Valentines Day Carrot Cake!

Baking couldn't get any easier then this. I wanted to make a cake but something quick and easy, where I can hype the mixture up with my own flavor; so I bought Betty Crocker's Super Moist Carrot Mix and Pillsbury Cream Cheese frosting. I don't think there is any other icing better then cream cheese icing when making carrot cake. Plus, if you can get a guy to eat carrot cake then you know its good, cause my guy friend loved it and that was a surprise because most guys I know hate carrot cake. So lets begin creating this super moist and slightly crumbly cake.

1 box Betty Crocker SuperMoist carrot cake mix
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs
1 can (8 oz) crushed pineaaple in juice, undrained
1 cup shredded carrot
1/2 cup chopped nuts
1/2 cup shredded or flaked coconut
1/2 cup chopped cherries (optional)
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven 350F. Grease and flour two 8-inch or 9-inch round pans or 13x9-inch pan.
2. In a large bowl, beat water, oil, eggs, vanilla and pineapple. Sift together cinnamon and cake mix, then add to the mixture beating on medium speed. Stir in nuts, coconut and carrots. Pour into pans.
3. Bake for about 50-40 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool completely then frost.

Cream Cheese Frosting:
2 (8 0z) pkgs of cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup of butter, softened
2 cups of confectioners sugar, sifted
1 tsp vanilla extract

1. Cream together cream cheese and butter until creamy.
2.Mix in vanilla, then gradually stir in sugar until well blended.

My Cream Cheese Frosting:
1 (8 0z) pk of cream cheese
1/2 container of Pillsbury or Betty Crocker cream cheese frosting
1 cup confectioners sugar, sifted
1 tsp vanilla extract
1. Mix all ingredients together. Enough for two layers, sides and top.

*Recipe can be found on the back of the Betty Crocker carrot cake mix.

Apple Cinnamon Tart

Since I had so much apples and cookie dough left over, I just throw some cookie dough onto the bottom of the pan, place the apples on top and rolled out the rest of the dough. With a leaf cookie cutter from Wiltons, I was able to make these 3 leaf cut outs and place them on top of my apple tart. Also, being that I ran out of vanilla extract, I just used rum instead. This is just something that's warm, easy and simple to make on a nice cold day.

Sugar Cookie Recipe:

1 cup butter, softened
2 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg

1. Beat butter for 30 seconds, add sugar, baking powder, and salt.
2. Beat in egg and vanilla
3. Beat in as much flour as you can with a mixer.
4. Divide dough in half, refrigerate for an hour or 2, wrapped in plastic.
5. Preheat oven to 375 degrees
6. Roll out dough onto a well floured surface, and use any cookie cutter to cut out the shapes desired.
7. Bake for about 10 to 15 minutes or until golden brown. Bake for about 20 to 25 minutes when using the dough as topping and crust for your pie. Let cool and Enjoy!

*This cookie dough recipe is different then my other sugar cookie recipes, this one requires more butter and the out come is more fluffy, soft and cake like. Rather then crispy and hard.

Apple Filling:

2 Granny Smith Apples- peeled, cored, and diced/chopped small
1/4 cup Sugar
1 tbsp Cinnamon
1 tsp Nutmeg
1 tbsp Rum (dark or light)

1. Peel, core, and dice the apples into small pieces. Place medium saucepan over low heat and place apples, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and rum into the pot. Stir all ingredients together for about 1 to 2 mintues until well coated, then cover and let cook for about 8 mintues or to your liking.
2. Once done to your taste and texture, remove from heat and let completely cool.