Thursday, October 20, 2016

Election, As We Know It, Earthquakes, Exercise Class

I had to leave the room on Wednesday evening because the news programme Matt was watching was all about the upcoming debate. Save me please. I cannot believe this is an election more like a fight between school children.

I am currently proofing As We Know It, the book by Carrie Butler. I haven't got too far yet, but it is quite a story. Based on a disaster which could happen, its background is an earthquake. I think most of us are pretty scared by quakes although I have a cousin in the San Francisco who has been thrown out of bed by earthquakes and seems relatively unconcerned. Maybe if you live in that area, or any other prone to such possible disasters, you live in a state of denial. I have gone through two mild tremors since I have lived in Canada and I wasn't happy about that. Having lived the first 37 years of my life in England I assumed it was a safe area. I was horrified to discover that in fact there have been earthquakes in England, one of which destroyed the Lincoln Cathedral. Way before my time, but....  I assume nowhere is really safe.

Wednesday was exercise class which for some reason I didn't want to go to, however, I am glad I did. Feels much better after. Not many of us there though, unusual. On Good Morning America they showed exercise classes anyone could do, not they couldn't, some of them were on the ground. A lot of us oldsters have difficulty getting on the ground and even more difficulty getting up.

I may have mentioned that I love carrot cake! Couldn't resist this  recipe.

BA’s Best Carrot Cake

This is the only carrot cake recipe you’ll ever need. This is part of BA's Best, a collection of our essential recipes.

Cake
Nonstick vegetable oil spray
½ cup golden raisins (optional)
3 Tbs dark rum (optional)
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 lb carrots, peeled, coarsely grated
1 cup buttermilk, room temperature
2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tsp ground ginger
½ tsp freshly grated nutmeg
2 tsp baking powder
1 ½ tsp kosher salt
¾ tsp baking soda
4 large eggs, room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
¾ cup (packed) dark brown sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
¾ cup vegetable oil

Frosting And Assembly
12 oz cream cheese, room temperature
¾ cup (1 ½ sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 tsp vanilla extract
Generous pinch of kosher salt
4 cups powdered sugar
Candied Carrot Coins (optional)

1. Cake

2. Preheat oven to 350°. Lightly coat two 9"-diameter cake pans with nonstick spray. Line bottoms with parchment paper rounds; lightly coat rounds with nonstick spray. If using raisins and rum, heat together in a small saucepan over low just until warm, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and let sit until liquid is absorbed and raisins are plump, 15–20 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, toast walnuts on a rimmed baking sheet, tossing once, until golden brown, 8–10 minutes; let cool. Combine carrots and buttermilk in a medium bowl.

4. Whisk flour, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, baking powder, salt, and baking soda in a large bowl. Using an electric mixer on high speed, beat eggs, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla extract until pale and thick, about 4 minutes. Reduce speed to medium-low and gradually stream in oil. Add dry ingredients in 3 additions, alternating with carrot mixture in 2 additions, beginning and ending with dry ingredients; mix until smooth. Fold in raisins, if using, and walnuts with a rubber spatula. Scrape batter into prepared pans.

5. Bake cakes, rotating pans halfway through, until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean, 35–45 minutes. Transfer pans to a wire rack and let cakes cool 10 minutes. Run a knife around sides of cakes and invert onto wire rack; remove parchment. Let cool completely.

6. Frosting And Assembly

7. Using an electric mixer on high speed, beat cream cheese and butter in a medium bowl until smooth, about 1 minute. Beat in vanilla extract and salt. Reduce speed to low and gradually mix in powdered sugar. Increase speed to high and beat frosting until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.

8. Place 1 cake, domed side down, on a platter. Spread ¾ cup frosting evenly over top. Place remaining cake, domed side down, on top. Spread top and sides with 1¼ cups frosting and chill 30 minutes to let frosting set. Spread remaining frosting over top and sides, swirling decoratively. Top with Candied Carrot Coins, if desired.

Servings: 12

Source: Bon Appétit

Have a great day
 

20 comments:

  1. We've had a couple of earthquakes here although as parts of the world go Westen Australia is fairly stable so they can happen everywhere.

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    1. Luckily never been in a proper one, never want to be Helen. Were you there when the quakes happened?

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    2. Yes. There was shaking which was unnerving particularly during the one when I was working on the sixth floor. Those from the upper floors were overtaking us as we evacuated. No serious damage in Perth in any of them - just minor stuff - but two caused a lot of damage in some wheatbelt towns.

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    3. Sounds pretty scary Helen. Even if there wasn't any serious damage in Perth.

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  2. We've had some minor tremors in Michigan, but no major fault lines around here. I love carrot cake. I am up and down on the floor all day. So happy I have no issues with my knees and I have lots of lower body strength. Helps to be a gardener, I think.

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    1. That's good Denise. Yes, I think all your gardening must make a difference.

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  3. I don't bother with the debates. There is little actual political debating that takes place.
    We've had an earthquake here in recent years. Did damage in the DC area.

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    1. I think a lot of people watch to see all the mud slinging Alex.

      I didn't know that.

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  4. Missed the debate last night, glad I did. When I lived in California, earthquakes never bothered me. Tornadoes scare me more.

    Betty

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    1. Don't like either of them Betty. There is no warning. At least with a hurricane, you know it's coming.

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  5. I think Clinton far surpasses Trump in the ability to remain cool and composed. I don't know how she restrains herself from slapping him.

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    1. Now that I would love to see Pinky. He deserves it.

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  6. I've been through two 6.9 quakes and they are no fun. The one 1989 in SF was terrifying. I'd only lived there for 2 months when that happened. But I guess over time with minor shakers, you do sort of become unfazed. The second 6.9 was in WA and after I went home at lunch to check my house and found it OK and the power on, I went back to work and went about my day, almost forgetting how bad it was. Olympia and Seattle got hit hard that day, but my area in between was OK

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    1. I was scared-ish whilst I visited SF as people kept telling me it was due - before I went that is - but I guess I kinda forgot about it once I was there. You really know what they are like then JoJo.

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  7. I watched part of the debate but the. I just had to leave. I was just finding it toooooooo much. I can't wait u til this is all over with. Found out that our PM was in St. Catharines today and asked why??? Hahahaaa

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    1. I never watch them Birgit. Not really interested anyway. Our PM isn't a patch on his father.

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  8. Glad you went and that you were glad that you did.

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  9. A few years ago, the Virginia/DC area had an earthquake that was felt over here in Ohio! Isn't that crazy?

    Thanks for showing the cover, by the way! :)

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    1. If Yellowstone blows, it will be felt for many, many miles.

      You are welcome Carrie.

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