Mr. Horne is turning 48 years old today and yet the look on his face proves that within all of us, the child still lives!
I had ordered this Christmas train set before last Christmas (2008) but it didn't arrive in time so it has been sitting in the top of my closet for about nine months waiting for Mr. Horne's birthday to arrive! I've never been so patient in my life :)
It's a beauty! We can hardly wait to set it up at Christmas time!
Daddy's girls.
I made Mr. Horne this yummy cake called the "Towering Praline Carrot Cake with Candied Pecans" because he loves carrot cake! It was ooey and gooey and delicious!!!
Just in case you would like to try your hand at it, here is the recipe:
Towering Praline Carrot Cake with Candied Pecans
Makes 16 servings.
Ingredients:
- 1 pound carrots, peeled and sliced (3 cups)
- 3 c all-purpose flour
- 2 ¾ c sugar
- 1 ½ t baking powder
- 1 ½ t baking soda
- 1 t salt
- 2 t ground cinnamon
- 1 1/3 c cooking oil
- 6 eggs
- 1 8-oz. can crushed pineapple, drained
- 1 T vanilla
- 1 c chopped pecans
- ½ c flaked coconut
- 1 recipe Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting
- 1 recipe Praline Sauce
- 1 recipe Candied Pecans
Directions:
- In a medium sauce pan, cook carrots, covered, in a moderate amount of boiling water about 20 min. until very tender. Drain and cool slightly.
- Chop in a food processor using several on-off turns, or coarsely mash with potato masher.
- Grease and lightly flour three 9 X 1 1/2-in. round cake pans; set aside.
- PREHEAT oven to 350 degrees F.
- In a large mixing bowl, stir together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.
- Make a well in center of dry ingredients.
- ADD oil, eggs, pineapple, and vanilla.
- BEAT with an electric mixer on low speed about 1 min. until all ingredients are combined.
- Gold in mashed carrots, the 1 cup pecans, and the coconut.
- SPREAD batter evenly in prepared pans.
- BAKE the layers for 35-40 min. or until a wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool cakes in pans on wire racks for 10 min.
- Using a small spatula or table knife, loosen edges and remove from pans.
- BAKE remaining layer, if necessary.
- Cool cakes thoroughly on wire racks.
- While the cake is cooling, prepare Praline Sauce, Candied Pecans, and Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting.
- To assemble, place one of the cooled cake layers, top-side up, on cake plate.
- Use about 1 cup of the Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting to pipe or spoon a rim about 1 inch wide and ½ inch high around outer edge of cake layer.
- Spoon about 2 T frosting in the center leaving an unfrosted “ring.”
- Spoon and spread about half of the Praline Sauce filling into the unfrosted ring.
- Add a second cake layer, top side up, and repeat frosting and filling steps using Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting and Praline Sauce.
- Add final cake layer, top side up.
- Frost top and sides of layers with remaining frosting.
- Garnish top with Candied Pecans.
- Store cake in the refrigerator.
Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting
Makes 4 ½ cups.
Ingredients:
- 1 8-oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened
- ½ c butter, softened
- 1 t ground cinnamon
- 1 t vanilla
- 5 3/4 – 6 ¼ c sifted powdered sugar
Directions:
- In a large mixing bowl, beat together cream cheese, butter, cinnamon, and vanilla with a mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy.
- Gradually add about half of the powdered sugar, beating well.
- Gradually beat in enough of the remaining powdered sugar until spreading consistency.
- Use as frosting.
Praline Sauce
Makes 1/3 c sauce.
Ingredients:
- 3 T butter
- 3 T brown sugar
- 2 T whipping cream
- 1 t vanilla
Directions:
- In a small saucepan, melt butter over medium heat.
- Stir in brown sugar and cream.
- Cook and stir until mixture comes to a full boil.
- Reduce heat.
- Boil gently for 3 min., stirring occasionally.
- Stir in vanilla.
- Cool
Candied Pecans
Makes ½ c nuts.
Ingredients:
- ¼ c packed brown sugar
- 1 T orange juice
- ½ c pecan halves
Directions:
- PREHEAT oven to 350 degrees F.
- Lightly grease an 8 X 8 X 2-in. baking pan.
- In a small bowl, combine brown sugar and orange juice.
- ADD pecan halves, stirring to coat.
- Spread in prepared pan.
- BAKE for 12 min. or until nuts are browned and syrup is bubbly, stirring once.
- Pour out onto second lightly greased baking sheet, separating into single nuts.
- Cool on wire rack.
