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks; freeze for longer storage.

Tips from our Bakers

To get the most juice out of your fresh lemons, heat each one for 10 to 15 seconds in the microwave before cutting in half and juicing.
Looking for a shortcut version of this recipe? Try our Easy Microwave Lemon Curd, which thickens quickly and doesn’t require cooking on the stove.

Doughnut Holes

CLICK HERE to watch YouTube video by Simple Fast and Delicious

Pastry •240 g flour •
300 ml of water
1 pinch of salt •
1 teaspoon of dry yeast

To Cover

3-4 tablespoons of powdered sugar
Half a teaspoon of cinnamon
melted chocolate

Plenty of vegetable oil for frying.
Please watch the video until the end to avoid missing the details!
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Hope you have a good time

Pumpkin Pie

Recipe from LiveWellBakeOften.com

Pumpkin Pie Recipe

This easy pumpkin pie recipe is made completely from scratch and is a great make-ahead dessert for the holidays!

Ingredients

Pie Crust:

1 store-bought or homemade pie crust

Pumpkin Pie Filling:

1 cup light brown sugar (200 grams)
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour (8 grams)
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
3 large eggs at room temperature
1 (15-ounce can) pumpkin puree (425 grams)
1 ¼ cups evaporated milk (300 ml)

Instructions

To prepare the pie crust: Preheat the oven to 400°F (204°C).
Roll the dough out to 12-inches in diameter. Next, carefully transfer the dough to a 9-inch pie plate (make sure it’s at least 1 and 1/2 inches deep), gently fit it into the pie plate, trim any excess dough, and decorate the edges. Transfer to the refrigerator to chill for 15 to 20 minutes while the oven is preheating.
Prick the bottom of the pie crust with a fork. Line the pie dough with parchment paper or foil, making sure to cover the bottom and fit it snuggly in the corners and up the sides, then fill with pie weights (dried beans or dry rice work well too).
Bake the pie crust at 400°F (204°C) for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and remove the parchment paper (or foil) and pie weights. Return the pie crust to the oven and bake for an additional 5 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool slightly.
To prepare the filling: Reduce the oven temperature to 375°F (190°C). In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, flour, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves until well combined.
In a separate mixing bowl, lightly beat the eggs. Whisk in the pumpkin puree and evaporated milk until well combined.
Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and mix together until fully combined.
Pour the pumpkin pie filling into the partially baked pie crust. Return to the oven and bake at 375°F (190°C) for 45 to 50 minutes, or until the center is almost set (it should be a little wobbly). Cover the edges of the pie crust with a pie crust shield or foil as needed to prevent them from over-browning.
Remove from the oven and transfer to a wire rack for 2 to 3 hours to cool completely. Cover tightly and refrigerate for several hours or overnight.

Notes

Storage Instructions: Once the pie has cooled completely, cover it tightly and store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Spices: If you prefer to use pumpkin pie spice, you may replace the spices in this recipe with 2 to 2 and 1/2 teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice.

To prepare ahead of time: Pie crust may be made 2 to 3 days in advance, wrap tightly and refrigerate until ready to use. The pumpkin pie filling may also be made up to one day in advance, cover tightly and refrigerate until ready to use.

Beatitudes Carrot Cake

We’ve all had extra cream cheese containers after we’re done with our bagel. Here is a great recipe for a special, but small, treat.

Ingredients

For the carrot cake:

1/2 C all-purpose flour spooned & leveled
1/2 baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
½ tsp ground cinnamon
scant ground ginger
scant ground nutmeg
scant salt
1/4 C canola or vegetable oil
1 large eggs at room temperature
½ cups packed light brown sugar
2 TBL granulated sugar
2 TBL unsweetened applesauce
½ tsp pure vanilla extract
1 cups lightly packed grated carrots (300 grams)

For the cream cheese frosting:

2 oz package brick style cream cheese (226 grams) softened
2 TBL unsalted butter (115 grams) softened
½ C powdered sugar (240 grams)
1/4 tsp pure vanilla extract

Instructions

To make the carrot cake: Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Spray two ramekins or muffin rings well with non stick cooking spray and line the bottom of each pan with a parchment paper circle. Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and salt until well combined. Set aside.
In a separate large mixing bowl, whisk together the oil, eggs, brown sugar, granulated sugar, applesauce, and vanilla extract until fully combined. Add the grated carrots to the wet ingredients and mix until well combined.
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix with a whisk or rubber spatula until just combined, making sure not to over mix the batter.
Pour the cake batter evenly between both prepared cake pans. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until the tops of the cakes are set and a toothpick inserted into the center of each one comes out clean.
Remove from the oven, transfer to a wire rack, and allow to cool in the pans for 20 to 25 minutes. Once the cakes have cooled, remove from the pans and return the cakes to the wire rack to finish cooling.
To make the cream cheese frosting: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large mixing bowl using a hand-held mixer, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Add the butter and mix for about 30 seconds to 1 minute until well combined and smooth.
Add in the powdered sugar and vanilla extract and continue mixing until fully combined, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
To assemble the cake: Level the tops of each cake with a knife or cake leveler. Place one of the cake layers on a cake stand, top with a little over 1/2 cup of the frosting, and smooth it out into one even layer. Place the other cake layer on top and use the remaining frosting to frost the top and sides of the cake. Top with pecans or other toppings of choice, if desired.

Notes

Storage Instructions: Cake may be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.

Freezing Instructions: Cake and frosting will freeze well for up to 3 months, thaw overnight in the fridge and bring to room temperature before assembling the cake.

Applesauce: You may replace the applesauce with 1/2 cup (120 grams) of sour cream or plain Greek yogurt.

To make a 9×13 cake: Spray a 9×13 pan with nonstick cooking spray and pour the batter into the pan. Bake at 350°F (180°C) for 35 to 45 minutes.