Learning to Cook

I have always been surrounded by wonderful cooks and bakers. While this has been delightful for my taste buds, I always wondered if I would ever be able to cook like them. When I lived in Brazil, I was forced to learn how to cook because the ingredients at my disposal were so different. The experience was, at first, frustrating. But, once I began to experiment, the world of cooking opened up to me. My recipe box is now brimming, and I thought others might be interested in trying some of the recipes I have found. I haven’t tried them all yet, but I plan to in the future! I hope you enjoy, and please feel free to add your own suggestions/comments.

Saturday, May 16, 2009

Orange-Pineapple Carrot Cake

2 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups sugar
4 large eggs
1/2 cup frozen pineapple-orange juice + some orange zest)
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 cups grated carrots
1 8 1/2-ounce can crushed pineapple in juice, well drained (have second can available for frosting)
1/2 cup raisins (optional)
1/2 cup chopped macadamia nuts (optional)

1 1/2 8-ounce packages cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 cups powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour 13x9x2-inch metal baking pan. Combine first 5 ingredients in medium bowl; whisk to blend. Using an electric mixer, beat 2 cups sugar, eggs, 1/2 cup juice concentrate, sour cream, and vegetable oil in large bowl until smooth. Beat in dry ingredients; stir in carrots, pineapple, raisins, and nuts. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake cake until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 50 minutes. Cool cake completely in pan.

Combine cream cheese, butter, and 1/4 cup crushed pineapple in a medium bowl. Beat until blended. Add powdered sugar and beat until smooth. Spread frosting over cake. (Can be prepared 2 days ahead. Chill until frosting sets, then cover and keep chilled.)

Adapted from: http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Orange-Pineapple-Carrot-Cake-106437

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