A few weeks ago my husband celebrated his birthday. He usually wants to eat out at one of two restaurants: either Texas Land and Cattle for the steak or the Gristmill for the salad. This year he is so tired from the long commute to work and back, he really wanted to stay home and eat. However, he didn’t want to add one more thing to my list right before I go to Dallas. I told him if it were a regular night, I’d have to cook anyway. Besides, I knew exactly what he wanted and it wasn’t difficult to prepare.

Grilled steak, medium rare, with gorgonzola butter sauce

Baked potato with the works

Spinach salad with feta cheese, kalamata olives and house vinaigrette

Followed by carrot cake and tin roof ice cream. ;)

www.bluebell.com

This is an extremely easy carrot cake that I’ve somewhat modified. The biggest change is that the amount of confectioner’s sugar in the frosting. I reduced it considerably because at the last minute I realized I didn’t have enough. LOL Then I realized it is a bad carb for me and would it really be needed? The cake may not look like much, but the taste is incredible. And it’s full of lots of healthy carbs! Unless dh reads this blog, he may never know I didn’t put enough sugar into the frosting. He loved it just the way it was! ;)

Carrot Cake

Preheat oven to 350. Grease and flour 2-9.5" round cake pans (I purchased mine from Wilton). Whisk dry ingredients in small bowl. Set aside. In large bowl, with mixer at medium speed, beat sugar, oil, eggs and vanilla until mixed. Add whisked ingredients. Combine. Add carrots, coconut, pecans, raisins, and pineapple. Pour the mixture into the prepared pans and bake 30-35 min until a knife inserted in center comes out clean. Cool on wire racks.

Cream Cheese Frosting: In large bowl with a mixer at medium speed, beat together the cream cheese, sugar and vanilla until smooth, adding about 1T milk to make it spreadable. Spread frosting between cake layers and frost top and side of cake.