When your Gardner Guy fills up the Refrigerator with carrots it's time to make a  Carrot cake!!!

Makes 1 (9-inch) double layer cake (16 to 22 slices) or 22 to 24 cupcakes

YOU WILL NEED

2 cups (260 grams) all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 1/4 cups (295 ml) canola or other vegetable oil

1 cup (200 grams) granulated sugar

1 cup (200 grams) lightly packed brown sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

4 large eggs

3 cups (300 grams) grated peeled carrots (5 to 6 medium carrots)

1 cup (100 grams) coarsely chopped pecans

1/2 cup (65 grams) raisins

FROSTING

8 ounces (225 grams) cream cheese, at room temperature

1 1/4 cups (140 grams) powdered sugar

1/3 cup (80 ml) heavy whipping cream

1/2 cup (50 grams) coarsely chopped pecans, for topping cake or carrot peels and spearmint leaves for a fun look.

DIRECTIONS

• MAKE BATTER
Heat the oven to 350º F. Grease two 9-inch round cake pans and line the bottom with parchment paper then grease the top of the paper. Or, grease and flour the bottom and sides of both pans.
In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking soda, salt, and the cinnamon until well blended. In a separate bowl, whisk the oil, sugars and vanilla. Whisk in eggs, one at a time, until blended.
Switch to a large rubber spatula. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl then add the dry ingredients in 3 parts, stirring gently until they disappear and the batter is smooth. Stir in the carrots, nuts and raisins. Nuts and raisins are optional...
• BAKE CAKE
Divide the batter between the prepared cake pans. Bake until the tops of the cake layers are springy when touched and when a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean; 35 to 45 minutes.
Cool cakes in pans for 15 minutes then turn out onto cooling racks, peel off parchment paper and cool completely. 
• Tips

For the Carrot Flowers:

Fill bowl or saucepan with cold water and add lemon juice. Cut carrots lengthwise into paper-thin ribbons using vegetable peeler or large mandolin on its thinnest setting. Place carrot ribbons in water and let stand for 15 minutes. Some ribbons will begin to curl, this is normal. Remove ribbons from water and pat dry with paper towels. Roll carrot ribbons into spirals and arrange on top of cake. Arrange mint leaves around carrot spirals.

For cupcakes,  bake for 14 to 18 minutes (or until a tester inserted into the center of one comes out clean). Then let them cool for a few minutes in the cupcake pan before transferring them to a cooling rack. The recipe should make about 24 cupcakes.

Happy Halloween

Frankenstein Pudding Cups

These are so cute and fun to make....All you need is a Black Sharpie Marker, clear cups, Oreo cookies and pudding...

Draw all the faces on the cups with a black Sharpie, mix up some vanilla pudding, use food coloring to tint it green. Then crush some Oreo's to sprinkle on top of the pudding.

You can also use pistachio pudding and skip the green food coloring
Super, super  cute, fast and easy!

Pumpkin Bars

Pumpkin Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting.....Happy Fall!!!

4 eggs
2 cups sugar
1 - 15oz can pumpkin puree

Or use fresh pumpkin, see how to by following the link
https://mygardnerguy.blogspot.com/2012/12/pumpkin-jam-makes-for-very-nice-gift.html

1 1/2 sticks melted butter
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp ginger

Preheat oven to 350 and spray a jelly roll pan (15 1/8"x 10 1/2") with cooking spray. Mix eggs, sugar, pumpkin and butter in a large bowl or stand mixer bowl. Sift dry ingredients together and combine with pumpkin mixture. Pour and smooth evenly in pan. Bake for 30 minutes or until inserted toothpick comes out clean. Let cool before frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting

6 oz. cream cheese, softened
9 tbsp butter
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
4 cups powdered sugar
3 tbsp milk

Mix cream cheese and butter until smooth. Add vanilla, add powdered sugar 1 cup at a time and milk 1 tbsp at a time until desired consistency. Spread on cooled pumpkin bars.

For Banana Bars: substitute 1 can of pumpkin puree for 2 cups mashed ripe bananas. Omit cinnamon and ginger, but use a pinch of nutmeg.