a near disaster

OK, that may be a little dramatic, but serious.

This Easter, I was assigned to bring a dessert, so looked and looked and decided to do a carrot cake because a) it's Easter-y, b) I've never made one before, and c) it's delicious.

I made Paula Deen's carrot cake recipe from the Food Network, under the assumption that I couldn't fail. Right? Paula Deen has awesome stuff... and this was classified as "easy." So, I shredded 3 cups of carrots, mixed the ingredient, baked it and frosted it. And, except for the frosting job looking like it had been done by an 8-year-old (I've never claimed to be a good froster), it was awesome! And looked like this:

So, why the near disaster?

Because the scenario above was how it turned out the SECOND time I tried. The first time, I mixed it "all" up and the batter looked funny - dark and  lumpy. But, I've never made a carrot cake before and I attributed the "lumpy" to being filled with a bunch of shredded carrots -- what do I know? I didn't want to doubt Paula Deen.

I proceeded to bake it and they came out in what I can only describe spongy frisbee shape. At this point, I'm disappointed and a little: What the?!?! Yet, I considered that it may still taste OK... and, if frosted, no one will know it looks bad anyway.

Thankfully, I had the foresight to make a few mini muffins so we could taste it without cutting into the cake. I can only describe the taste as 'salt and gross'. And then it hit me... I didn't put the sugar in! Crap.

So, I went to town to get more carrots, eggs, and pecans and started over at 7:30 p.m. after dinner. I shredded the carrots (again). And mixed it again... this time with sugar. And it made some kind of amazing chemistry miracle happen where the batter looked normal. So, optimistically, I baked it. And, again, it rose and looked like cake this time! It's amazing what a little sugar will do, I guess.

 So, there you have it. Fortunately, no one besides me had to taste the first one.

Now, make me feel better and tell me you've done this?!