Pumpkin Carrot Cake -From Stephanie

At the last open stage we needed extra bakers so I asked my sister to chip in. She provided her pumpkin carrot cake. It proved to be so popular that we sold out very quickly and several people came up to me asking about the recipe. Here it is...

From Stephanie Watson: Here's the pumpkin carrot cake recipe with my changes. I add carrot baby food and leave out the oil. The cake is so moist it doesn't need the added fat so this is really a no fat cake except for the frosting.

2cups flour

2 tsp baking soda

2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp salt

3/4 cup milk

1 1/2tsp lemon juice (I left this out> I was too lazy to squeeze a lemon)

3 large eggs

1 1/4 cup can pumpkin

1 1/2 c sugar

1/2 c brown sugar packed

1 can crushed pinaplle 8oz drained

1/4 cup grated carrots

1 jar or single serve container carrot baby food

1 cup flaked coconut

1 1/4 cups nuts (I use pecans)

preheat oven to 350 and grease your cake pan (I use the disposable rectangle for this or you can do two 9 inch round pans to make a pretty cake.

combine dry ingredients in a medium bowl.

beat eggs, pumpkin, sugar, brown sugar, pineapple, carrots, and use lemon juice to curdle the milk, then add that to the cake. I didn't curdle this for the cake I sent with you. I got tired and skipped a step. I've made this with just milk and been happy with the results. stir in coconut and 1 cup nuts. Pour into cake pan.

Bake 30 to 35 minutes for 9 inch round. It takes close to an hour for the rectangle. I bake it 40 minutes then check on it until a toothpick comes out clean.

My frosting: 1 whole bag of powdered sugar, two blocks of cream cheese, 1/2 stick of softened butter, 1 tsp vanilla. beat cream cheese and butter until soft, slowly beat in powdered sugar a few cups at a time. Add vanilla before you finish beating in the powdered sugar. This makes a big batch of frosting so you can put a really thick layer on the cake.

Then I take 1/2 cup of flaked coconut and toast it in a frying pan. Just spread the coconut in the pan and heat on medium stirring constantly for a few minutes. You'll see it start to brown, then top that right onto the frosted cake. When the coconut is warm, it settles right into the frosting and sticks so you don't have to worry about it falling off.

Joanna Springer