Mom's Best Layer Cakes- 14 Karat Cake

My mom is well known among her family and friends to have a huge “sweet tooth”. Growing up, I’d say seldom did we not have a homemade cake or pie in the house. At family dinners, my mom and all my aunts would prepare some type of homemade dessert, but my mom’s desserts, especially her cakes, were often the most anticipated.

She definitely took baking seriously. She had (and still has) a Frigidaire Flair range with double ovens. It was difficult to find good pictures for free use in creative commons, but you could Google “vintage Frigidaire Flare range” or type it into Flickr. One of the many great things about this stove is that the two glass front ovens, one large and one small, are side-by-side at eye level. She would use both ovens for 3-layer cakes, so that all layers could be on the middle rack. I think the Frigidaire enabled her to turn out truly “pretty” cakes, when others often produced misshapen cakes, with bulging centers. Anyhoo…

One of my many favorites is Mom’s 14 Karat Cake. I’d say it’s especially moist, but all of Mom’s cakes are moist! The 14 Karat Cake is a carrot cake, but sometimes she made it with sweet potatoes. I couldn’t really tell the difference. Both are totally delicious. Enjoy!

2 cups plain flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 ½ teaspoons soda

1 ½ teaspoons salt

2 teaspoons cinnamon

2 cups sugar

1 ½ cups oil

4 eggs

2 cups shredded carrots

1 can crushed pineapple, 8 ½ oz, drained

½ cups chopped nuts

1 can flaked coconut, 3 ½ oz

1- Sift flour, baking soda, salt, baking powder and cinnamon together.

2- Add sugar, eggs and oil to dry ingredients. Combine with mixer.

3- Add remaining ingredients, and mix thoroughly.

4- Pour equal amounts of batter into 3 greased and floured layer cake 9” pans.

5- Bake at 350 degrees for 35 to 40 minutes until done.

½ cup butter at room temperature

1 package cream cheese, 8 oz, room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 lb confectioner’s sugar, sifted

1- With mixer, combine butter, cream cheese, and vanilla.

2- Add sugar gradually. If frosting is too thick add a little milk.

3- Place first layer on a plate. Frost tops and sides. Repeat for second and third layers.