24 MARCH 25, 2021 RIDGEWOOD TIMES WWW.QNS.COM
Delicious and delightful carrot cake twists for Easter
Carrot cake has been an Easter
staple for years, so why not serve
some fun takes on this popular
dessert for your celebration?
With Easter landing on International
Carrot Day, April 4, John Kanell, culinary
expert and founder of Preppy
Kitchen, partnered with McCormick
spices to create exclusive Easter dessert
recipes that put a delightful twist on the
classic carrot cake.
“Growing up, desserts were always the
highlight of Easter, with my mother and
grandmother making wonderful carrot
cakes from scratch,” says John Kanell.
Because carrot cake brings back great
memories, Kanell wanted to channel
that nostalgia, while adding whimsical
touches. His resulting creations are fun,
family-friendly and beyond-delicious.
As darling as they are tasty, Carrot
Cake Cookies bring all the fl avors of
carrot cake in a fun, handheld way that
allows the whole family to get involved
in the kitchen. Big and little kids alike
can help frost and decorate!
Make room at the dessert table for
Carrot Cake Roll with Lemon Cream
Cheese Filling – a fl uff y spiced cake
loaded with carrots and the warm fl avor
of McCormick spices. Rolled up with a
light and airy lemon and cream cheese
fi lling, it’s a sweet way to celebrate the
season.
“As a nod to my Greek heritage, my
family always incorporated lemon
into our dessert recipes. Adding it to the
cream cheese fi lling provides a bright
complement to my slightly sweet and
tender Carrot Cake Roll recipe,” says
Kanell.
Kanell is also sharing his top baking
tips for success.
• Feature carrots front-and-center
in desserts. Beyond their beautiful
orange color, they add moisture to
baked goods.
• Too much fl our makes for dense,
gummy baked goods. Always measure
your fl our correctly by using a scale
or fl uffi ng the fl our and sprinkling it
into your measuring cup before leveling
off .
• Don’t over-mix your batter. It will
activate the gluten in the fl our and cause
your baked goods to go from tender and
airy to tough and overly chewy. Mix
your dry and wet ingredients until just
combined.
• Use room temperature butter and
cream cheese – left out of the refrigerator
for about 30 to 60 minutes. They should
show a slight indent when pressed, yet
still hold shape. Remember that consistency
is important when creaming butter
with sugar and it should be visibly
fl uff y and not cling to the side of your
mixing bowl.
• Stock your spice rack with
McCormick pure vanilla extract, cinnamon,
ginger, allspice and nutmeg so it is
ready for all your baking needs. Spring
is all about nature waking up aft er a
long slumber and these essential spices
brighten and add warmth to seasonal
dishes.
• Even if your little ones are too young
to make a recipe, they can still help measure,
mix and combine ingredients, and
of course decorate cakes, cupcakes and
cookies.
For these exclusive Easter carrot cakeinspired
recipes, craft ing ideas for kids
and kids-at-heart, and everything else
you need to complete your Easter celebration,
visit mccormick.com/easter.
With delicious takes on the classic carrot
cake, your family can hit the sweet
spot between nostalgia and whimsical
fun this Easter.
— Courtesy of Statepoint
EASTER
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/easter
