Showing posts with label cream cheese. Show all posts
Showing posts with label cream cheese. Show all posts

Texas Carrot Sheet Cake

There's nothing like a "Texas" sheet cake for large family events. It's quick, easy and feeds a lot of people. After looking at a lot of Texas sheet cakes, I decided to try a Carrot Cake, my husband's favorite, and I wasn't disappointed. This cake is so very moist. It's a perfect dessert for a party, picnic, church function and any other large gathering.
There are many choices for Texas Sheet Cakes. I've added a Strawberry, German Chocolate, Italian Cream, Chocolaty, Coconut, Orange Creamcicle, Red Velvet and Banana to the bottom of this post for more options from other contributors from around the internet.

Why do they call it a Texas Sheet Cake?
The origins of this cake are murky. Some sources say it may have first shown up in a Texas newspaper, which is why it's called "Texas' sheet cake, while others claim the name comes from the fact that it's the size of Texas. Regardless of its origins, this cake is truly a crowd-pleaser.
   
Let's Make a Texas Carrot Sheet Cake...
First off, most of the ingredients you'll probably have right in your pantry. Second, it's simple to make. Third very inexpensive, and fourth, it's delicious!

Here are the ingredients that you will need for the carrot cake...this cake is made in a 13X18" jelly roll/cookie sheet pan. Like I said, it makes enough servings for a crowd.
  • sugar
  • oil
  • eggs
  • flour
  • cinnamon
  • baking soda
  • all spice
  • salt
  • baking powder
  • carrots
Here are the ingredients you will need for the frosting...
  • cream cheese
  • butter
  • powdered sugar
  • vanilla
Like I said above, you will most likely have just about every ingredient, except you might need to purchase the cream cheese and the carrots. 
       
This recipe is very forgiving. The batter is a little thinner than a normal cake. This cake doesn't rise as far as a regular cake. The finished product is as high as a brownie would be. Mix according to the recipe instructions and grease and flour a 13"X18" jelly roll/cookie sheet pan. Pour the batter into the cookie sheet/jelly roll pan and bake at 350℉ and bake for 24-26 minutes.
    
After it comes out of the oven, let it cool before frosting.
    
and here it is! Now you need to make your frosting. There's only 4 ingredients in the frosting...cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar and vanilla. I beat the butter first, then add the cream cheese and beat until smooth. Then add the powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time. Then add the vanilla. If it seems to thick, you can always add a little milk, but always remember you can always add a little, but you can't take it away once it's in. So add a tablespoon of milk at a time until you feel it's just perfect.
   
After it is frosted, I added chopped walnuts. Not everyone likes nuts, but a carrot cake really needs that nutty chewy addition to make it just right.

Carrot Cake - Texas Style Recipe...
Ingredients for cake:
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 1 cup oil
  • 4 eggs
  • 2 cups flour
  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon
  • 2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon all spice
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking powder 
  • 2 cups carrots, finely grated
Ingredients for frosting:
  • 1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese, softened
  • 1/2 cup batter, softened
  • 2 1/2-3 cups powdered sugar
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla
Directions for cake:
  1. Preheat oven to 350d℉ and grease a 13X18 inch jelly roll pan/cookie sheet.
  2. In a large mixing bowl, mix the sugar and oil together.
  3. Beat in the eggs.
  4. Add the dry ingredients and mix until combined.
  5. Fold in the carrots 
  6. Then spread into the greased pan.
  7. Bake for 24-26 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.
Directions for frosting:
  1. Beat the cream cheese and butter together until light and fluffy.
  2. Mix in the powdered sugar and cream cheese until smooth.
  3. Mix in vanilla.
  4. Spread over cooled cake
  5. Sprinkle with walnuts (opt.)
  6. Yield 24-30 servings
  

Texas sheet cakes are moist and delicious and serve a crowd. Here are a few more flavors that might peek your interest from around the internet! 

Cakes, cakes and more cakes. All kinds, all shapes, all flavors. We have so many choices. I really couldn't pick out one cake that I wouldn't like. This post is about sheet cakes. They do not rise as tall as a regular cake. They are about the height of a brownie. But for being a short cake, they pack a yummy punch and they serve a crowd.

Always remember..."Life's short...eat dessert first!"...words to live by! 
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Banana Sour Cream Cake..... "The Best!"

There's nothing better than a banana cake with cream cheese frosting and lots of nuts. It's irresistible. This cake is so moist and light in texture. I'm sure the sour cream added to the recipe makes it so very moist. The frosting has cream cheese in it that makes it less sweet and is definitely the best frosting for this type of cake. A great everyday cake or a great dessert when company comes. We all have those left over ripened bananas. I make muffins, bread, and any recipe that ripe bananas can be used in and now I've added my favorite, Banana Sour Cream Cake!
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This recipe is one of the original recipes from My Food and Family by Kraft. I loved receiving that recipe magazine in the mail oh so long ago. I think everyone received it at one point. I checked the internet to see if it still exists and it does. Every recipe in that magazine was a winner. This recipe for Banana Sour Cream Cake is one of my favorites. As you can see from mine and theirs, I love nuts on cake, so mine has a lot more nuts.

Here Is What You Will Need for Banana Sour Cream Cake...
You will need the following: yellow cake mix, eggs, mashed ripe bananas (about 3), sour cream, and oil for the cake. You will need cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar and walnuts for the frosting.

Let's Make a Banana Sour Cream Cake...
Beat cake mix, eggs, bananas, sour cream and oil with a mixer on low until combined, scraping bottom of bowl often. Beat on medium for 2 minutes to make sure all is combined.
The original cake recipe was baked in a 9X13 cake pan. I chose to use two 8" round cake pans instead. Grease bottom and sides of can pans and place parchment paper in the bottom so the cake doesn't stick. Bake for 35 minutes. This cake is dense, so you might need to cook a little longer. To make sure it is done, use a toothpick in the center. When it comes out clean, the cake is done. Allow cake to cool before removing from cake pans.

How To Make Perfect Parchment Cake Rounds...

I came across this method of cutting parchment rounds and it makes perfect parchment rounds every time. It's by Martha Stewart...

A Perfect Parchment Paper Circle
by Martha Stewart
How to make a perfect parchment paper circle for cake pans-VIDEO

It's Time to Frost Your Cake...
Once your cakes are cooled, it's time to frost. I have made a lot of cakes in my lifetime and found that a turntable is the best way to frost a round cake. You can find many different turntables on the internet or the big box stores. They are very reasonable and make cake decorating so much easier. 
This turntable is plastic, but does the job very well. I purchased it on Amazon and it was very inexpensive. You can find it here. I place a non-slide liner, which can be purchased at the Dollar Tree, under it, so it doesn't move. 
The cream cheese frosting is so delicious. The cake is moist and the cream cheese frosting is just the right sweetness. It's so good! After you have frosted your cake, cover it completely with chopped walnuts, or chopped nuts of your choice. I think the walnuts are the best for this type of cake.

And Here It Is...
Making This Cake In A 9X13" Pan...
If you prefer, you can make this cake in a 9X13" pan. Follow the directions for the recipe below, but rather than using two 8" round cake pans, use a 9X13" pan. Grease your pan and place parchment in the bottom. When the cake has cooled, cut it in half and frost just like you would for the 8" pans. You are creating a layer cake with the 9X13" cake.


This cake only has 5 ingredients and the frosting only has 4 ingredients.  It's not only great tasting, it's relatively inexpensive to make.  

Banana Sour Cream Cake Recipe...
Ingredients:
  • 1 pkg. (2-layer size) yellow cake mix
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 cup mashed ripe bananas (about 3)
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 1/4 cup oil
Frosting:
  • 1 pkg. (8 oz.) Philadelphia Cream Cheese, softened
  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
  • 1 pkg. (16 oz.) powdered sugar (about 4 cups)
  • 1 cup Planter's Walnut pieces
Directions:
  1. Heat oven to 350 degrees.
  2.  Beat cake mix, eggs, bananas, sour cream and oil with mixer on low until moistened, scraping bottom of bowl often. Best on medium 2 minutes.  
  3. Pour into greased and floured 8" round  pans. Bake 35 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.  
  4. Cool cake completely in pan on wire rack.  
  5. Beat cream cheese and butter with mixer on medium until blended. 
  6. Gradually add sugar, beating well after each addition. 
  7. Remove cake from pans. 
  8. Place 1 8" disk on cake platter. Frost. Top with remaining 8" cake disk and frost top and sides. 
  9. Press nuts onto sides and top. Refrigerate leftovers. 
One More Thought...
I think I could talk all day about cakes.  Any kind, any shape, any flavor. In another lifetime, I was a cake decorator. If you walked into my house on a Thursday, Friday, Saturday or Sunday, you would swear that you were in a bakery. I have to say I was at my lowest weight when I decorated cakes. You would think it would be the other way around, but it's not. After smelling the goodies and eating a lot of frosting, the idea of eating cake wore off. After I ended my cake decorating career, the taste of cake once again came back. Only this time it was just for my family and me.



Always remember..."Life's short...eat dessert first!"...words to live by! 
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