Live, Love & Eat in Sayulita: Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Icing

If you were at the Pro Sayulita fundraiser last week at Ruben’s ranch and you indulged in Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Icing, you were eating my recipe!

I am going to go out on a limb here to say that it is the best carrot cake and the only one that you will ever want to make or eat!

I was living in Portland, Oregon, about 37 years ago and treated myself to a slice of very yummy looking carrot cake. It was so delicious I just had to ask for the recipe. The baker was just finishing her shift, she sat down with me, and we wrote it out. This is her recipe with my adaptations (I reduced the sugar by 1/2 and the oil by 1/3). Every time I make this cake, and share, I get rave reviews! This is a perfect cake to make in your Sayulita kitchen, as it is a one bowl recipe. No fancy equipment needed.

INGREDIENTS/METHOD FOR CAKE:

*4 eggs. You can find eggs at every tienda here in Sayulita, and organic eggs at Terrenal and the Mercado del Pueblo on Fridays.

*3/4 cup white granulated sugar

*3/4 cup grapeseed or canola oil

*2 cups grated carrots

*2 cups grated Gala apples. If you wash the apples well with soap and water, you can grate them with the skin on. You can always find Galas at Don Rodolpho and Alas Blancas.

• In a large mixing bowl, whisk eggs well. 
• Slowly add sugar, whisking as it is being added. 
• Slowly add in oil, whisking as it is being added. Be sure that oil is totally blended. 
• To this mixture, add the grated carrots and apples and stir with a wooden spoon until well combined.

ADD *2 cups flour. I only use organic flour as regular flour is heavily sprayed a couple of weeks before wheat is harvested to dry wheat berries. You can find organic flour at Terrenel here in Sayulita.

*2 teaspoons baking powder. Sift through fine mesh strainer to avoid lumps

*2 teaspoons baking soda, sift through fine mesh strainer to avoid lumps

*1 teaspoon cinnamon

*1 teaspoon salt

*1/2 cup white sesame seeds. La Abejita in Bucerias always carry the white seeds. Most carrot cakes call for nuts, but not this one. It's best this way so that I never have to be concerned about allergies.

• Add above dry ingredients to bowl and stir till all traces of flour are gone.
• Preheat oven or toaster oven to 350 degrees (it is not uncommon for people in Sayulita to have a toaster oven rather than a full oven). An 8x8 pan will fit perfectly in most toaster ovens and will produce a great cake. It may bake a bit faster, so be diligent in testing for doneness with a wooden toothpick. When inserted into the center it should come out clean with a few crumbs possibly stuck to it.
• Line bottom of cake pan with a piece of parchment paper cut to fit the bottom of the pan.
• Pour prepared batter into prepared pan and bake 30-40 minutes, being sure to test for doneness. 
• Cool for 10 minutes and then invert onto a cooling rack; remove parchment paper
• Ice with a thick layer of Cream Cheese Icing.

INGREDIENTS/METHODS FOR CREAM CHEESE ICING:

*2 packages of Philadelphia cream cheese, very soft. I have tried other brands, but am not fond of the texture, so stick with Philadelphia *1/2 cup very soft butter

*3/4-1 cup sifted icing sugar, to taste

*1 teaspoon vanilla

• Beat cream cheese and butter until well combined
• Add finely sifted icing sugar and beat until well combined
• Add vanilla last
• Generously ice and decorate the top with fresh carrot curlies

Everyone who has ever tasted this cake loves it – HEAVENLY! Take it to your next Sayulita party, serve it for dessert or indulge in the middle of the day! Any time is a good time to eat Carrot Cake! I have recently been making very yummy camerones (shrimp) and I will share my recipe with you in my next column. STAY TUNED! If you would like me to make this yummy cake for you, or any other by special order, please contact me through Live, Love & Eat in Sayulita.