Nona's Secret Simply THE BEST Carrot Cake

I LOVE Nona's Secret Best Carrot Cake, and you will tooo!

If there's one thing that I've learned after 17 years of marriage, it's the importance of keeping hubby happy! And as a single parent of seven children, ages two through four, it's always a struggle to get them eating veggies. 

I know, you're thinking, "How can I do both?" The secret is to sneak veggies into EVERYTHING but sell it as dessert! My kiddos always think they're getting away with treats for breakfast, but they're actually eating a full serving of veggies in every bite! It's the only way to keep all three of my kids happy and healthy! I named them all Skylar, so it's easy to coordinate because I just say, "Skylar, help!" and six eager beavers show up! And also my four kids. Those beavers are great pets!

This recipe was handed down from my great great great grandmother - just my grandmother, but wow was she great! It's a quick, easy bake, which only requires things everyone has at home, like a stand mixer, sandwich press, industrial food grade lye, pizza oven, and vineyard. Plus, I can get all nine of my kids to help with cooking! I just love how simple it is and the ease of bringing it all together in one bowl. My son Devon loves to lick the bowl clean, as do his siblings, Sam and Ella!

Like any good recipe, it's got a few secret ingredients that really kick it up a notch! Unfortunately I can't reveal any of them, because Nona would never forgive (may she rest peacefully). She's not dead, just napping! So I can't ask her if I can give away her secrets. They're the only thing she brought with her when she came to the New World, as well as her work ethic, and a few suitcases, and a butler. Well, technically she came to the U of S of A from Argentina, but she has such a funny accent! Doesn't sound like Argentina at all!

I hear that it gets really Chile down there too!

This was a favorite recipe of her family back in her home country of Europe, and has continued to be a staple at every family gathering since. Sometimes people will ask, "Damn it Nona, where is the cake?!" and she'll say, "Please let me sleep, I'm 92 years old," but she doesn't say it in English, because she doesn't speak any. So now it's fallen to me to make it, because she's lazy, I guess. And one day I'll teach all three of my kids to bake it too! But I couldn't be happier to be the one responsible for it now, which is no pressure and not a big legacy or shoes to fill or anything. Well, not too big of shoes, because Nona's feet are tiny, haha! 

Luckily my aunt can translate, so we were able to get the recipe down! 

Here's what you need!

• 4 cups grated carrots
• 1 cup grated zucchini 
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 cup raisins
• 4 eggs
• 1 cup white sugar
• 3/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1/4 cup melted butter
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon amaretto
• 1 cup crushed pineapple, drained
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon nutmeg
• ½ teaspoon cloves
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 cup chopped pecans

First you should:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour two 10 inch cake pans. Especially if you've got an oven that's slow to heat up, like mine! Otherwise you can do this later - just make sure it's nice and hot when you're ready to bake!

Then:

In a medium bowl, combine grated carrots, zucchini, and brown sugar. Set aside for 60 minutes, then stir in raisins.

And after that:

In a large bowl, beat eggs until light. Gradually beat in the white sugar, oil amaretto, and vanilla. Stir in the pineapple. Combine the flour, baking soda, salt, cloves, ginger, nutmeg, and cinnamon, stir into the wet mixture until absorbed. Finally stir in the carrot mixture and the pecans. Pour evenly into the prepared pans.

And, of course:

Bake for 45 to 50 minutes in the preheated oven, until cake tests done with a toothpick. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan. When completely cooled, frost with cream cheese frosting!

I think the secret to a good frosting here is to do two layers. First, make a standard frosting: 

• ½ cup butter, softened
• 8 ounces cream cheese
• 4 cups confectioners' sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Just beat the first two together, and once that's integrated, beat in the sugar and vanilla!

Take half and use this between the two cake layers, as well as to give a light coating of frosting on the outside. 

Beat heavy cream until it is whipped cream, then gently fold that into the remaining half - I'll leave the amount up to you, because that's just a question of taste! Nona always made hers very light, which was great. Use this lightened frosting to make a nice thick layer on the outside. It gives you a deceptively light yet decadent way to finish the cake.

I hope you love it as much as my family does! Especially my twelve kids. 

Happy April Fools Day, good people. 

This will return to being a book blog tomorrow.

Also, this recipe was shamelessly adapted from:

Best Carrot Cake Ever

and

Basic Cream Cheese Frosting

though the suggested modifications (zucchini, a bit of butter, a few more spices, pecans, and whipped cream) really do make it better...

Have a great day, Stranger.

And don't forget to bake a cake!