It’s One ‘Killer’ of a Carrot Cake

DEAR SOS: I would kill for the recipe for the carrot cake served at the Crocodile Cafe in Pasadena. I thought I had the best recipe, but this one surpasses it. It’s light, chunky and moist--pure ambrosia.

--RAYMONDE

DEAR RAYMONDE: Here’s the recipe. And watch out. It’s a killer, all right: gorgeous, with three layers and plenty of rich frosting.

CROCODILE KILLER CARROT CAKE

4 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

5 eggs

3 cups sugar

2 cups oil

2 teaspoons vanilla

6 cups peeled and finely shredded carrots

2 cups crushed pineapple, drained

3 1/2 to 4 1/2 cups chopped walnuts

Cream Cheese Frosting

Sift together flour, baking powder, soda, salt and cinnamon. Beat eggs, then beat in sugar, oil and vanilla until fluffy. Stir in flour mixture, scraping bowl, then stir in carrots, pineapple and 1 1/2 cups nuts.

Pour into 3 sprayed and floured 9-inch cake pans lined with parchment circles. Bake at 325 degrees 45 minutes or until wood pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool on wire racks.

To frost, set 1 cake layer on serving plate, top-side up. Spread with about 1/4 of Cream Cheese Frosting. Top with second layer, bottom-side up. Spread with 1/2 to 3/4 cup frosting. Top with third layer, bottom-side up. Frost sides and top of cake with remaining frosting. Sprinkle top and sides of cake with remaining 2 to 3 cups nuts. Makes 1 (3 layer, 9-inch) cake.

Cream Cheese Frosting

1 pound cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened

4 to 5 cups powdered sugar, sifted

1 teaspoon vanilla

Cream together cream cheese and butter in large bowl with mixer until light and fluffy. Add powdered sugar small amount at time and beat until well blended. Beat in vanilla.

DEAR SOS: Could you possibly print the recipe for tabbouleh?

--MITZI

DEAR MITZI: How about the tabbouleh salad from L.A. Nicola, an eclectic restaurant in Los Angeles. Tabbouleh, the classic Middle Eastern bulgur wheat and parsley salad, is an ideal picnic dish. You can turn it into a main dish salad by adding cubes of cooked chicken, turkey or even shrimp. That makes the salad a complete meal, containing grain, vegetable and meat.

L.A. NICOLA’S TABBOULEH SALAD

1 1/2 cups finely chopped parsley

4 green onions, chopped

1 large tomato, chopped

6 sprigs mint, chopped

1/4 cup bulgur wheat, soaked in cold water for 1/2 hour

Juice of 2 lemons

1/4 cup oil

Salt

1 lime, cut into wedges

Combine parsley, onions, tomato, mint and bulgur wheat with hands or 2 forks. Add lemon juice, oil and season to taste with salt. Mix well. Garnish with lime wedges. Makes 4 servings.

DEAR SOS: I’ve enjoyed the recipe for lemon velvet for years, but it seems we’ve started the ‘90s out by losing it.

--MRS. C.N.

DEAR MRS. C.N.: We too lost our recipe but found an iced version (a lovely chilled dessert for summer entertaining) in “The Best of Shaker Cooking” by Amy Bess Miller and Persis Fuller (MacMillan, $19.95).

ICED LEMON VELVET

Juice and grated zest of 6 lemons

1/2 cup boiling water

4 cups sugar

1 quart milk

1 quart whipping cream, whipped

Place lemon juice and zest in large mixing bowl. Add water and stir in sugar. Stir until dissolved and cool.

Stir in milk and fold in cream. Freeze until firm.

Turn into mixing bowl and beat until smooth. Serve as cream or return to freezer until hard and serve frozen. Makes 12 servings.

Only recipes of general interest will be printed. We are unable to answer all requests. Include restaurant address when requesting recipes from restaurants. Send letter with self-addressed, stamped envelope to Culinary SOS, Food Section, The Times, Times Mirror Square, Los Angeles, Calif. 90053.