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Opa's Carrot Cake


Opa is learning to cook. As in real cooking not just fried meat and potatoes. In the past year he's made perfected Opa's Goulash (oh, so fantastic), stew, and now Opa's Carrot Cake. I myself am a take it or leave it on carrot cake, the teen counterpart loves all things sugar, but the third counterpart absolutely loves it. So much so, he specifically requests it every time Opa's is visited.  Not having time to make it on this visit, I volunteered.

Opa follows the All Recipes Magazine version of Awesome Carrot Cake which is slightly different than the Awesome Carrot Cake recipe found on the All Recipe website. Differences between the two are just a simple substitution of applesauce for vegetable oil but I find the final results makes a huge difference in taste.

Modifications Made:
Not big on exact carrot measurements, enough carrots were grated that a 2 cup Pyrex glass measuring cup was filled.

Made on whim, it was discovered too late my can of pineapple was diced not crushed. To solve 1 cup of diced pineapple was pureed in the blender. Not having a can of crushed to compare, I cannot attest to the consistency of my final product. What I can say is there were no pineapple chunks in the cake batter when mixed.

Instructions in the magazine call for 1/2 cup applesauce and 1/4 vegetable oil. Instructions on the website call for 3/4 cup of vegetable oil only. Having been made both ways, the applesauce substitution is a must.

Cream cheese frosting was omitted.

Scaled for Likeness: Great
Don't get me wrong, I love sweets as much as the next person but I find my level of tolerance for sweet items is WAY less than most. This low level tolerance is the reason I have a take it or leave attitude with carrot cake. Most of the time, the cake is too sweet to eat alone, much less when it is covered in cream cheese frosting.

Not this cake. If I hadn't made the cake myself, I would argue there was not that much sugar in this cake. The ratio of natural sugars found in the carrots, pineapple, and applesauce mixed with the white sugar is a perfect blend. 

Using applesauce for part of the vegetable oil reduces the oily texture and sticky topping known to occur after the cake rests for a day or two. It remains moist while holding it shape. In fact, the table counterparts and Opa could be seen eating squares of cake without a plate or napkin or anything for crumb collection. The next time this cake is made, a small portion of cream cheese frosting will be made and tested.
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