Birthday Cake

When it was Russel's b-day in January, I asked him what kind of cake he would like. I have a number of favorite from-scratch recipes I wanted to make. But he said he wanted a marble yellow cake with white frosting like his mother use to make him. So I didn't make him a cake. I got chocolates out that I had bought on clearance, and put some cute candles around them. I refuse to waste my calories on packaged cake-mix cake. True, it wasn't my birthday.

When it was my birthday a week or so later I made whole-wheat (from freshly ground flour of course), walnut carrot cake with cream cheese frosting--lots of walnuts! Hmm, I love that cake. And it got better everyday. With no kids around after the birthday, it actually lasted a couple days after the festivities.

Happy Birthday, Lloya. I would have sent you a piece had there been any left.

Reb's Delicious Whole Wheat Carrot Cake

4 eggs

1 cup vegetable oil

1/4 cup applesauce

1 cup white sugar

1 cup brown sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla

2 cups whole wheat flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon pumpkin spice (or cinnamon)

3 cups grated carrots

1 cup chopped walnuts, or more

Frosting:

1/2 cup butter softened

8 ounces cream cheese, softened

4 cups powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 9 x 13 inch pan.

In a large bowl beat together eggs, oil, sugars, and 2 teaspoons vanilla. Mix in flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Stir in carrots. Fold in walnuts. Pour into prepared pan.

Bake in a preheated oven for 40 to 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes.

To Make Frosting: In a medium bowl. combine butter, cream cheese confectioner's sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Beat until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Stir in walnuts. Frost the cooled cake.