How to butter up your dentist

Bake him a birthday cake!

I am dentist phobic. Seriously phobic. Except with my dentist. Him, I like. And his staff, omg they are the best!

I've had alot of dental work done in the last few years, way more than anyone would like. So it helps if you like your dentist if they are going to spend alot of time in your mouth. (Okay the nitrous gas helps too.)

During one of those long, long visits, a few of us were talking cakes and baking. I think I had just brought them a baked treat, which is how we got onto the conversation of baking. Somewhere in that, I was jokingly asked to bring in a carrot cake for my dentists birthday (which was 11 months away or so.) I said I would, but I don't think he took me seriously. No one did, until I walked in with a cake for him. (A few days late though, as I was sick for the proper day, and it turns out he was as well.)

Since I've brought in a few home baked treats to the office, expectations are high when I walk in now. Everything I have made has been very well received and highly complimented. So where else would I turn when I wanted to make a "tada!" type of carrot cake than to Dorie? Dorie wouldn't let me down by giving me a recipe for a dry and dull cake, no way would she!

No, instead she gave me a moist, flavorful and huge cake that allowed me to bring in a two layer to the office and still have a layer left at home for my poor, deprived children who never get any baked goods from their mother. (Yes, I know, I can hear you giggling now.) The frosting was creamy and eat-with-a-spoon good, as well as being plentiful.

I only made one small change to this recipe, omitting the nuts from it. I did add a bit more coconut and raisins to compensate, but not so much that I measured. Half a handful maybe.

I am going to make this cake again. My 8 year old has already asked if I will make it again, but make him a full 3 layer, or maybe a 5 layer, version. This cake is so huge that I think he will have to be happy with the 3 layers.

I'm not going to spend the next 10 minutes typing up the recipe for this carrot cake for anyone. It's in Dorie's Baking From My Home to Yours. And if you don't already have a copy, first of all, why the heck not? and second, why not buy a ticket for Menu for Hope and put your ticket in the draw to win an autographed copy of Dorie's book? I live too far away to win the chance to have her deliver it in person, but envy the person who gets to visit with her.

If you happen to live somewhere around me (okay, in Canada anywhere), head on over to The Domestic Goddess and see what we get to purchase our tickets for. Personally, I am liking the looks of the oil and vinegar set.