Parenthood: It's a Jungle!

When one of my best friends asked me to make a cake for a baby shower she was hosting, I readily agreed. She showed me the plates - a jungle theme - and we discussed flavors - chocolate versus fruit. Finally, we settled on a carrot cake. Of course, my version of carrot cake isn't the same as everyone else's, but it was a hit!

Camilla's Spiced Carrot Cake with Ginger-Scented Cream Cheese Frosting (this makes 2 large rectangular layers, halve the recipe for a smaller cake)

4C white whole wheat flour
4t baking soda

4t cinnamon
1t all-spice
a splash of vanilla
8 eggs
2C packed brown sugar
1C raw sugar
1C canola oil
2C whole milk yogurt
4C shredded carrots
1/2C pumpkin puree
1C dried cranberries
1C white chocolate chips

Mix the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Add wet ingredients (oil, yogurt, pumpkin) and moisten. Stir in carrots, cranberries, and chocolate chips. Split between two baking pans. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

Frosting -
8oz cream cheese
8oz marscarpone
16T softened butter
splash of vanilla
1/2C ginger syrup
2C powdered sugar

Comments

Hot Chocolate Agasajo-Style {Spice It Up!}

photo by D For my Spice It Up! kiddos this week, I was looking for an exotic drink to serve while we learned about saffron. I found a recipe from food historian Maricel Presilla that mimicked traditional Spanish hot chocolate from the 17th century where it was served at lavish receptions called agasajos . When I teach, I don't always get to shoot photos. Thankfully, D grabbed my camera and snapped a few. Ingredients serves 14-16 1 gallon organic whole milk 3 T dried rosebuds - or 2 t rosewater 2 t saffron threads, lightly crushed 3 T ground cinnamon 3 whole tepin chiles, crushed 2 vanilla beans, split lengthwise 1 C organic granulated sugar 1 lb. bittersweet chocolate Procedure In a large soup pot that can hold a gallon plus, combine milk, dried rosebuds (or rosewater, if you are using that), saffron threads, ground cinnamon, chiles, vanilla beans, and sugar and warm over medium heat till it steams. Whisk to dissolve sugar, then lower heat an...

Frozen Art Gourmet Ice Cream

As we headed inland from the coast, I cringed as the temperature gauge in the car for outside temp climbed into the triple digits. Ugh. I'm a rather wimpy central coastal Californian who begins to wilt when it's 70 degrees outside. Thank goodness for air conditioning and a planned ice cream stop. When I parked the car outside Frozen Art Gourmet Ice Cream in Santa Rosa, everyone breathed a sigh of relief. We knew that we still had to get to the campsite...and set up our tents in the heat. But we were going to enjoy the cool, sweet treats from Frozen Art first! Michoacana ice creameries are the equivalent of Starbucks in Mexico; they're ubiquitous. Purists, however, claim that operating a true Michoacana ice cream shop require ties to Tocumbo. It's estimated that almost ninety percent of the Tocumban population is currently employed in the ice cream business from making ice cream itself to making equipment. But the real art of Tocumban ice creams: imaginat...

A Cheese Board Anchored on a Trio of Italian Cheeses + A Pinot Nero from Alto Adige #ItalianFWT on CulinaryCam.Com

I am in the process of migrating over to my new domain. Come on over to read " A Cheese Board Anchored on a Trio of Italian Cheeses + A Pinot Nero from Alto Adige " for December's #ItalianFWT.

Culinary Adventures with Camilla

Search This Blog