LindaC has a good recipe, lots of people here like it. Some people use the cake recipe and skip the buttermilk glaze. I haven't used this recipe, but it gets rave reviews: Carrot Cake - Lindac 3 eggs 3/4 cups vegetable oil 3/4 cups buttermilk 2 cups sugar 2 tsp vanilla 2 cups flour 2 tsp Baking Soda 3/4 tsp salt 2 tsp cinnamon 1 8 oz can crushed pineapple, drained 2 cups grated carrots 1/2 cup raisins chopped with 1 TBSP of flour Buttermilk glaze 1/2 cup sugar 1/4 tsp baking soda 1/4 cup buttermilk 1/4 cup butter 1 TBSP light corn syrup 1 tsp vanilla Orange Cream Cheese Frosting 1/2 cup softened butter 4 oz softened cream cheese 1 tsp vanilla 3 cups powdered sugar 1 tsp orange juice 1 tsp grated orange rind Preheat oven to 350 With a mixer Beat eggs, add oil and buttermilk, sugar and vanilla. beat to combine. Stir together flour, salt, cinnamon and baking soda and stir into batter. stir in pineapple, carrots and raisins. Pour into a greased 8 by 13 pan or 2 greased round 9 inch cake pans. Bake 35 to 45 minutes until set in the middle. Remove from the oven and immediatly spread with the buttermilk glaze. Cool completely and frost with the cream cheese frosting. Buttermilk glaze: In a medium sauce pan ( don't use a small pan) combine all ingredients but vanilla. Bring to a boil and cook 3 minutes stirring often...it will bubble a lot. It should be a light caramel color, stir in vanilla and pour over the cake Cream cheese frosting: Beat cream cheese and butter until light add vanilla powdered sugar and juice and rind...beat until smooth and frost the cooled cake. Annie

I don't often come here, I mostly hang out of the Cooking forum....but stopped in and saw the request. this recipe came from a cookbook that is out of print, called "J.T's Cuisine"....and it is the best I have ever had. Carrot cake Julie T�s 3 eggs 3/4 cup vegetable oil 3/4 cup buttermilk 2 cups sugar 2 teaspoons vanilla 2 cups flour 2 teaspoons baking soda 3/4 teaspoon salt 2 tsps cinnamon 1 8 oz can crushed pineapple, drained 2 cups grated carrots 1/2 cup raisins chopped with 1 Tablespoon of flour Buttermilk glaze 1/2 cup sugar 1/4 tsp baking soda 1/4 cup buttermilk 1/4 cup butter 1 Tblsp light corn syrup 1 tsp vanilla Orange Cream Cheese Frosting 1/2 cup softened butter 4 oz softened cream cheese 1 tsp vanilla 3 cups powdered sugar 1 tsp orange juice 1 tsp grated orange rind Preheat oven to 350 With a mixer Beat eggs, add oil and buttermilk, sugar and vanilla. beat to combine. Stir together flour, salt, cinnamon and baking soda and stir into batter. stir in pineapple, carrots and raisins. Pour into a greased 8 by 13 pan or 2 greased round 9 inch cake pans. Bake 35 to 45 minutes until set in the middle. Remove from the oven and immediately spread with the buttermilk glaze. Cool completely and frost with the cream cheese frosting. Buttermilk glaze: In a medium sauce pan ( don't use a small pan) combine all ingredients but vanilla. Bring to a boil and cook 3 minutes stirring often...it will bubble a lot. It should be a light caramel color, stir in vanilla and pour over the cake Cream cheese frosting: Beat cream cheese and butter until light add vanilla powd. sugar and juice and rind...beat until smooth and frost the cooled cake

WatchMeLOL, my husband was born in New York and lived there until he was about 9. Cheesecake -- true, authentic, New York cheesecake -- is his absolute most favorite dessert. He hates cheesecakes that on menus are listed as "New York Style" because, he says, if it is true New York cheesecake it will say "New York cheesecake" and not "New York Style cheesecake." To him, "New York Style Cheesecake" means "sort of in the fashion of New York cheesecake, but not quite the real thing." Back in the mid-1980s when we were living in Lake Forest (in Orange County), California, I read an article in the local newspaper about these two guys and their families who had moved to California from New York. They were big cheesecake fans, but decried the "New York Style" cheesecake that is everywhere in California. So, they opened up their own place and name it "New York Cheesecakes" where they made authentic New York cheesecakes. At the time I read the article, Hubs and I were planning our wedding (which was held in May 1986). You guessed it. Our wedding cake was from New York Cheesecakes.

An update on my chocolate cake and chocolate frosting. I used the Ghiradelli Double chocolate cake mix and the same brand for the icing. I added an extra egg, butter instead of oil and milk instead of water. Thanks Tina and Mtn! The cake turned out amazing and my friend loved it. I actually thought it was delicious as well (given I am not a big fan of chocolate). I have never made chocolate frosting before. I used loads of butter, half and half, cocoa powder and confectioner's sugar and vanilla extract. It turned out perfectly. My friend loved the cake and took it home. I would share a photo but it wasn't a pretty cake. I did a bit of decorating in the limited time I had (and I live in a small apartment) and made her wear this banner which she loved. We drank champagne and played some silly games and we had a blast. It is so wonderful when you and your best friend get together and it feels like you had a huge party! Thanks so much for everyone's input!