Dessert Flirt proudly presents: Baking with Lara!

Since I will only be making 1 dessert a week (at least for now) I thought it a good idea to include great dessert recipes from other people who make great desserts. Thus, Dessert Flirt proudly presents Baking with Lara! Lara is a friend of mine who makes really good desserts. Really, they are quite impressive. What's more impressive is that she is a 20-year-old college student. When I was in college I think the only dessert I ever "made" was heating up a Chips Ahoy cookie in the microwave. I did have to perfect the heating times (was 10 seconds too short? was 30 seconds too long???) so it did require some sort of thinking :) However, I definitely did not have the baking skills that Lara has. I will be occasionally posting her "guest" recipes so definitely check them out when I do!

Here's Lara...



Here are the two desserts she made for the 4th of July....

LIGHTER THAN AIR CAKE

PREP TIME
30 Min
COOK TIME
25 Min
READY IN
9 Hrs 55 Min

INGREDIENTS
· 1 (18.25 ounce) package yellow cake mix
· 8 ounces cream cheese
· 1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
· 1 (20 ounce) can crushed pineapple with juice
· 2 (8 ounce) cans mandarin oranges, drained
· 1 (3.5 ounce) package instant vanilla pudding mix
· 1 (8 ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed

DIRECTIONS
1. Mix and bake cake mix as per package instruction for two 8 or 9 inch round layers. Let layers cool, and then split each layer in half so as to have 4 layers.
2. In a large bowl, whip cream cheese until soft, and then gradually mix in confectioners' sugar. Stir in the pineapple with juice and the drained mandarin oranges, reserving about 5 mandarin orange slices to decorate the top of cake. Mix in the dry pudding mix. Fold in the whipped topping.
3. Place one cake layer on a cake plate cut side up; spread with frosting. Place another layer cut side down on the first one, and top with more frosting. Repeat until all layers are used, spreading last bit of frosting on top and sides of cake. Decorate with reserved mandarin orange slices. Refrigerate overnight before serving.

CARROT CAKE WITH COCONUT ICING

CARROT CAKE INGREDIENTS
· 2 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
· 1 tablespoon baking powder
· 1 teaspoon baking soda
· ¾ teaspoon salt
· 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
· ½ teaspoon ground or freshly grated nutmeg
· 1 cup pineapple juice
· ½ cup canola oil
· ¾ cup sugar
· ½ cup pure maple syrup
· 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
· 1 cup macadamia nuts, roughly chopped (I used walnuts instead)
· ¼ cup crystallized ginger, chopped (I didn’t find this, so I used 1 teaspoon of ground ginger)
· 1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
· 2 cups carrots, grated

DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Have ready two 8-inch round spring form cake pans, lightly greased.
2. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and ground spices.
3. In a separate mixing bowl, mix together the pineapple, oil, sugar, maple syrup, and vanilla. Add the dry ingredients to the wet in batches, and combine well with a hand mixer. Fold in the macadamias (or walnuts), ginger, coconut, and carrots.
4. Divide batter evenly between the two round cake pans, and bake for 40 to 45 minutes.
5. Let cool in pans, then remove from pans and put a layer of coconut icing between the layers, and another layer of coconut icing on top.

COCONUT ICING INGREDIENTS
· ¼ cup nonhydrogenated margarine at room temperature
· ¼ cup coconut milk
· 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
· 2 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
· 1 cup unsweetened coconut

DIRECTIONS
1. Cream the margarine until light and fluffy. Add the coconut milk and vanilla and combine. Add the sifted confectioners’ sugar and mix until smooth. Add the unsweetened coconut and combine. Refrigerate until ready to use.