banana carrot cake with cream cheese frosting

Sometimes {like errrytime} I sit down to write a post, I blank out completely and my post turns into a bunch of random, all over the place, blurbs of the weirdness that is my brain. I then twirl into thoughts of self-doubt. Like why the heck am I a blogger? I may have a freakish love affair with food, but I can't write for the love of all things holy. Isn't that what bloggers, uhh… Do? So here I am, yet again with a lack of words. Sometimes I think out beforehand what I'm going to write in a post, but the second my fingers hit the keys, "Phewwww." Those witty words leave me and I'm left with nothing. Right now is one of those times. I'm trying to think of things to TELL YOU. Still nothing. 

So I made cake. It calms me and makes me feel better inside. Gives me something to do with my hands. And later gives me something to do with my legs 'cuz cake is pretty much the reason I started running. It's no doubt, baking is my therapy. I go into the kitchen and I typically crank up my music, nearly blowing the speakers as I combine ingredients in a fruit bowl with a table fork. But when I made this cake, I decided I needed nothing but peace, quiet, and cake. Nothing to listen to. Just time to think about what I was doing, slowly adding flour to the batter, sprinkling in a dash or ten of cinnamon, and enjoying every swish of the whisk.

I'm really craving fall-ish, homey foods despite the 80 degree weather we've got going on in our neck of the woods. Carrot cake is considered homey right? I think it is. It's one of my ultimate comfort foods for me and brings back memories of when I was little, sitting in a corner booth at Baker's Square with my grandma, enjoying a slice of the fluffy cake and sweet, creamy frosting with the little piped carrot on top. Although I haven't tasted that cake in years, this one turned out kinda similar which surprised me but made me happy nonetheless. It's really dense, yet fluffy and I hate to say it, but I made it semi-healthy-ish. I used wholewheat flour, yogurt, and banana. But what it lacks in buttery, calorie-loaded richness, it makes up for with the frosting. YOU GUYS. I may or may not have eaten it with a spoon. The fact that it made a really large bowl of frosting, enough to have leftovers, didn't help the situation either. Knowing there's a little plastic container or this frosting in the fridge is a little bit frightening. But I guess if that's actually a problem, my life could be worse.

banana carrot cake with cream cheese frosting

cake:

1/2 c. mashed banana

1/3 c. shredded carrot

2 eggs

1/2 c. plain yogurt

1/4 c. granulated sugar

3/4 c. dark brown sugar

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 tsp. cinnamon

2 tsp. baking powder

1 1/2 c. whole wheat flour

frosting:

3/4 c. plain cream cheese

1 tsp. vanilla extract

4 c. powdered sugar

1/4 c. milk

2 tbsp. butter, melted

Preheat oven to 375ºF. Grease a round cake pan; set aside. In a large bowl, combine banana, shredded carrot, eggs, and yogurt. Whisk in sugars and vanilla until thick and creamy. Add flour, cinnamon, and baking powder and stir until just combined. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake for 35-45 minutes or until golden brown. While cake is cooling, prepare frosting, adding more milk or powdered sugar as needed. Once cake is completely cooled, spread frosting evenly on top. Store refrigerated in an airtight container or wrapped in tin foil.