Happy Birthday, Alan!

And I have to love this cake...! Hand painted, and then outline with black Royal Icing. I prefer to work with Buttercream for most of my cakes, but for this kind of design, Fondant works best.

Complete Happiness...

A cold and cloudy day like today is perfect for baking... The smell from baking makes me happy... That's how simple I am...
So, to share that feeling with you, here is a recipe that is hard to beat: Alice's Carrot Cake! The best ever! I hope you enjoy it...

Alice's Carrot Cake

2 cups brown sugar
1 and ½ cups oil
4 eggs
3 cups grated raw carrots
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
½ cup chopped walnuts ( opt.)

Combine oil and sugar and then beat in the eggs, one at a time. Beat in the raw carrots. Fold in the sifted dry ingredients and black walnuts (if you are using them). Bake in two 9" cake pans for 35- 40 minutes at 350 degrees.