You're 16 today, Big! ^^

Happy birthday! (^^)

And no, there's nothing much you CAN do at 16 in our country! You are very much a minor, still ^^ And that means I'm still at large.. I mean, in charge ^^! after your parents, of course ^^||

Know (it's the thought that counts ^^) that I would have baked you a dreamy japanese cheesecake today, except I sense "danger" with your papa.. especially after 2 days of "special" pasta. So maybe next week.. sssshhhhhh! when he's not around! (^^)

But what would a birthday be without some cheese.. I mean, cake ^^||.. right? That's why I baked you a healthy carrot cake ^^. To make it that wee-bit special.. I planned to make a teeny-weeny bit of cream cheese frosting.. papa can't possibly object to that, right? ^^ Anyway, we eat such "healthy" (?!) portions these days ^^

Carrot cake (recipe from the ever wonderful quaypocooks, melspantrykitchen and david lebovitz)

3/4 cup (180ml) brown butter (melted from 200g unsalted butter) (I couldn't resist ^^)
3/4 cup (180ml) vegetable oil (to use less next time.. maybe as david's recipe 1/4 cup/60ml?)
4 eggs, beaten till pale and frothy (but not till double in volume)
1 tsp vanilla extract (planned to.. but forgot ^^||)
2 cups (280g) all-purpose flour, sifted
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp salt
2/3 cup (150g) caster sugar
2/3 cup (130g) brown sugar
3 cups (3 medium) finely grated carrots
1/2 cup chopped nuts
1/2 cup raisins

1. Melt butter over MEDIUM heat. Pay attention as the butter's boiling and crackling ~ and continue cooking until it turns clear and golden, and the milk solids have dropped to the bottom of pan. Some butter turns very frothy just before it browns. Swirl the butter in the pan ocassionally. Once you see brown bits at the bottom of pan, remove from heat. It should smell so wonderful! Leave to cool. Strain through a fine metal sieve or cheesecloth-lined strainer.

2. Preheat oven to 180C.

3. In a bowl, mix cooled brown butter, oil, eggs and vanilla extract (I forgot!) till combined.

4. In another bowl, sift flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Add sugars and mix well.

5. Gently fold in dry ingredients into oil and eggs mixture till combined. Mix in grated carrots, nuts and raisins.

6. Pour into baking tin/s and bake for 40-50 minutes or till skewer comes out clean. If using muffin tins, bake around 25 minutes. I managed to bake 2 6-inch round cakes and 6 cupcakes ^^.

Cream cheese frosting
8 oz (250g) cream cheese
60g unsalted butter
1 cup (120g) icing sugar
a drop or two, vanilla extract

Beat cream cheese and butter till light and fluffy. Add icing sugar and beat till smooth. Mix in vanilla extract till incorporated. (Didn't get to this part ^^)

Yes! That's what I planned.. a two-layer 6-inch cake with cream cheese frosting. Man plans, but the day decides ~ one of your aunts bought you carrot cake (which baby pig says has too much cream cheese!) last night! AAAAAARGH! And one of my cakes got stuck in the bottom of the pan, so that leaves me with only a 1-layer cake and cupcakes.. and also the chance to try some cake first ^^.. and IT'S SO OH-WOW! GOOD!!! Gorgeously golden, moist, soft and fluffy.. it doesn't need to hide under any frosting!! This is a cake I'd be proud to present perfectly on its own ^^.. anytime!

Hope you enjoyed the cake and your birthday, big! Always remember you are special! And what ever will be, will be.. Love you lots! (^^)

p.s. at 16, big weighs 72kg and stands at 5'10" (^^) nicely proportioned (with some baby fat here and there), and on the verge of being good looking ~ from a probably biased aunt(with good taste.. buds!)'s point of view ^^