Mango Carrot Cake

Do you like carrot cake? Do you like mangoes? Then you should definitely try this carrot mango cake recipe! I ran across it when I was reading my copy of Better Homes & Garden and knew immediately that I would need to make it for my mother-in-law for her birthday.  Here's how to make the cake!

What You Need:

• 2cups all-purpose flour
• 1tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2teaspoon salt
• 1/4teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2cup butter, softened
• 1cup granulated sugar
• 2eggs
• 1 1/4cups refrigerated mango juice blend (such as Odwalla Mango Tango or Naked Juice Mighty Mango)
• 3cups finely shredded carrot
• Carrot ribbons*
• Cream Cheese Frosting
• 18 ounce packagecream cheese, softened
• 1/4cup butter, softened
• 1teaspoon vanilla
• 4cups powdered sugar

How to Make the Cake:

directions

1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour two 8x1 1/2-inch round cake pan; set aside. In a medium bowl combine flour, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg; set aside.

2.In a large mixing bowl beat butter on medium-high speed for 30 seconds. Gradually add granulated sugar; beat until combined. Beat 2 minutes more. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Alternately add flour mixture and 3/4 cup of the mango juice; beat on low after each addition just until combined. Stir in shredded carrot. Pour into prepared pan.

3.Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until golden and a wooden pick inserted near center comes out clean. Cool in pan on wire rack 10 minutes. Remove from pan; cool completely. Place remaining 1/2 cup mango juice blend in a small saucepan; bring to boiling. Boil gently, uncovered, 3 to 4 minutes or until reduced to 1/4 cup. Remove from heat; cool. Frost top of one cake layer with Cream Cheese Frosting. Top with remaining cake layer; frost as desired. Drizzle with reduced juice; top with carrot ribbons.

Frosting:

4.In a large mixing bowl beat cream cheese and 1/4 cup butter until smooth. Beat in vanilla. Gradually beat in powdered sugar.

Once you've made your cake make sure to serve it quickly! The frosting will melt pretty quickly!

Serve and enjoy!

The original recipe can be found here: Better Homes & Gardens

Repeating Traditions - Strawberry Picking

Hey All! So this week has turned out to be pretty slow and I am quite alright with that.  I always find myself super busy and wishing for down time but when I have down time, I am always wishing I had something to do.  Guess I just cannot make up my mind.

Last weekend Justin and I spent some time celebrating birthdays and bridal showers with our friends and family.  My friend Sarah celebrated turning 24 in style by going out dancing.  There was supposed to be a large group of people going but because of last minute things only a few of the ladies made it out.  Either way, it was still a nice evening.  

On Saturday, Justin and I spent the morning running some much needed errands before we went to meet his parents for Strawberry Picking.  This is a tradition that we started last year with his family as a way to celebrate his mom's birthday and it is quickly becoming one of my favorite non-holiday traditions.

The weather here in Michigan has been rather warm that last few weeks, so of course the weather was wonderful for picking strawberries.  Like last year, we made our way out to Spicer's Orchard in Fenton, MI.  But unlike last year, the strawberries were MUCH larger.  

 

When we got to the orchard, we all grabbed our "buckets" for the strawberries and hopped onto the hayride to get to the strawberry patch.  My nephew, J.P., was super excited once we got on, but once the tractor started moving he started to get a bit nervous and grabbed onto Justin and I.  He is such a sweetheart.

Once we got the patch, everyone went their separate ways to try and find the biggest berries and we all had some pretty good luck finding some delicious ones.  On more than one occasion I caught JP eating some fresh picked strawberries and he made sure to get them ALL over his new white t-shirt.  How can you be mad at him, though, when he is being so adorable. 

After picking the strawberries, we made our way back to the shop to buy all of the strawberries and to get some cider and donuts.  I know that cider and donuts are more of a fall tradition, but since Justin and I never made it out to the orchard, we saw fit to grab a dozen donuts and they were delicious! Plus, while we were in there, Justin got some cuddle time with our niece, McKenna.  Isn't she just the cutest little thing?

 

And we managed to grab a family shot like the one we took last year.  Hard to believe that this time last year, my niece was not born yet.  It's crazy how much change can happen in a year.

After we were all set to go, we headed back to my sister and brother-in-law's house for pizza and presents (I made a cake but due to the heat, it had to be left behind).  I made a mango carrot cake that turned out pretty good! I will make sure to share the recipe on another post.

Overall the day was pretty exciting and I cannot wait to repeat the tradition next year!

Happy Birthday Marcy!

Bachelorette Party & Comedy Club

June has been a very exciting month for Justin and I this far.  Between the baby showers, graduation parties and birthdays we have been very busy almost every.single.weekend.  

A few weekends ago, Danielle and I had made plans to go up north and visit her parents and get away from all the chaos that is our lives, but something came up last minute and we were not able to go.  Instead, we went to a bridal shower/bachelorette party for her sister!

The plan was to go to downtown Royal Oak and eat some delicious dinner at Monterrey Cantina then head to a comedy show and that is exactly what we did! Dinner was absolutely delicious! Danielle and I split some chicken flautas with rice and beans that were to die for.  I wish I had grabbed a picture of them, but they were gone so quickly that I completely forgot.

During dinner, this guy walked up to the table and was trying to find someone to take him as their date to the wedding.  He was pretty hilarious, but he did NOT have any takers.  Better luck next time dude.

 My favorite thing at the party was the candy {penis} bouquet that Danielle's sister received as a gift.  Typically I am not the hugest fan of penis anything shaped, but I could not help but laugh when we figured out that they had little eyes on them.  Is that weird or what? 

 After dinner we made our way to Mark Ridley's Comedy Castle for the main event of the evening.  When we walked in, I realized that I had been there before for a different bachelorette party: my sister-in-laws! What a small world that we would go to the same place as my sister-in-law did five years ago.

Interesting fact about this picture? My Facebook tried to make me tag the guy in the background...

Sorry the pictures are so blurry, but we were sitting in the back and my camera is not too fond of zooming in when it's dark.  There were two main comedians that evening: Jodi White and Dave Bell and let me tell you I have not laughed that hard in a long time.  The best way to describe how hard I laughed is to tell you that my neck muscles were spasming from laughing so hard.   If you ever have a chance to see either of them live, I recommend that you take the opportunity, they're both hilarious!

The evening concluded with Danielle and I making a run to get frozen yogurt and walking around downtown Royal Oak.  Because Michigan has some of the most finicky weather in the planet, I always try to take advantage of the beautiful weather and get outside while it is here.  

Overall, the evening was a blast and I would love to do it again! Maybe I could make it a date night! 

Another Fun Baby Shower!

Hey Everyone!

As you all know, I love baby showers and when I got the opportunity to go to another baby shower I was super excited! This shower was for my mom's other best friend, Tracey's, daughter.  It is so crazy that both of my mom's friend's daughters are pregnant and both are due in July.  

This bridal shower had a nautical theme and her mom and sister did an excellent job paying close attention to the details of the shower.

Everything was so detailed all the way down to the mints they had on the table.  I always appreciate when people take time to pay attention to the small details.

For the lunch we had this delicious pastry puff chicken bake thing.  I honestly do not know what it is called, but it was so good that I finished it in what felt like a minute.

It almost looks like a stuffed chicken breast in this picture, but it was a flaky pastry filled with chicken and all kinds of different vegetables.  And the best part about the meal is it wasn't too heavy.  Well, until I had dessert anyway.  

After the meal, we played your traditional left/right story game and a few other small games and finished the afternoon off by watching the mom and dad to be open all of their gifts.  Of course my mom and I had to get her a gift from my mother-in-laws business which I was very excited to give to her.

Everything was Nautical themed to match the nursery and she absolutely loved everything.  If you're interested in buying this quilt, check out the Etsy shop: Infantly Cute Boutique!

Congratulations Rachel and Billy! 

North Carolina on a Quick Pass

Hey All! I hope you enjoyed my Angel Food Cake recipe yesterday! It sure was delicious and I cannot wait to make it again in the near future.

As you can tell I am still playing catch up from the last few weeks {sorry} and I still have a bunch of stuff to fill you in on! The first weekend in June Justin, my mom, and I went to North Carolina to see my cousin graduate from high school and visit some dear friends from my childhood.

The drive down to North Carolina was absolutely BEAUTIFUL! The sun was shining and there was green to be seen for miles.  I absolutely love going on road trips.  To be honest, driving is one of the most therapeutic things that I can do and when the opportunity arises for me to drive for hours, I typically do not pass on the opportunity.

 

Our weekend was filled with graduations between my little cousin graduating from preschool and my cousin graduating high school.

My cousin Andrew was hamming it up when it was his turn to sing or speak in the microphone.  I am always highly amused by 4-5 year old children because they get so much delight from the simplest things - like getting a chance to talk into the microphone.

After Andrew's graduation, we all went home to relax because we knew we would have a busy day the next day.  My cousin, Katie's, graduation ceremony was at 9:00 am, so we were all up and about around 7:00 with the intent to leave around 8:30.  Because Katie had a graduating class of 3, the ceremony only last about an hour.  Each graduate had to give a speech and let me say, they all gave excellent speeches.  One of them even brought me to tears!

After the graduation, we went home to get ready for the party!

We all helped our own way through cutting up fruit or seeing up the decorations.  What do you think of the edible graduation caps I made? They were super easy and super delicious to make too! If I can find a tutorial to share, I will definitely do so.

Justin and I managed to sneak away for a quick walk because there were so many people there.  It was nice to find a few minutes of peace and quiet in the midst of all of the chaos.

The next morning Justin, my mom and I packed up our things and made the long drive home to Michigan.  On our way, we got caught in one of the worse thunder storms I have ever driven through.  Definitely scary!

Question of the Day:
What is your favorite party dessert?

Mine will always be cupcakes.  You can't beat cupcakes.

A VERY Delicious Strawberry Angel Food Cake

Hey all! I promised I would share the recipe for my mother's birthday cake and here it is! 

What You Need:

• 1 cup cake flower (spooned and leveled) - click link for all purpose flour equivalent 
• 1/2 teaspoon Salt
• 12 large egg whites, room temperature
• 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1 1/4 cups sugar
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

How to Make the Angel Food Cake

Preheat your oven to 350°.  

Sift flour and salt together into a bowl and set aside.  

With a mixer, beat egg whites on medium-high until foamy, about 1 minute.  Add cream of tartar; beat until soft peaks form.  Continue to beat, gradually adding sugar; beat until stiff peaks form, or about 2 minutes.  Add vanilla and beat to combine.

Gently transfer egg-white mixture to a large,wide bowl. In four batches, sift flour mixture over egg-white mixture. While turning the bowl, use a rubber spatula to fold in the mixture by cutting down the center and coming up the sides.

Gently spoon batter into an ungreased angel food cake pan with a removable bottom; smooth top.  Cut a knife or small spatula through batter to release air bubbles.  Bake until cake is golden and springs back when lightly pressed, 35 to 40 minutes.  Invert pan; let cool in pan, 1 hour. Run a knife around the inside of the pan and around the tube to release cake, and unmold.  Use knife to release cake from bottom of pan, and remove.

For the frosting, I used your regular whipped cream to top the entire cake and covered it with freshly cut, large strawberries.  

Serve and enjoy!

Original Recipe: Here 

Mom's 55th Birthday Celebrations

Hello everybody! I trust that your week is going well and that you have had a wonderful week.  I still fee like I am always playing catch up and desperately need to keep the ball rolling.

Today we are going to talk about my mom's birthday! She turned the big 5-5 this year and I think she is handling with grace.  Honestly, I have never felt my mom to look even remotely close to her age.  She does an excellent job taking care of her self.

The Monday before my mom's birthday, her best friend and I schemed to throw a mini surprise dinner.  The plan was for my mom and her two best friends to go to P.F. Chang's for dinner until Melody realized that we should be inviting more people to celebrate, so she had me call a few people and I grabbed some balloons and decorations as a surprise.

I managed to grab a picture of her as she walked into the restaurant, but I don't think she knew what was happening until she saw me standing there with the camera.  

On top of the balloons that I got, I found a matching tiara and wand that said, "Another year of fabulous".  I was rather surprised when I went to the party store that there was no "55" balloons or decorations.  I guess only the significant years count.

Because this was just a mini birthday celebration with her friends, I celebrated my mom's birthday again the weekend after.  Mom wanted us to go to church and out to lunch for her birthday, so Justin and I made our way up to their church and out to lunch. 

Last year I started a tradition of baking cakes for everyone as a birthday present and this year my mom asked for an angel food cake with whipped cream and strawberries, and that is exactly what she got.

Angel food cake is definitely a different cake to make.  I will make sure to share the recipe soon so you too can make the cake.

Mom made sure to reuse her balloon, want and tiara as we sang happy birthday to her! I'm so glad she got so much joy out of those gifts.

Happy 55th birthday mom! I love you!

Tanna and Andrew Wedding - Ohio

Hey All! I hope all is going well and that the weather has not been too crazy for you! Michigan has seen some crazy weather over the last few weeks, but I'm sure it does not compare to what is going on in the south.

A few weeks back, Justin, Reggie and myself headed to Youngstown, Ohio for a dear friend's wedding.  When I found out that Tanna was getting married, I was very excited and I was even more excited that she invited Justin and myself to her wedding!

It was a very warm, but very beautiful day for a wedding!

Early in the afternoon, Justin, Reggie and myself headed to the church for the ceremony.  This was my second time attending a Catholic wedding ceremony and I had forgotten how long the services traditionally take.  The church that they were married in was absolutely gorgeous inside! 

After the ceremony, the bride and groom did a bubble ceremony before hopping into their limo for the next big event!

There was a bit of a break between the wedding and the reception, so we grabbed a few pictures before heading back to the hotel to rest for a few minutes.

The reception was held at Avion on the Lake and it was absolutely beautiful! It was on a lake (duh) but in the middle of the lake was a tiny island with a single willow tree on it.  First of all, I absolutely love willow trees.  Second of all, a plane landed right on the lake! It was so amazing to see the plane land on the water.

The reception started with the bride and groom sharing their first dance followed by the daddy/daughter dances.  Tanna and Andrew danced to "1000 Years" by Christina Perry.  I heard this song after our wedding and was so bummed because I would have loved to walk down the aisle to this song.

After the dances everyone enjoyed a delicious meal followed by a ton of dancing! I had so much fun dancing at their wedding and my feet were definitely feeling it the next morning.  Interesting fact about Canfield, OH: there is always a cop at any wedding reception where alcohol is served.  I think that this is such a neat idea and it probably saves so many lives that would otherwise have been lost to drunk driving.

Congratulations Tanna & Andrew Angyal!