Saturday, August 18, 2007

Mad Party Preparations

Taking a short blog break here while the baby sleeps (Dieter is toddler crafting as I write this--making play dough carrots). The plans have changed slightly for tonight's dinner party. For the simpler and better, I think. Ken really wanted to cook out, so we're doing bratwurst on the grill and I'm still making one soup--a very summery fresh corn chowder. I'm making the slow rise bread again, Jim and Renee are bringing a green salad, and we'll cut up fruit from the garden and a watermelon, and set out some of our home grown tomatoes too. And dessert will be a yummy carrot cake from Cooking Light. It's very simple, no nuts or raisins, just mildly spiced with cinnamon only and frosted with a lovely cream cheese frosting.

So basically we have it under control--we still need to neaten up around the house, but for the most part we're feeling happy and relaxed, as it should be.


Carrot Cake
from Cooking Light magazine


Cake:
Cooking Spray
9 T.butter, softened
2/3 c. packed brown sugar
1/2 c. granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 egg whites
2 t. vanilla extract
2 c. flour
2 t. baking soda
1 t. ground cinnamon
1/4 t. salt
3/4 c. buttermilk
2 c. shredded carrot

1. Preheat the oven to 350.
2. Coat a 13x9" baking pan with cooking spray.
3. Cream butter with both sugars thoroughly. Add eggs and egg whites one at a time, blending b/t each addition. Beat in vanilla.
4. Blend dry ingredients together in a separate bowl, then add to creamed mixture, alternating with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour. Stir in shredded carrot. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Cool thoroughly.

Frosting:
1/2 c. block style fat free cream cheese [I use the "1/3 Less Fat" kind, not fat free]
1/4 c. butter, softened
2 t. vanilla extract
1/8 t. salt
2 3/4 c. powdered sugar

To prepare frosting, place the cream cheese, 1/4 c. butter, 2 t. vanilla, and 1/8 t. salt in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until smooth. Gradually add powdered sugar. Do not overbeat. Frost cake; store in fridge.

3 comments:

Carrie said...

Let me know how this turns out. I have to take a dessert to a Grinnell picnic tomorrow. I am taking Anna and two of her friends who are interested in attending Grinnell. It's in Mission Hills. I feel compelled to make a good impression despite the fact that we, Nathan included, have not been overly impressed by our Grinnell experience.

Mama Said Sew said...

The cake sounds great Mary Beth. Thanks for sharing the recipe.

I hope your dinner party was a great success.

Mary Beth said...

Yes, it turned out great. I've actually made it several times now, with no problems. Hope you enjoy it if you make it.