Surprise friends with a birthday cake that's not the usual chocolate with white frosting.
(photo by Jenn Harris)

For some reason, I know a lot of people with birthdays in March. I had requests to make three birthday cakes just last week alone. Ever since I took a summer-long cake decorating course I have become my friends' and family's official birthday cake go-to girl.

Just this past week I made birthday cakes for my grandmother, my uncle and a good friend. They are all tough critics and wanted something beyond the boring chocolate cake with white frosting that is usually served at most birthday parties.  I decided on a classic cake that doesn't typically show up at birthdays: the carrot cake. Why this cake is not served for every occasion is beyond me.

Carrot cake is perfectly moist, not too sweet and is accompanied by smooth cream cheese frosting. This dessert is the perfect combination of everything and anything one could ever want out of a square piece of cake.

I'm not quite at baking goddess status yet so I found a recipe by a Food Network baking queen that I happen to love: Ina Garten, host of the Barefoot Contessa. Usually I like to do my own thing with recipes. Add a little bit more of this, shave a little less of that...But when it comes to baking, following directions are of the upmost importance. I followed Ina Garten's directions exactly and was able to bake the most scrumptious carrot cake.

This cake recipe has a secret, unexpected ingredient: canned pineapple. The chopped canned pineapple chunks make the cake extremely moist and add just a hint of sweetness. I have officially decided that for all birthdays and weddings in my future, this cake will be my dessert of choice.

And so, I made three carrot birthday cakes last week. My family and friends were a little surprised by my choice of cake, but they loved it. People took home left overs and I received thank you calls the next day. This recipe is a must-bake for any occasion or the next time you're in the mood for cake.

Ina Garten's Carrot Cake

Ingredients:

For the cake:
2 cups granulated sugar
1 1/3 cups vegetable oil
3 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups plus 1 tbs all-purpose flour
2 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tsp baking soda
1 cup raisins
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 pound carrots grated
1/2 cup diced fresh pineapple

For the frosting:
3/4 pound cream cheese, at room temperature
1/2 pound unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 pound confectioners' sugar, sifted

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350F

Butter 2 8-inch round cake pans. Line with parchment paper, then butter and flour the pans.

For the cake:

Beat the sugar, oil and eggs together in a bowl with an electric mixer until a light yellow color. Add the vanilla. In a different bowl, sift together the flour, cinnamon, baking soda and salt.

Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and add the raisins and walnuts with 1 tbsp of flour. Fold in the carrots and pineapple and add to the batter.

Divide the batter into two pans and bake for 55 to 60 minutes. To test, stick a toothpick into the cake and if it comes out clean you're done. Allow the cakes to cool completely before frosting.

For the frosting:

Mix the cream cheese, butter and vanilla in a large bowl with an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Add the sugar and mix until smooth.

Decorate the cake however you want, just make sure to use plenty of frosting.