Baby Food Carrot Cake

To me, recipes are all about family, memories and the times we’ve shared while enjoying them.  And, the best recipes are handed down from generation to generation and family to family.  That’s how I got many of my recipes and ideas, including this one from my brother-in-law’s family.  We were all together one summer celebrating my niece’s birthday, and this is the cake she chose to be the star of her party.  They told me that when my brother-in-law was growing up, his mom always made this for his birthdays.   And now, new generations are requesting it for their special treat.  It tastes just like carrot cake, yet it has a smooth moist texture that will please even the pickiest of eaters…like my son, who would turn his nose up at carrot cake.  However, he adores this cake and gets a kick out of surprising people by revealing the secret ingredient.  I even took it in cupcake form to his school to share with his friends at lunch on his 12th birthday, and they gobbled them up!  My son turned 15 this week…got his learner’s permit…yikes…and I made this cake for his birthday!  He drove us to his birthday dinner, and yes, I survived!  And thanks to his best friend and her family for trusting him enough to transport their daughter along with us.  It was so fun…and a teenage milestone for him.  Whew!

I combine dry ingredients in one bowl.  I mix eggs, oil, sugar in a separate bowl.  Then I combine the two and mix well.  This is what that looks like…

Then comes the baby food…crazy, I know…but it works!

Add in the baby food, and this is the result…

Pour evenly into two greased and floured cake pans…

About 30 minutes later…

Allow to cool before frosting.  Here’s all you need for the frosting…

Cream the butter and cream cheese together…

Add powdered sugar and vanilla…

Whip it up…

Putting strips of parchment paper under the cake helps keep it neat…

On goes the frosting…

If you like really thick frosting, you may need to make extra for a two layer cake…but one recipe was just fine for us…and since it’s a birthday, I added some simple decorative finishes! I don’t get fancy!

And on go a few more decorations…

I love the over-sized confetti sprinkles!

Happy birthday!!

Ingredients

• 3 eggs
• 1 1/4 cup canola or vegetable oil
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 cups flour
• 2 tsp. cinnamon
• 2 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 small jar each strained baby apricots, applesauce, carrots  ( if you can’t find apricots, sometimes difficult for me, just double the applesauce or use pears)
• 1 cream cheese frosting recipe that follows

Directions

Preheat oven to 350.  Spray bundt pan or 2 round cake pans if making layer cake.  In large bowl, mix eggs, sugar and oil.  Blend dry ingredients in medium bowl and add to egg mixture.  Add baby foods to egg mixture.  Pour into prepared pan and bake about 40-50 min. for bundt or 25-30 for round pans.  Check for doneness.  Allow to cool before frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting

Cream together 1 stick of softened butter and 1 (8 oz) package cream cheese.  Add 1 box confectioner’s sugar and 1 tsp. vanilla extract and beat until smooth.