Everyone must have one of these in their recipe collection. Here is my simplified version – it uses jars of baby food instead of shredded carrots and applesauce instead of all that oil. The topping is swirled in, then baked.
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil (canola)
4 oz. applesauce
4 of the 4 oz. jars baby food (OR 2 8 oz. jars)
4 eggs
2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
3 cups flour
2 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. baking powder
Topping:
12 oz. room temperature cream cheese
1 egg
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
3 Tbsp. flour
1-2 tsp. ground cinnamon
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and lightly grease a 9 x 13 pan. Into a large bowl, place the sugar, oil, applesauce, baby food, eggs, lemon juice and vanilla, blending/mixing well. Add all the dry ingredients and blend in well. Pour into the pan then begin making the topping.
Place all the topping ingredients into a bowl and with an electric mixer, cream them all together. Gently place “plops” of this on top of the batter, then sprinkle with some cinnamon then gently swirl it all in. Bake for about 40-50 minutes – you gotta check with a knife inserted near the middle to make sure it’s done – then cool on a rack for about 2 hours, then place in the fridge for at least 2 more hours until you cut and serve.