There are a few recipes that I always know will be good. This is one of them. Southern Living Magazine never disappoints, so when they say this is the Best Carrot Cake, believe them. Now stick with me people, because there are three separate recipes here. The recipe for the Carrot Cake, recipe for Buttermilk Glaze, and recipe for the Cream Cheese frosting. I don’t want you to get to the bottom and realize you don’t have all the ingredients.

I remember as a child my mom trying to perfect the perfect Carrot Cake, and it was always a fail. I never knew why she bothered because it wasn’t chocolate after all! But once I tasted a really good Carrot Cake, I understood the love of them.

Southern Living Best Carrot Cake

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 3 large eggs
• 2 cups sugar
• 3/4 cup vegetable oil
• 3/4 cup buttermilk
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 cups grated carrot
• 1 (8-ounce) can crushed pineapple, drained
• 1 (3  1/2 -ounce) can flaked coconut
• 1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
• Buttermilk Glaze (see below)
• Cream Cheese Frosting (see below)

Line 3 (9-inch) round cake pans with wax paper; lightly grease and flour wax paper. Set pans aside.

Stir together first 4 ingredients.

Beat eggs and next 4 ingredients at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth. Add flour mixture, beating at low speed until blended. Fold in carrot and next 3 ingredients. Pour batter into prepared cake pans.

Bake at 350° for 25 to 30 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Drizzle Buttermilk Glaze evenly over layers; cool in pans on wire racks 15 minutes. Remove from pans, and cool completely on wire racks. Spread Cream Cheese Frosting between layers and on top and sides of cake.

Buttermilk Glaze

• 1 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 1/2 cup butter or margarine
•  1 tablespoon light corn syrup
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Bring first 5 ingredients to a boil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Boil, stirring often, 4 minutes. Remove from heat, and stir in vanilla.

Cream Cheese Frosting 

• 3/4 cup butter or margarine, softened
• 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 1 (3-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 3 cups sifted powdered sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Beat butter and cream cheese at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Add powdered sugar and vanilla; beat until smooth.

This is my current favorite lipstick/gloss/balm/color for my lippies. Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain looks like a chubby crayon, but has the consistency of a lipstick. It has a twist cap, but doesn’t need a sharpener. I get several hours of wear from one application, so I would consider it a lip stain.

My favorite color is Honey, pictured below. It has more of a mauve tint than pink as shown in the picture.

I also have Precious. Very nude, but I really like it. It also is not as brown as this picture.

Right now, they are buy one get one 1/2 off at drugstore.com. Retail is $9. I really love these. Will probably try some darker shades in the winter.

I try not to get too attached to lipsticks because as soon as I fall in love with them, they are discontinued. Don’t you hate that? Luckily there is always something new out there to try. So if you are looking to try something new, or your favorite just got discontinued, try the Revlon Just Bitten.

Nothing cheers up someone faster than a cupcake! For some reason, I have started sending food more than flowers now for friends who don’t live around me, whether it’s for a gift or for a pick me up. If they live by me, I would bake them something myself. Because food says love, people.

Magnoliabakery.com is a great site for any occasion.

And they have lots of products to choose from. Cupcakes, brownies, cookies, oh my!

Gosh I am hungry, how about you?

My dear and darling friend Rhonda made a minky for my dear and darling friend Sally-Gally last year. I visited Sally-Gally and fought over her Minky. So I had Rhonda make me one. I copy people, you know this, right? If you have something, and I see it, then I must have it. I hope all of you feel the same way about these minkies because trust me, you will love yours. It will make you feel so rich and warm and luxurious, like no other throw you can imagine. Soft and cuddly.

This one is mine, and Sally’s. Because I had to have one exactly like hers! Both sides are the minky fabric.

You can pick out any fabric and Rhonda will make the minky for you. So if you have a football/sports fan, or a favorite color, you can customize the minky. Such a great gift to give or keep for yourself.

Look at this fabric! It feels just like mink. You cannot even begin to understand unless you feel it how luxurious it is. And it’s the closest thing to a mink I will ever own! Just imagine having a bad day, and snuggling up with your minky.

And she can do a smaller size for children.  What a great baby gift!

All of the above photos are minkies were sewn by Rhonda. They are very well made and I assure you whether you get one for yourself or to give someone as a gift you will be so thrilled. Actually, if you are thinking of giving one as a gift, I would go ahead and get one for yourself, because once you feel this, you will not want to give it away!

If you are interested in having Rhonda make one for you, please contact her at rhondakstephens@gmail.com. She will customize yours with the exact fabric of your choosing. She will give you a link to pick out your own fabric choices. She can make the smaller size for a child which measures 34 x 56. The adult size measures 70 x 56. The charge for this fabulous minky is $45.00 to $80.00, depending on size, and shipping will be an additional fee.

Hurry! It will be winter soon!