Carrot cake bonanza

Story by Michael Reed
Photography by Jesse Drury/Appeal-Democrat

This past week, staff photographer Jesse Drury and I visited in the home of Betty White, 73, of Yuba City to watch her make a scrumptious carrot cake for the second helping of Your Neighbors' Favorite Recipe.

Betty White is one of the most delightful women I have met in a long time. She opened her home to us and showed us pictures of her family, which included photos of her daughter Jayne White who died July 29, 2003, at the age of 41.

Jayne and her three sisters performed musically together over the years beginning as the White Sisters, releasing four gospel albums and traveling throughout the United States. In the late 1970s and '80s, she and sisters Janice and Barbara sang as Satin Steel before she and Janice became JJ White.

Betty said that this was one of Jayne's favorite recipes.

Betty even played the piano for us and got me to tapping my toes and wanting to break out in song. For those of you who have heard me sing, I kept it under my breath and resisted the urge.

But back to the kitchen. Upon gathering all the ingredients for her carrot cake, Betty began to combine it all together.

While she was shredding the carrots, I asked her why she submitted this recipe.

"I love to make it because it is so easy to make, and my family just loves to eat it," she said.

She also told us that she made her first batch of biscuits at the tender age of 11. She said that her first batch came out very dry and the tops were hard because she worked the dough a little too much. But she was a quick study, as they say, and she has gone on to become an excellent cook. Maybe some day I can return to watch her make one of her famous pies or peach cobblers.

> Betty White's Carrot Cake

Step 1

Shred coarse and set aside steps 1, 2 and 3 in 3 separate bowls

2 cups carrots (do not peel)

11/2 cups chopped walnuts or pecans

Step 2

1 can (151/2 oz.) crushed pineapple, drained

2 cups flaked coconut

Step 3

2 cups flour

2 teaspoons cinnamon

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

> Blend together with mixer:

11/2 cup Wesson oil

2 cups sugar

3 large eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla

Mix well, and then add the flour mixture and blend (step #3) and continue to mix

> Using a large spoon - mix in carrots, nuts, pineapple and coconut (steps 1 and 2)

> Preheat oven to 350 degrees and fold into a 9-inch by 13-inch greased pan and dust pan with sugar. Bake for 50 minutes.

Serve with cream cheese frosting, whipped cream or ice cream

. . .

Next week? Something with shrimp, cheese and tomatoes sounds kind of good to me. Hmmm. Wonder who I can find to make that for us?

Like I said last week, tough job, but I just have to step forward, bite the bullet and taste all this yummy food and take one for the team. After all, I am a team player.

Hope to see you in your neighbor's kitchen.