It's not a mound of mashed potatoes...really...

Well, this was a last minute order. I was out having a catch up / net working lunch with a friend and my brother calls needing a carrot cake for a dinner party in 30 hours. More details, and I find out that the guests, who this cake is for, have had my carrot cake. Last year, I sent my brother with my filled carrot cake cupcakes as a house gift. The husband apparently LOVES carrot cake and thus, a request for the carrot cake again.

No extras like last year. No nuts, no pecan creme filling, no orange zest in the cream cheese frosting...oh, my creative heart. No, no...this simple, beauty has 3 layers of moist carrot cake filled with layers of caramel cream, (luscious, buttery sugary, heavy cream vanilla goodness) topped with vanilla bean cream cheese frosting and a gentle sprinkling of cinnamon. 

I had a taste of the trimmings, just the cake with a lovely mug of hot tea...and it's great when it's naked. I'm confident that it was decadent in all it's glory.

Yup, still baking and having fun when I can get it. More stories to come...

Sunset...

Well, this was last night around the neighborhood. It caught the corner of my eye. It was so beautiful and so powerful. It made me stop and think: I had a gratitude moment. What are you grateful for today?

Baking takes away spinning thoughts...

This afternoon was a get away from all the thoughts that keep spinning in my head. After getting all the ingredients together, (just how many times can one go to the store in one day?), I decided to make some pumpkin muffins with streusel. Finally had all the software mise en place, hardware...well, let's put it this way, I can do with the minimum, AND off we go.

This is a simple one bowl process that does not require a mixer...well, I used the food processor for the streusel. Cinnamon all the way around since I'm not a big fan of pumpkin pie spice...they made the house smell good and made those thoughts disappear for a brief moment or so.

Streusel Pumpkin Muffins


1 ½ cups AP flour
1 ½ cups AP whole wheat flour
¼ cup sugar
¾ cup brown sugar
1 T ground cinnamon
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp kosher salt
1 can of canned pumpkin
3 eggs
½ cup plain yogurt
½ cup canola oil

streusel:
¾ cup AP flour
¾ cup brown sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 stick unsalted butter

Pulse flour, sugar, cinnamon and butter for streusel in food processor till it resembles coarse sand. 

Set aside in bowl till ready.

Prepare 2-12 muffin tins lined with cupcake liners for 20 muffins.

Preheat oven 350° F. In a large mixing bowl, whisk dry ingredients together-  flours, sugars, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In another medium bowl, whisk 3 eggs with pumpkin, oil and yogurt. Add wet ingredients to dry, mix gently till combined. Using a #20 disher (3T), place 1 scoop of batter into each liner. Sprinkle streusel mixture on top of batter. Bake in 350°F oven for 18-25 minutes till toothpick inserted comes out clean. Do not overbake. Cool in tins for 15 minutes before taking muffins out and placing on cooling racks.

Enjoy!

PS> These are a dense, moist muffin due to the whole wheat flour...stay tuned pumpkin cupcakes are coming soon, with butter pecan filling with cream cheese frosting...soon...