Anne of Green Gables April: "He Called Me Carrots" Carrot Torte

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"Come here, child, and let me have a look at you. 

 Lawful heart, did any one ever see such freckles? 

And hair as red as carrots!"  

~Mrs. Lynde, Anne of Green Gables

My husband married me for my hard body and my carrot cake . . . (which means he married me for my carrot cake).  As my hubby's birthday is this week, I decided that I would spend some time today finding ways to amp up the carrot cake for his big day.  I've tried versions with pineapple and coconut and nuts, but the birthday boy always says that he likes the original version the best.  Since I couldn't tinker with the recipe, I decided to tinker with the presentation instead.  

The result is a mini version of a 3 layered cake, but I like to think of it as a carrot torte.  It sounds more glamorous that way. The key to creating an individual-sized torte was a magical soup can.  I had heard of people cooking bread in soup cans, so I figured why not try cooking cake in a soup can?

Here is what I did:  After cleaning out a can, I sprayed some Pam in the bottom and dusted it with flour.  Then, I lined the inside edges of the can with parchment paper and let the ends overlap so the cake batter wouldn't touch the can.  I also cut the parchment so that it was just a bit taller than the can itself.  Finally, I added my cake batter to the can, put the can on a cookie sheet, popped it in the oven, and poof!  Out came a perfectly cylindrical, moist, individual-sized carrot cake!

After letting the cake cool, I slid it out of the can, unwrapped the parchment, and sliced the cake into four 3/4" layers.  (I decided to only use three of them for my torte and inhaled the fourth layer in the name of 'quality control'.)  I then filled the layers with a tangy cream cheese frosting and topped them with a strawberry garnish.  I like to think of the result as a head-turning version of the original.  And may I be so bold as to say that Anne might have been a little less irked at being called "carrots" if she had been served one of these darlings . . . 

"He Called Me Carrots" Carrot Torte

2 cups flour

2 cups sugar

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 teaspoon vanilla

4 eggs

1 cup oil

3 cups shredded carrots

Mix dry and wet ingredients separately.  Add together with the carrots.  Mix until well blended.  Fill approximately 10 soup cans between 1/2 to 2/3 of the way full.  Place cans on a cookie sheet and bake for 25 minutes, or until the center bounces back to the touch.

Tangy Cream Cheese Frosting

8 oz cream cheese

4 tablespoons butter

1/3 cup sour cream

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 lb powdered sugar, more or less (this is negotiable depending on how thick you like your frosting)

Mix on high speed until silky smooth.  

{via Pinterest}

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