Carrot Cake - Cracker Barrel Style

The best carrot cake I've ever had in my life was a slice I had at Cracker Barrel a few years ago.  One bite and I felt like I was entering heaven.  I HAD TO HAVE that recipe.  I called Cracker Barrel and they graciously told me the recipe was on the Internet for all to share.  I copied it, got the ingredients and made it and yes...it turned out just like the piece of heaven I had at Cracker Barrel.

INGREDIENTS FOR THE CRACKER BARREL CARROT CAKE

I have made this recipe a few times since then but only on special occasion but it is quite a chore to make.  Set aside at lest an hour for preparation.  But oh is it ever worth it.  

THE FINISHED PRODUCT (TOPPED WITH CHOPPED PECANS)

Today is my neighbor Bob's birthday.  He and his wife Barbara love carrot cake.  What better birthday present?  So in about an hour, after Babs gets up (late sleep she is), Bill and I will traipse over to their manse and present Bob with his birthday present.  

Here is the recipe should any of my readers care to make their own cake for a friend or a favorite neighbor:

Cracker Barrel The Old Country Store Carrot Cake

Author: CopyKat.com

Recipe Type: Dessert, CopyKat Recipe

Total time: 1 hr 10 min

Serves: 10

This cake is just like moms!

Ingredients

• CAKE:
• 3/4 cup finely chopped English walnuts
• 2 cups finely shredded carrots
• 1 cup crushed pineapple (8 ounce can with juice)
• 1/2 cup finely shredded coconut
• 1/2 cup raisins that have been soaked in water until plump and then drained
• 1 and 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1 and 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 3 eggs
• 3 cups flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 
  
• CREAM CHEESE FROSTING: 
• 
  
• 1 8 ounce package cream cheese
• 1/2 cup or 1 stick of butter, room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans for garnish

Instructions

1. Cake: Mix together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves. Set aside. In a large bowl, mix the vegetable oil, sugars, vanilla and eggs until smooth and fluffy. Add pineapple, walnuts, coconut, carrots, and raisins and blend well. Gradually add flour mixture a half at a time until blended through.
2. Pour batter into a greased and floured 9x13 inch pan and bake at 350 degrees for about 40-50 minutes. Test with toothpick for doneness. When cool, frost with cream cheese frosting.
3. 
   
4. Cream Cheese Frosting: Blend cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy. Add vanilla and a little powdered sugar at a time until all has been blended well. Turn mixer on high and beat until frosting is light and fluffy. Spread frosting over the cooled cake and sprinkle with pecans.
5. Yield: 24 servings

Key Lime Pie

Key Lime Pie - The Kitchen, Milton, Delaware

This afternoon I took my neighbor Barbara out to lunch for her birthday.  We went to a new restaurant nearby in Paynters' Mill.  The restaurant is called "The Kitchen".  Oh yes, we have such original names for restaurants down here in Slower Lower (aka Sussex County, Delaware).

Well, I'm here to tell you that lunch was a success!  Barb had the prime rib cheese steak sandwich.  It was superb.  I had a vegetable wrap with chicken.  Again, superb!  Bu the topper was the dessert.

We both decided to go for dessert when our waitress told us that Key Lime Pie was on the menu.  Barb and I both LOVE Key Lime Pie.  In fact, Barb's favorite pie is Lemon Meringue Pie.  I make a terrific Lemon Meringue Pie.  I don't make my Lemon Meringue Pie that often because it is a lot of effort and one must eat it within one day or else the pie starts to break down and it becomes watery.

Usually when I order a Lemon Meringue Pie at a restaurant I get an inedible, sticky, gooey, sweet mess of  concoction that I can't eat.  And Key Lime Pie?  Few restaurants in this area even offer this subtle, delectable pleasure.  But when we heard Key Lime was on the menu today, we decided to chance it because our lunch was so good. We were not disappointed.  WOW!

First of all the presentation was perfect!  We both "oohed and aahhed" when our waitress placed our chilled (yes Virginia, our dessert plates were chilled as was the pie) plates down before us.  We lifted our forks in unison and stabbed the yellowish main body of the pie.  We airlifted our first bite to our lips and experienced a gastronomic delight.  The pie was delicious!

A delicate graham cracker crust, fresh strawberries, a dab of real whipped cram and some other kind of sauce that we couldn't identify, topped with a sprig of mint.  A perfect ending to a perfect lunch with a good friend.

Me and the Birthday Girl at The Kitchen

A Guaranteed Pickup

Hey guys, if you ever want a guaranteed pickup here it is: 

 Chocolate Chip Cookies!

I just made a batch a few minutes ago.  Just out of the oven, they're still warm.  Is there anything better than almost melted chocolate meeting your tongue taste buds  like a lava flow down the side of a Hawaiian mountain?  Hmmmm good!


It's been at least two years since I made chocolate chip cookies.  The only problem when I make them (with black English walnuts by the way for that special 'smokey' nut flavor), is that I EAT THEM.  


Those cookies that you see in the picture on this blog?  They will be 'down the hatch' by Tuesday. 

 Gone baby gone!