I call my mother whenever I have a recipe emergency or need to know what to cook for a special event. Here was the scenario this week: I’m going to visit the boy’s grandmother next Sunday on our way home from an out of town wedding. My Southern upbringing dictates that I need to take this awesome woman some sort of edible gift. Last time we visited, she made us an amazing, healthy meal, so it’s time for us to do something nice for her.

I called mom last night, because I needed a recipe that could travel 24 hours before being served. (We’re going to the wedding the night before we hit up Grandmother.) “Make my carrot cake,” she says. She always knows the perfect thing to make. She doesn’t have to think about it. The second I ask the question, she comes back with the perfect answer. She’s like a recipe computer- I love it.

I wasn’t totally sold on the carrot cake, but she insists that it’s the best thing to make. She swears it’s better than her Peach Cobbler, which received rave reviews several weeks ago. Mom’s been making this recipe since 1982, so it’s definitely a time-tested recipe at this point. So carrot cake it is! The recipe is below with her notes, and I’ll let you know how it goes early next week.

Mom’s Spicy Carrot Cake

Ingredients:
2 cups sugar
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
4 eggs
1 1/2 cups oil ( I use canola oil)
3 cups grated carrots

Cream cheese filling:
1 stick butter
1 8 oz. package cream cheese
1 box confectioners’ sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup chopped pecans (optional) definitely add these – they make it!

Directions:
Combine dry ingredients and mix well. Add eggs and oil and mix well. Now add carrots and beat on medium speed with electric mixer about 2 minutes.
Grease and flour three 9 inch cake pans or 9″ x 13″ cake pan. Preheat oven for 350. Pour batter into cake pans and bake 25-30 minutes.
Cool for 10 minutes. Then turn out onto cake racks.

For the filling: Cream butter and cheese until light and fluffy. Beat in sugar gradually. Add vanilla and pecans. When cool, put layers together and frost top with filling.

Mom’s Note: “It’s no wonder southern girls are sugary!”