LET'S COOK: Yummy pancakes and orange syrup for breakfast

This week, I teach you how to make the world’s sweetest carrot cake, as well as how to make yummy pancakes.

A) THE ULTIMATE CARROT CAKE

Ingredients

 1 1/2 cups chopped pecans. You can substitute these with roasted cashew nuts or walnuts.

 1 tablespoon butter, melted

 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt

 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

 2 teaspoons baking soda

 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

 1/2 teaspoon table salt

 1/2 cup butter, softened

 1 cup granulated sugar

 1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

 1/2 cup canola oil

 3 large eggs

 3/4 cup buttermilk

 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

 3 cups grated carrot

 1 cup peeled and grated Granny Smith apple

 1 cup sweetened flaked coconut

 Candied carrot curls

 Brown sugar-cream cheese frosting

Preparation

 Preheat oven to 350°.

 Toss together first 3 ingredients; spread in a single layer in a foil-lined pan. Bake for 10 minutes or until toasted, stirring once.

 Stir together flour and next 4 ingredients.

 Beat butter and both sugars at medium speed with an electric mixer until blended.

 Add oil; beat until blended.

 Add eggs, one at a time and beat

 Add flour mixture to butter mixture  Stir in vanilla; fold in carrots, next 2 ingredients, and 1 cup toasted pecans.

 Spoon batter into 3 greased (with shortening) and floured 9-inch round cake pans.

 Bake at 350° for 23 to 28 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted in centre comes out clean.

 Cool pans on wire racks for 15 minutes before overturning cakes.

 Spread brown sugar-cream cheese frosting between layers and on top and sides of cake.

 Top with candied carrot curls and remaining toasted pecans.

B) WHOLE-WHEAT, BUTTERMILK, AND ORANGE PANCAKES

Ingredients

 2 tablespoons butter, softened

 1/4 teaspoon grated orange rind

 3/4 teaspoon fresh orange juice

3/4 cup white whole-wheat flour

3/4 cup whole all-purpose flour

 2 tablespoons sugar

 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

 3/8 teaspoon salt

 1 1/2 cups low-fat buttermilk

 1/4 cup fresh orange juice

 1 tablespoon canola oil

 1 large egg

 1 large egg white

 Cooking spray

 3/4 cup maple syrup

PREPARATION

 Mix first 3 ingredients.

 Weigh or lightly spoon flours into dry measuring cup and level with a knife.

 Mix flours and next 4 ingredients in a medium bowl, stirring with a whisk.

 Mix buttermilk, 1/4 cup juice, oil, and 1 egg in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk.

 Add buttermilk mixture to flour mixture, stirring just until moist; let stand for 15 minutes.

 Place egg white in a medium bowl; beat with a whisk until medium peaks form.

 Gently fold egg white into batter.

 Preheat a griddle or your heavy pan to medium heat. Coat pan with cooking spray.

 Spoon 1/4 cup batter per pancake onto griddle. Cook 3 minutes or until edges begin to bubble and bottom is browned. Turn pancakes over; cook 3 minutes or until done.

 Serve with butter and orange syrup.

KITCHEN TIP

One more use for shower caps

Do not limit them to just the bathroom. Cover leftovers with a shower cap specifically bought for kitchen use to keep bugs and dust from getting into food. They’re reusable and a lot easier to use than plastic wrap or tin foil.