Recipes from Ollie J -- Carrot Cake

My friend Cynthia requested a Carrot Cake for her recent birthday. Rather than stick to my much battered and tattered Better Home and Gardens cookbook, I thought I'd take the opportunity to go through the family compilation or Grandma Ollie J's box to see what recipes still had yet to be tested.

Out of Grandma Ollie's little yellow box came this gem, by request even. It's not one of her originals, and wasn't even taped to a card, just an old recipe cut out of something, tucked into the box. It's not newsprint, or even glossy paper, and the reverse has what must be wattage estimates for a variety of appliances, including a listing for television (black & white) and television (Color). Do they even make black and white televisions any more?

It wasn't until I started to assemble ingredients that I noticed that once again, this one doesn't list the size of the pan(s) to bake it in, or how long.

People. Bake until done isn't very helpful! Granted, if you bake two round cake pans it varies from a 13x9x2, but indicate as such with estimated baking times.

One note: I didn't make the frosting. I could have. I had the ingredients, I just decided not to. I bought cream cheese frosting in a can to be taken into the office. Some people like frosting - others don't. This way, it was on the side and I didn't have to worry about wrecking it on the transport.

Anyway - here is Cynthia's Carrot Cake - by request, with my adaptations.

Carrot Cake
by request

2 cups self-rising flour
2 tsp. soda (baking)
1 tsp. salt
2 cups carrots (grated) or 2 jars baby food (um, no!)
4 eggs
2 cups sugar (white)
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 1/2 cup oil (olive)
1 cup chopped nuts, pecans in this case.

Blend dry ingredients, add eggs and oil, add carrots. Bake at 375 degrees until done.

Since I wasn't adding the nutty frosting, I added the very last of the NC, Grandma Ollie's Family Farm pecans to the dry batter. (It seemed appropriate, somehow.) I used a 13x9x2 pan, liberally sprayed with PAM. I started it at 30-35 minutes of baking time, but it was still soupy when I pulled it out to check on it. I continued baking it at 7-10 minute interval. About 15-20 minute later, it was firm to touch, pulling away from the sides and a cake tester came out clean. My oven runs slow, so 45-50 minutes might be right for you.

I let it cool on a rack for 2 nights before taking it into the office to be devoured.

Happy Birthday Cynthia.