Category: Recipe

Simply Amazing Guilt-Free Carrot Raisin No-Frosting Cake

If you are looking to add some excitement to your Thanksgiving dinner table this year, you may want to consider this rich, moist, tasty carrot-raisin homemade cake. This healthy cake is a great choice to add a pop of fall color to your table as well as flavor. This is an easy cake to make without having to worry about too much sweetness especially from the typical cream cheese frosting.

Before you begin making your cake, choose the cake pan you will be using. To prevent the sides and bottom of your cake from drying out, and also to help the cake come out of the cake pan easier, use butter to grease the sides and the bottom of the pan. You can also add wax paper or parchment paper to the pans.

Next you will pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees, then move on to your cake mixture.

Ingredients for Carrot-Raisin Cake

  • 3/4 cup of vegetable oil
  • 1 tablespoon margarine
  • 3/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 3 eggs (See how to remove the egg eyes to prevent an eggy taste)
  • 1 tablespoon lime juice (Also helps to take away the egg taste)
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla

Mix or whisk the top wet ingredients until smooth.

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 3 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoons of ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon mixed spice
  • 1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg
  • 2 cups grated carrots
  • 1/4 cup raisins (Lightly flour the raisins before adding them to the batter to prevent them from sinking to the bottom of the cake).

Add the grated carrots to the flour and mix it in thoroughly. The flour will start to look orange. Continue to add the remaining ingredients, making sure to mix thoroughly to prevent lumps of unmixed flour.

Pour the carrot cake batter into your greased pan. Firmly tap the sides of the pan to prevent air bubbles or bang it a few times on the counter,  then place it into the oven. Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 to 45 minutes or whenever the toothpick or bamboo skewer comes out dry.

making carrot cake at homeThese ingredients made one square cake, but you can double up the ingredients to make a bigger cake to serve more people.

Baking Tip of the Day:

To get your carrot cake really orange, use the fine part of the grater to grate the carrot and mix it into the flour, then leave it for a few minutes to help release the orange color.

 

 

Scrumptious Gluten-Free Coconut Macaroon with a Sprinkle of Pecans

crispy outside coconut macaroon treat
Yummy Coconut Macaroon with
Pecans

If you are looking for something different to add to your Thanksgiving or Christmas festivities, coconut macaroons is the way to go. There are different twists that you can take with these delicious coconut treats, but it all boils down to your preference. Some people add nuts or condensed milk, while others just make the old time coconut macaroons, which is just as pleasing to the palate.

What You’ll Need:

  • 2 Cups freshly grated (unsweetened) coconut or shredded coconut
  • 1 Cup granulated sugar (Less if using pre-sweetened coconut)
  • 2 egg whites (room temperature)
  • 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 1 Teaspoon lemon extract
  • A pinch of salt
  • 1/4 cup of finely chopped pecans

Directions for Coconut Macaroon:

Mix or whisk the egg white until fluffy, then add the granulated sugar and continue mixing until stiff peaks form (the mixture can stand straight after mixing, almost like whipped cream).

Add the vanilla extract, lemon extract, and salt to the mixture.

Add the coconut and chopped pecans, then combine all the ingredients using the folding method.

(For a creamy texture, add 3 tablespoon condensed milk to the mixture).

The folding method in baking is done by using a wooden spoon or a spatula to bring the bottom of the mixture across the side then over the top. Continue using this method until all the ingredients are combined.

Set the mixture aside for at least 10-15 minutes so that all the ingredients can soak in properly.

Thanksgiving gluten free sweet dessert
Pre-baked Plain and Pecan Coconut Macaroon

Use a cookie scoop or an ice-cream scoop to place them on a non-stick baking tray. You can also place a piece of parchment paper or waxed paper on a non-stick tray instead.

Put the tray in a pre-heated oven and bake for about 15-20 minutes.

Remove when baked and allow to cool thoroughly before taking them off the tray.

They will break up if they are shifted when still hot.

These delicious coconut sweet treats won’t last long, so make sure to bake enough for everyone!

Extra Moist Homemade Pineapple Cake Made From Scratch

making moist pineapple cake
Extra Moist Juicy Pineapple Cake

Pineapple cake is another one of my all-time favorite desserts. You know, although you can quickly buy a ready-made cake, nothing beats making your own homemade pineapple cake from scratch. The good thing about this is that you get to personalize it and involve the family, especially the little kids. Here is a quick and simple recipe to make an extra moist pineapple cake at home.

Recipe for Extra Moist Pineapple Cake

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 Cup granulated sugar
  • 3 Tablespoons brown sugar
  • 1/2 Cup margarine
  • 3 large eggs
  • 2 Cups all-purpose flour (sifted)
  • 3 Teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 2 Tablespoons vanilla
  • 1 Tablespoon lemon or lime juice
  • 1 Cup pineapple juice
  • 1/2 cup chopped pineapple (I use fresh pineapple but you can use the can ones).

DIRECTIONS

Take out the margarine and eggs from the refrigerator and let them get to room temperature before using them.

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

Use a mixer to mix the butter and sugar together until creamy.

Break the eggs one at a time in a separate container to ensure that non of them is spoiled. (You don’t want to have one rotten egg spoiling the rest of the good ones.)

Remove the egg eyes to prevent the raw/egg taste in your cake. My mom taught me that trick when I used to watch her as a kid while she was baking. (See photos below)

Mix the 3 eggs until they become fluffy.

Pour the eggs into the creamed butter and sugar then mix.

Add the the vanilla, lime/lemon juice to the mixture and continue to mix.

Sift the dry ingredients in another bowl (flour, salt, baking powder).

Add the dried ingredients (flour, salt, baking powder) to the wet ingredients a little at a time while using a wooden spoon to mix out any lumps of the flour. Use the cut and fold method while mixing to get your cake light and fluffy and to remove air bubbles.

Pour some of the pineapple juice as you mix to keep your batter smooth.

Continue adding the dried ingredients while adding the rest of the pineapple juice as you mix with the spoon, making sure to scrape down the sides of the bowls as you go along.

Add the chopped fresh pineapples to your batter and mix with the wooden spoon.

Pour your cake batter in a greased cake pan.

Bake for 45-55 minutes or until baked. Test with a toothpick or a bamboo skewer. The cake is baked when the toothpick comes out dry.

Tip of the Day for Extra Moisture

Place a pan with water on the bottom rack of the oven to create steam. This will make your pineapple cake even juicer and moist.