I adore carrot cake. That’s sufficient reason to get wildly excited about today’s National Carrot Cake Day. But it also compels a trip down memory lane because many of my baking milestones involve carrot cake.
It was the first cake I ever made. I had no idea what I was doing or how the cake would come out. It vastly exceeded my expectations. I’ll always associate carrot cake with rookie success.
It was part of my San Francisco field research last year.
It was a fine excuse to do excessive research for National Carrot Day, too. Since I had limited baking experience then, I was inclined to buy from bakeries and also naively impressed by the simple sight of grated carrots.
It now represents my progress as a home baker. Last year, I defaulted to professional bakery cupcakes to represent the food holiday of the day. With more confidence, experience, and curiosity, I now view the food holidays as a chance to bake at home. This year’s modus operandi is DIY.
Andrea Adleman | Cupcakologist 