Candy's Carrot
Candy's Carrot
Carrot cake has been one of my favorite since I started to explore cakes outside of your standard chocolate, vanilla and strawberry. When I was I kid I didn’t care for carrot cake because I thought it had way too much going on . I didn’t like nuts ( as most children) and I especially hated anything that had raisins in it other than oatmeal raisin cookies. And lets not forget about the name. Carrot cake! The idea of vegetables in a cake made me turn up my face in sheer disgust. How could someone destroy and delicious dessert by adding vegetables?
It wasn’t until I was in my teens that I tried a carrot cake and was actually quite pleased with the flavor. Of course I had to get over my personal qualms with vegetable infused desserts to try it but it was point of contention I was willing to release in order to explore my pallet. I can’t recall the first time I had carrot cake but I remember trying one that had the perfect amount of spice and sweet with that delicious tangy icing and from then on I was intrigued.
The Way I Like It!
The name for Candy’s carrot came about for 2 reason. The first reason is because I made it the way I like it. This is true for majority of the cakes and treats that are on my menu but this one in particular was my first home run. One thing about me is that I am a true foodie. I’m not simply a woman that likes to eat and stuff her face but truly a foodie. I love the science behind food, the way its made, the origins of where it came from, what variables effect its taste, color and texture, who made it first and most of all how to make it the way I like it. Usually when I try a new recipe I am trying it because I had something similar that I either did or didn’t enjoy and so I made it my mission to recreate it. This was a challenge I boldly accepted with carrot cake. The problem I found was that when I would try carrot cake from various places it would either not have any carrots in it, nuts were too big, no nuts, it had raisins and or it lacked flavor . I decided I’d had enough and was going to create a carrot cake that I enjoyed so I could stop wasting my money on products that didn’t satisfy me. Candy’s Carrot is indeed made the way I loooooove to eat it. Full of fresh carrots, finely chopped pecans, spicy cinnamon and tangy cream cheese icing.
CST Signature
The 2nd reason I named this cake Candy’s Carrot was because it became a signature in my home bakery. I first developed the recipe when I was attending college. The very first time I made it I shared it with friends and to this day they still rave and ask for one every time I visit. One of my closet friends from college would order one every time she came to visit me in Atlanta and take it back on the plane with her to NY.
As more people started to order it from my menu I quickly realized that it was a hit. One of my customers in particular would order at least a dozen Candy’s Carrot cupcakes every time she had a celebration or gathering. Any excuse to order cupcakes. Whether it was a birthday, anniversary, or simply family coming into town to visit, she would call me and say Candy, I need those carrot cupcakes. Her family and guests fell so in love with them that they would specifically request and remind her to order them when they were coming in town to visit. Needless to say Candy’s Carrot is one of my top selling cake flavors.
One of my favorite things about Candy’s Carrot is that it is sweet and flavorful enough to be good without the frosting. The cupcakes are the one thing I can make without frosting that will still get demolished every time. Another thing I love about this cake is that it is so moist. The moisture from the carrots and oil from the finely chopped pecans make this a deliciously rich cake. Let’s not forget that carrots are full of vitamin A, C and pecans are an excellent source of plant based protein, antioxidants, and good fatty acids. Oh and did I mention its also my favorite cake on the menu? What better reason to name it Candy’s Carrot!