Bugs Bunny would be Proud

As a special-education teacher, my mom works hard. Every day, she and many of her co-workers go above and beyond the call of duty. They arrive at school early, stay late, skip lunch breaks, and even bring paperwork to do at home. Ask my mother what transpired on American Idol last night, and I can guarantee she’ll have no idea.

But every now and then, even hard-working teachers need a break. Such was the case last Tuesday, when one of the teachers threw a garden party for the special-ed department. Mommy Dearest asked me if I’d mind making and decorating a cake for her event.

Mind? Was she kidding?! Decorating cakes is one of my all-time favorite activities!

And so, I embarked on a quest to veganize my Great Aunt Connie’s carrot cake recipe, which has been a family favorite for generations. When I finished baking and frosting, the cake certainly smelled fantastic… but how would it taste?

Off to the party went the cake. I was a nervous Nelly all day, and when my mom arrived home that night, she didn’t ease my fears. “No one liked the cake,” she said, and my spirits sank to the floor from disappointment.

Until I saw the empty cake plate...

Turns out, the teachers didn’t like the cake; they LOVED it! It was the hit of the party, with everyone asking for the recipe!

Since the veganized recipe is all mine, I got to name it however I saw fit. So I chose to pay homage to my beloved childhood friend, Bugs Bunny.

Bugs Bunny Carrot Cake
2 and 1/4 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup light brown sugar
2/3 cup regular sugar
Ener-G egg substitute for three eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2/3 cup vegetable oil
2 cups finely grated carrots
1 14-oz can crushed pineapple, drained
Optional: walnuts and raisins (I used both, and recommend both additions.)



Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, and salt. In another bowl, mix the egg replacer according to the directions on the Ener-G box, then add the sugar, vanilla, and vegetable oil. Combine the ingredients in the two bowls, then add the carrots, pineapple, and optional ingredients.
Smooth the cake batter into a greased 13x9 pan and bake for about 40-45 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool, and then frost. I used the Vegan Cream Cheese Frosting recipe found in the cookbook Vegan Cupcakes take over the World.



A feast for Bugs Bunny... or for my carrot-loving puppies.





Boooring!






Ta-Da!





Oh, and before I forget-- Here's a picture from yesterday's Circle of Friends rollerskating excursion (sorry for the sub-par picture quality). The teacher in charge had originally asked me if I'd make a cake for the event, since everyone loved the cake I brought to the last Circle of Friends event (blogged about here). But sadly the roller rink doesn't allow customers to bring in food, so the poor kiddies had to make do with pizza and coke. Too bad, but the outing was a success regardless; all the kids seemed to have had a BLAST! Above, my dad, me, and one of my favorite friends, Thomas. Gosh my arms got a workout pushing Thomas around the rink, but the smile on his face made it totally worth it!