Homemade, Not Store Bought. But I'm Flattered.

A few weeks ago my mom shared my blog with her co-workers. Her cubicle neighbor forwarded my blog to her friend in another state who then emailed me to order a surprise cake for her friend. Who is my mom's cubicle mate. Got that?

She asked for either a rum cake or a carrot cake. After a few emails back and forth we both decided on a carrot cake. She wasn't sure about the addition of raisins, nuts or coconut so I settled on a carrot cake recipe from Alton Brown that The Repressed Pastry Chef made a couple months back.

The cake recipient was very pleased with her birthday cake. When my mom presented her with the boxed cake she said "I thought your daughter made this?". She thought it was purchased from a bakery! She was gracious enough to share with her co-workers. Soon after my mom sent me a text that said "Your cake was a hit. Everyone loved it!"

I doubled the recipe and made a triple layer cake. With the remaining batter I made carrot cupcakes. While they were on the cooling rack, my older brother and husband kept sneaking by and eating them. I had 3 left to photo, so here are the carrot cake and cupcakes! Perfect for a fall day or just because it's a Monday.

Carrot Cake from Alton Brown via TRPC

• Unsalted butter, for the pan
• 12 oz., approximately 2 1/2 cups, all-purpose flour, plus extra for pan
• 12 oz. grated carrots, medium grate, approximately 6 medium
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 10 oz. sugar, approximately 1 1/3 cups
• 2 oz. dark brown sugar, approximately 1/4 cup firmly packed
• 3 large eggs
• 6 oz. plain yogurt
• 6 oz. vegetable oil

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour a 9-inch round and 3-inch deep cake pan. Line the bottom with parchment paper. Set aside.

Put the carrots into a large mixing bowl and set aside.

Put the flour, baking powder, baking soda, spices, and salt in the bowl of a food processor and process for 5 seconds. Add this mixture to the carrots and toss until they are well-coated with the flour.

In the bowl of the food processor combine the sugar, brown sugar, eggs, and yogurt.

With the processor still running drizzle in the vegetable oil. Pour this mixture into the carrot mixture and stir until just combined. Pour into the prepared cake pan and bake on the middle rack of the oven for 45 minutes. Reduce the heat to 325 degrees F and bake for another 20 minutes or until the cake reaches 205 to 210 degrees F in the center.

Remove the pan from the oven and allow cake to cool 15 minutes in the pan. After 15 minutes, turn the cake out onto a rack and allow cake to cool completely. Frost with cream cheese frosting after cake has cooled completely.

NOTE: I don't remember exactly how long I baked the cupcakes, so keep an eye on them and test them after the first 20 minutes. Remove from oven when a toothpick inserted in the center on the muffins comes out clean.