CHARLESTON'S FAVORITE CARROT CAKE...THE READING CORNER

Here is yet another new found discovery of a beautiful and sweet southern cookbook!
Teresa Pregnall is a woman to be admired though her own accomplishments and her unwavering determination to begin a family business after retirement. Teresa had recently read a book called "FOOD FINDS" by Allison Engel. The book was about mail order unique foods. She decided to write to Allison with her idea of a small home bakery featuring her family loved cakes and baked goods. She mailed a poppyseed cake to Allison for a taste test. Allison published an article in the WASHINGTON POST about Teresa and her cakes and this began a new world for Teresa....she received 300 orders immediately! 

Teresa noted, "My baking career began when I was a little girl. Like many lowcountry families, we spent our summers at our beach home, where there were always more guests than residents. Those were the "good old days," when most of our time was spent either having fun or planning the next fun thing. I was at my happiest when the house overflowed with people. It was during these summer fun times that I first tried my hand as a baker." 

What a delightful little book! 

It is chocked full of coveted best selling recipes such as

 Best Devil's Food Cake, Crunchy Pound Cake, Blackberry Wine Cake, 

Sadie's Bread Pudding, in addition to pies and assorted baked goods. 

"You can find bigger cake books, more detailed cake books, 

but when I want to bake a simple down-home, crowd-pleasing cake, 

I'll reach for one of Teresa's "treasured recipes."

~Ken Haedrich, author of SIMPLE DESSERTS

and 

winner of the 1992 Julia Child Cookbook Award

The author began her business, created from her love of baking in 1984.

 Teresa Pregnall passed away in January, 2008 at the age of 79~

Because her divine desserts don't have long ingredient lists or require hard-to-find equipment-some even use cake mixes as their starting point-they can be whipped up when the mood strikes.  Special Recipes from the Charleston Cake Lady includes coveted recipes for the bestselling baked goods like her Odscene Chocolate Cake, Eggnog Cake, and Christmas Cranberry Cake.  They'll all here and they've never been easier.

FAMILY FAVORITE CARROT CAKE

2 cups flour

2 t. baking powder

2 t. cinnamon

1 t. salt

1 ¼ cup vegetable oil

2 cups sugar

4 large eggs

3 cups grated carrots

1 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.  Grease and flour a 12-cup tub pan or 9” x 13” baking dish.

Sift together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt.

In a large mixing bowl. Combine the oil and sugar and blend on low speed.  Add half of the dry ingredients and mix well. Alternately add the eggs and remaining dry ingredients. Fold in the carrots and nuts until evenly distributed.

Pour the batter in the prepared pan. Bake for 50-60 minutes. Cool before frosting.

THE ORANGE GLAZE

1 cup confectioner’s sugar

¼ cup cornstarch

½ t. salt

1 cup orange juice

1 t fresh lemon juice

Combine all the ingredients in a mixing bowl and stir until well blended and smooth. Pour the glaze over the top of the cake.

OR~

CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

1 8-ounce package of cream cheese, softened

½ cup butter, softened

3 cups of powdered sugar

2 t. vanilla

Blend the softened cream cheese and butter. Add the confectioner’s sugar and blend until smooth. Add vanilla and blend. Frost cooled cake