Bugs Bunny + Mac = ?

Garth: Wayne, did you ever find Bugs Bunny attractive when he put on a dress and played girl bunny?
Wayne: (cracks up laughing hysterically) No... no
Garth : Neither did I... I was just asking.

One of my favorite parts from one of my favorite movies of all time. Yes, I know the movie is a bit dated now (it's like 15 years already), but I love it. I love the music, I love the partying, I love the reckless abandon and challenge of impending adulthood, while still staying young and true to yourself... wow that was deep for a movie like Wayne's World. Maybe there's more to the surface than just Party Time, Excellent :)

So what does this have to do with Bugs Bunny? Close to nothing, guys and gals. Once I finished wrestling and fixing my computer this past weekend, I was back online and ready to rock. I went online and into my Reader, and was greeted with all these posts about Fall and baking. As you might have read in the last apple post... Fall baking is awesome, and like most of you, it's my favorite. The smells are great. I even have a pumpkin spice candle burning, right now. (Yes, guys can like candles... they are for, ya know... uh, when the girls come over... *sigh*)

Thing is though, I don't know when carrot cake should be baked. Is it a spring thing... with Easter and all? Or summer, because that's when carrots are in season? Or maybe it's time is right now. Yup, I'm going to go with that one. And I'm going to change my favorite carrot cake recipe. I'm replacing half of the carrots with some nice NY apples. So we have an Apple Carrot Cake... or Bugs Bunny meets Mac. I want to warn you though... the aroma this cake makes coming out of the oven is dangerous. If fall spices are your thing, you might want to leave the house, because waiting 30 mins for it to bake is like fighting Chunk Norris... impossible.


Apple Carrot Cake
Recipe by Adam
-1 cup whole wheat flour
-1 cup AP flour
-1 tsp baking soda
-1 tsp baking powder
-1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
-1/4 tsp allspice
-Pinch (or two pinches if you're like me) cloves
-1/2 cup sugar
-1 cup packed brown sugar
-3 eggs
-1/2 cup canola or neutral flavored oil
-1/2 pound carrots, peeled and grated (about 3)
-1/2 pound apples, peeled and grated (about 3 small ones)

Preheat your oven to 350*. Grease a large 13x9 pan, or any pan you like. I used a round pan, because I really like round bundt type cakes :)

In a medium bowl, combine the flours, baking soda and powder, and spices. Stir with a spoon so they are all mixed evenly, and set this bowl aside.

In a large bowl, place the sugars together, and stir with a wooden spoon so they are all mixed up. Add the 3 eggs, and mix well, so they form a nice sugary, liquidy type glaze. Pour in the oil and mix by hand or hand mixer for a few minutes, so they emulsify.

Add the dry flour mixture into the wet sugar one, and mix well. If you are using a wooden spoon, you are going to get a workout on this one. I even had to switch hands, and I rarely ever do that :) The resulting batter is very thick, but don't worry... it'll be all better soon. Once the batter is smooth, brown, and no lumps remain, fold in the carrots and apples. I think the moisture from the fruit adds a bit more liquid to the batter, and it becomes much easier to work with.

Pour the batter into your prepared pan, and bake for 30-40 minutes, or until the cake springs back lightly to the touch, and a toothpick comes out clean. Baking times depend on the pan you use.
I really, really liked this new concoction of a recipe I made. I swear, right of the oven it reminded me of cider donuts... you know the ones you get at the ochard with the kids... and by kids I mean me. Now, those were the days, my friends :)

Oh, and this was actually an apple recipe that I intended to turn out this way :) To celebrate this... I'm sending this cake to two places. First, it's going to a cool site I was invited to called Key Ingredient, for their September Kickoff. Definately check them out. After that, it's going to my good buddy from America's Mother Country over at Culinarty and the Original Recipe Round Up... I personally want to thank England for showing us The Beatles, Black Sabbath, James Bond, Scones, and Lore.

Thanks for your computer support and wishes, I appreciated them. Oh, and quite a few people told me I'm awesome, which was sweet. I always tell myself that one, but it's totally different hearing it from other people :) Stay tuned for another award show this week, I'm racking them up, baby!