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Valley Bounty: Carrot Cake

Believe it or not, this is actually one of the best times of the year to be eating local carrots — carrots that have had spent some time under the snow and frozen ground often have a sweeter flavor, as the exposure to cold temperatures helps break down some of the vegetable’s complex starches into simple sugars. And since tomorrow is Easter, I’ll opt to get a serving of vegetables by having a slice of a seasonal favorite, carrot cake (that counts, right?).

Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a bowl, combine 4 eggs, 1.5 cups vegetable/coconut oil or butter, 2 cups sugar (I opt for dark brown), c cups of flour, 2tsp each vanilla extract, baking soda, baking powder, and ground cinnamon, a pinch of salt, and roughly 3 cups of shredded carrots (you can also add pecans, walnuts, or raisins, if any of those appeal to you). Pour into a greased cake pan and bake for around 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean. In another bowl, make a cream cheese frosting by mixing a stick of softened butter, 8oz of cream cheese, 4 cups of powdered sugar, and a teaspoon of vanilla. Let the cake cool for 15 minutes before frosting.

Valley Bounty is written by Brian Snell of CISA (Community Involved in Sustaining Agriculture)