Triple Layer Anniversary Carrot Cake!

Today's post is a very special one as hubby and I are celebrating our one year anniversary this weekend. Hmm, am I still allowed to call myself a New Wife?

{Photos courtesy of Alisha Clark Photography}
To be honest, I started this blog on a whim without much thought of the future or even if I would have a second blog post. The thought of choosing a title with longevity was beyond me. Perhaps I had enough lifelong commitments to deal with at the time. :)


Hubby and I have shared a wonderful and fun, yet crazy first year as husband and wife. In 12 months, we have managed to live in 4 cities, darting from the midwest to the west coast to the east coast and back again.

We've grown to know and love each other more than I could ever have imagined or even dreamed.

We've transitioned from the luxury of two incomes to a measly one while hubby attends grad school to become my favorite international economist.

We've lived on top of each other in a 500 sq ft DC studio....And managed to enjoy being so close to each other.

We've survived a condo disaster and our first trial as landlords.

We've eaten a lot.

{delicious mango shrimp from our wedding that I was too busy to enjoy}

From day one of our relationship, we've enjoyed good food, fine (and not so fine dining) and exploring new cuisines. Funny thing is that in those early stages of courtship, hubby was the cook. He'd invite me over for dinner and I thought he was the cutest thing I'd ever seen.

Me? I was too shy to cook for him. I'm not sure if it's the messy kitchen tornado I typically create or my very un-Martha Stewart-like habit of spilling, splashing and knocking over any ingredients in my 2-ft radius. Whatever the blocker may have been, it took me a good couple of months before I'd make my first dish for him. I suppose the rest is history; hubby probably hasn't cooked since we got engaged. I don't blame him, I have a food blog to run, folks.

In honor of the best day of my life, I'm baking us a Triple layer Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting. Our wedding cake so elegantly titled,
Light Carrot Cake Studded with Grand Marnier Soaked Currants, Layered with Cream Cheese Icing,
has to be one of the most divine, perfect, sinfully delicious things I've ever eaten. Tradition may call for a couple to eat their cake top, but ours is approximately 1,853 miles away in my parents' freezer. I was a tad afraid of freezer burn, anyway. So, I figured I should get in the kitchen and make us a "new" topper. Our glorious wedding cake:


Obviously, carrot cake has always been our favorite and since the caterers haven't offered me their famous recipe, I've stuck with Gigi's Carrot Cake recipe from Emeril for the past few years. It's certainly not for the faint of heart with a whopping 3 sticks of butter (5 with the icing), but if you're celebrating I say you should really celebrate. This cake has never let me down, though be sure to butter your pans very well and use parchment paper so that they do not stick. I also omit the pecans, though throw 'em in if you're nut crazy.

Here's my creation. Happy Anniversary, hubby. I love you.

{2 layers, one more to go...}

{Couldn't find the same orchids but figured these would do}


I can't wait to post a picture once we cut into the cake so you can see the triple layers.
I'm off to pick up hubby from the airport and we're going to see my favorite musician: Jack Johnson! Enjoy the long weekend!

Triple Layer Anniversary Carrot Cake
Courtesy of Emeril
3 sticks, plus 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 cups granulated sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
4 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3 cups grated carrots
1 cup chopped toasted pecans (I omit)

Pecan Cream Cheese Icing:
8 ounces cream cheese
1 stick unsalted butter
1 (1-pound) box confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup chopped toasted pecans (I omit)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Butter 3 (9-inch) cake pans with 1 tablespoon of the butter and set aside (I also line the pans with parchment paper and grease again). In a large bowl, cream the butter with an electric mixer. Add the sugar, and beat. In a medium bowl or on a piece of parchment, combine the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt, and mix well.

Add the dry ingredients, alternating with the eggs, beating well after the addition of each. Add the vanilla extract and mix. Add the carrots and beat on medium speed until well incorporated, about 2 minutes. Fold in the nuts. Divide between the 3 cake pans and bake until set and a cake tester inserted into the middle comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and let rest in the cake pans for 10 minutes. Invert onto wire racks, remove from the pans, and let cool.

For the Frosting: In a large bowl, cream together the cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy. Add the sugar gradually, beating constantly. Add the vanilla and pecans.

When the cake is cool, place 1 cake layer on a cake plate or stand. Spread the top with cream cheese frosting and top with a second and third cake layer, spreading the icing between each layer. Spread the icing around the sides of the cake and let harden slightly before serving. To serve, cut into wedges.