Posts Tagged ‘pecans’

A few years ago I found a recipe for Carrot Cake that I LOVE! It’s pretty easy to make and very moist and yummy. I think that the addition of crushed pineapple is especially fabulous. The original recipe came from AllRecipies.com (Marc Boyer). I only changed a couple of things to suit my liking… pecans instead of walnuts, use of a different pan size — the cake really doesn’t need modifying. Its super delicious as it is.

Thanks Marc, for the fabulous cake!

My Favorite Carrot Cake

2 cups white sugar
3/4 cup vegetable oil
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup buttermilk
2 cups grated carrots
1 cup flaked coconut
1 (15 ounce) can crushed pineapple, drained
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 cup chopped pecans (original recipe called for walnuts)
1/2 cup butter
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 cups confectioners’ sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour pan(s) — 9×13 inch or (2) inch pans. Set aside.

In a large bowl, mix together sugar, oil, eggs, vanilla, and buttermilk.

Stir in carrots, coconut, vanilla, and pineapple. In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt; gently stir into carrot mixture.

Stir in chopped nuts. Spread batter into prepared pan(s).

Bake for 55 minutes or until toothpick inserted into cake comes out clean.

Cool completely before frosting.

CREAM CHEESE FROSTING:

In a medium mixing bowl, combine butter or margarine, cream cheese, vanilla, and confectioners sugar.

Blend until creamy.

Cake can be removed from pan, or frosted while still in the pan as desired.

The other day I was looking for a recipe for some Strawberry bread. I’d purchased some strawberries at a local supermarket and wanted to make something yummy with them. I’d made Strawberry bread in the past, but remember it being just a little bit bland and somewhat sour. I wanted something sweeter. Something with more flavor. Something with a bit of a crispy crust. So I set out to do a little internet research.

I looked at dozens of recipes. I wrote down some of the ingredients unique to each recipe or things that sounded good to me. When I was done, I had a pretty good idea of what I wanted to put in MY Strawberry bread.

I spent a little time coming up with the right quantities, and got busy cooking.

The result was an amazingly delicious bread, and a new recipe.

I challenge you to make this. I think you’ll like it. I think you’ll really really like it. And if you do, please leave me a comment and tell me about it!

Strawberry Pecan Bread

2 1/2 cup flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cinnamon
3 eggs
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup oil
1 tsp vanilla
red food coloring
1/3 cup sour cream
1 lemon
1 1/2 cup fresh strawberries, sliced
1/2 cup chopped pecans
3 Tbsp strawberry preserves

TOPPING:
Hershey’s Strawberry Syrup
4 Tbsp sugar
1 tsp cinnamon

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare (grease and flour) bread pan(s). Recipe makes one average sized loaf and one small loaf, or one large loaf.

2. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Set aside.

3. In a large bowl, cream together eggs and sugar until well blended. Add oil, vanilla, 3-4 drops red coloring, and sour cream. Mix well.

4. Grate peel/zest of lemon into the bowl. Squeeze the juice from one half of the lemon into the bowl. Stir again.

5. Add dry ingredients to egg mixture. Stir just until moistened. DO NOT over stir.

6. Fold in strawberries, pecans, and preserves. Pour into prepared pans (fill half full).

7. Squeeze a small amount of strawberry syrup over the top of the bread in a zig-zag pattern. Combine sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle over the bread.

8. Cook at 350 degrees for approx. 1 hour, until it tests done.

9. Remove from pans and cool completely on wire rack. Slice, and serve!

Ooh, this bread is good. Can you smell it cooking already??

You can eat this bread plain. Toasted. With butter. With Cream cheese. Or, you can try this Creamy Strawberry Butter recipe:

Creamy Strawberry Butter

1/c cup butter or margarine
2 oz. cream cheese
2/3 cup powdered sugar
1/4 c. chopped strawberries, well drained

Beat together butter, cream cheese, and powdered sugar until well blended. Beat in strawberries. Spread on finished bread.

The strawberry butter is pretty good, but I’m undecided as to whether its my topping of choice for the bread. I’m a pretty big fan of the ‘ol toast and butter method. If you try the strawberry butter I’d be interested to know what you think. Is it the best topping for the bread? What, if anything, do you top it with?