Olivia Frescura

los angeles beauty & lifestyle blog

Carrot Cake with Vanilla Bean Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe

Today I’m showing you a new favorite crowd-pleasing cake recipe…carrot cake with cream cheese frosting! I bake a ton for work and I really didn’t expect everyone to like this cake as much as they did. Who would have thought? This cake is super moist thanks to the added applesauce, and the frosting is so delicious, flecked with vanilla bean specs which would make the most amazing topping on a cinnamon roll!

Carrot Cake with Vanilla Bean Cream Cheese Frosting

For Carrot Cake

  • 2 cups Walnuts (chopped)
  • 1 1/2 cups Brown Sugar (packed)
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 cup vegetable oil
  • 4 eggs (large)
  • 3/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 tsp ground ginger
  • 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 1/4 tsp ground cloves
  • 2 cups carrots (grated (about 4-6))

For Vanilla Bean Cream Cheese Frosting

  • 16 ounces cream cheese (softened)
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter (softened)
  • 4 1/2 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 tbsp milk
  • 1/2 tbsp vanilla bean paste
  • 1 pinch salt

For Carrot Cake

  1. Preheat oven to 300°F and spread chopped walnuts onto a lined baking sheet. Toast for 7-8 minutes and let cool.

  2. Turn oven up to 350°F. Line and grease 3 9-inch cake pans with cooking spray and parchment paper.

  3. Whisk both sugars, oil, eggs, applesauce, and vanilla in a large bowl until combined. In another bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves together. Pour wet ingredients into the dry and fold together until combined with a rubber spatula. Fold in carrots and 1 cup of walnuts (leaving the other cup for garnish).

  4. Evenly spoon batter into cake pans. If using 3 cake pans, bake for 20-24 minutes, if only using two cake pans, bake for 30-35 minutes. Cake is done when toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Let cakes cool on wire rack before frosting and assembling.

For Cream Cheese Frosting

  1. In a stand mixer with a whisk or paddle attachment, beat cream cheese and butter together on medium-high speed until smooth, about 2 minutes.

  2. Add in powdered sugar, milk, vanilla extract, and salt and beat on low for 30 seconds, then increase to high speed and mix until combined and creamy, about 3 minutes. 

  3. When cakes are cool, frost and assemble as you please!

Bake With Me: Orange Funfetti Layer Cake Recipe For My Birthday | Video

My birthday was a few weeks back, and I hosted my first *real* party, so, since I always bake, I decided to make myself my own birthday cake. After all— who knows me better than me?

I wanted to make a sheet cake so it’d be easier to serve in a crowded bar, where I had my party. I wanted a simple confetti with American buttercream, because I made the same type of cake a few months back and was happy with the result— birthdays aren’t the time for baking experiments!

 

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I thought I’d vlog the process of how I made this cake— it’s a long one…but this is one hefty cake. Watch the video below to see the entire process (including all of my fun mistakes) and keep reading for the recipe!

 

I can’t take full credit for this recipe, it is made and adapted for the 4 layer sheet cake size from Chelsweets Vanilla Cake & Funfetti Cake Recipe! You can also find a lot of my baking equipment on my Amazon Kitchen List. I decorated with Fancy Sprinkles— get 10% off your order through the link.

Funfetti Layer Cake with Vanilla American Buttercream

Vanilla Almond Funfetti Cake

  • 6 1/2 cup All Purpose Flour (780 grams)
  • 6 cup Granulated Sugar (1200 grams)
  • 5 tsp Baking Powder (20 grams)
  • 2 tsp Salt (12 grams)
  • 2 cup Unsalted Butter (room temperature (4 sticks, 452 grams))
  • 4 tsp Vanilla Extract (16 grams)
  • 3 tsp Almond Extract (12 grams)
  • 2 cup Egg Whites From Carton (470 grams)
  • 3 cup Buttermilk (690 grams)
  • 1/4 cup Vegetable Oil (56 grams)
  • 3/4 cup Sprinkles (Jimmies)
  • Gel Food Coloring

Vanilla American Buttercream Frosting

  • 3 cup Unsalted Butter (room temperature (6 sticks, 678 grams))
  • 12 cup Powdered Sugar (1500 grams)
  • 1 tsp Salt (6 grams)
  • 1/3 cup Heavy Cream (75 grams)
  • 1 1/2 tbsp Clear Extract (Vanilla or Almond) (18 grams)

Drip Ganache For Decorating

  • 1 package Wilton Candy Melts
  • 1/2 cup Heavy Cream
  • Gel Food Coloring

Vanilla Cake

  1. Preheat oven to 350℉. Line four 9×13 inch cake pans with parchment and grease with cooking spray.

  2. Mix together dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt) in a stand mixer with a paddle attachment until combined.

  3. Mix tablespoon chunks of room temperature butter slowly into the dry mix on low speed. Mix until no large chunks of butter remain and mixture is crumbly.

  4. Pour in egg whites and mix on low until incorporated. Mix in buttermilk in two installments on low speed.

  5. Add in extracts and oil and mix on low until fully incorporated. Scrape down side of the bowl with a spatula and then beat on low for 15 seconds until everything is combined but not overmixed.

  6. Add in gel food coloring or 3/4 cup of sprinkles. I did 2 of my layers with food coloring and the other two with sprinkles for a fun variation! Mix both by hand with a rubber spatula.

  7. Divide batter evenly between the cake pans (about 950 grams per pan).

  8. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Allow pans to cool for 10 minutes before removing onto cooling rack. Place cake layers into fridge or freezer to accelerate cooling.

  9. Use a serrated knife to level the tops and frost as desired.

Vanilla American Buttercream

  1. While cake is cooling, make the vanilla buttercream frosting.

  2. Beat butter on medium speed for 30 seconds with paddle attachment. Slowly add in powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time. Alternate with small splashes of cream.

  3. Once fully mixed, add in extract and salt and beat on low until fully incorporated and desired consistency is reached.

  4. If frosting is too thick, add in additional cream 1 teaspoon at a time. If it’s too thin, add in more powdered sugar by the 1/4 cup.

  5. Add in gel food coloring and beat on low until it reaches desired color.

Drip Ganache

  1. Heat cream in microwave for 1 minute.

  2. Stir in candy melts until fully melted.

  3. Add in food coloring and stir until combined. 

  4. Pour in to squeeze bottle to cool off before piping drips on cake.

To Assemble Cake

  1. Stack and frost cake layers on cake board using a dap of frosting to stick first layer to the board.

  2. Add an even layer of buttercream between each layer.

  3. Apply a thin crumb coat of frosting around the cake to fully cover layers. Smooth using a bench scraper, then chill in fridge for 20 minutes.

  4. Add a thicker layer of frosting and smooth. Decorate as desired with colored buttercream, sprinkles, and ganache drips.

Tokyo Travel Guide 2019 | Video

If you don’t follow me on instagram, you may not know that I was in Japan this past week! My dad had a business trip and my sister Bella and I were able to join him! Despite having just a few short days there, we managed to jam-pack a lot of stuff in 3 days. If you’re looking to visit, keep on reading (and watching) to see what to do there in 2019. We did not have nearly enough time to venture out to other cities with a trip this short, and honestly, I think 3 days was not even enough time for Tokyo itself! But hey, I’ll take what I can get. Don’t forget to watch the vlog Bella and I did below to see everything in action!

Day 1

We flew into Haneda airport- you can take the train from the airport which is very useful. The way to the hotel we took a cab, but it wound up costing around $50, when a train ticket was about $5 per person. Screenshot that google maps route to your hotel before you take off to prevent any stress when you arrive! We stayed at the Shinagawa Prince Hotel, which we didn’t have any say about since it was my dad’s trip. I didn’t mind the hotel, but I wouldn’t stay in that area if I were you, as I didn’t find that there was much to do there. The closer you are to places you want to go, the less travel time you need! The Prince Hotel is a chain, so you can find multiple locations all over the city.

We arrived in the afternoon, so by the time we got ready at the hotel it was dinner time. We stopped by Jiromaru Yakiniku, a standing Japanese BBQ restaurant that fits maybe 8-10 people. This was on my list due to my friend Thu’s recommendation from her Tokyo blogs and it didn’t disappoint. The menu is fully Japanese, so our server Yoichi picked a bunch of beef cuts for us to grill on our personal grill. The wagyu was AMAZING. It’s like Korean Barbecue on crack. If we were staying longer I’d have gone back for sure. Afterwards, we just walked around the restaurant neighborhood, Shinjuku. I loved Shinjuku- it’s such a cool area and there’s a ton to see on every corner. We checked out some of the conbini (convenience stores)- 7-Eleven, Lawson, and Family Mart. We walked past the Robot Restaurant, but decided not to go because I didn’t want to spend $80 on a ticket. For dessert, we sipped on some boba from Pearl Lady, which was nothing special- we have so much better in LA. My sister played some games at the gaming center which are sprinkled all over the city, and then we ended the night early so we could get an early start for our first full day in Japan!

Day 2

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We woke up and grabbed a quick hotel breakfast before heading to Shibuya and Harajuku. We started the day at the Meiji Jingu Shrine, which was absolutely stunning with the famous sake barrels. Walking to the shrine through a path of trees was like being in a rainforest- which made sense because it was actually raining too. I liked the purification ritual at the water fountain a lot. We got our poem fortunes and I got my lucky #6 which was fun.

 

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Afterwards, we headed to Harajuku. We grabbed some sweets at Strawberry Mania (that custard daifuku is insane) and then did some shopping at Stylenanda, WEGO, and B Side Label. As if we didn’t have enough dessert (the limit does not exist in my book), we grabbed another super cute soft serve at Eddy’s Ice Cream before heading to Shibuya. After more shopping at Loft (probably my favorite store to shop- they have everything from beauty to souvenirs to stationery and more!), we grabbed some Gyoza at a shop called Harajuku Gyoza Lou. The gyoza was amazing and so affordable. Under $10 for 2 people! We capped off the afternoon in Shibuya by hitting up the famous crossing and Hachikō memorial statue.

 

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After a quick breather at the hotel, we visited the Pokémon Center Tokyo DX, which was cool but not a must-see unless you’re a big Pokémon fan and want to buy some merch. By the time we were done there it was time for a late dinner. We headed back to Shibuya to try Gyukatsu Motomura, which does beef katsu that you finish cooking yourself on a little hot stone. The beef melts in your mouth- it’s so good and such a reasonable price.

Naturally, I had to visit a few bars. I checked out Shibuya’s Golden Gai and visited Albatross. Afterwards I realized I was at their sister bar and not the OG, but it was still a super fun experience. The bar is tiny, seats maybe 5 people at the main bar max. Bars in Tokyo have covers since they’re so small- but they’ll usually also give you a little snack while you drink which is fun.

 

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After that, I walked to Ben Fiddich, which was a bit more of a fancier experience- there is no menu, it’s entirely bartender’s choice. I had a drink made with Japanese Whisky, Gin, and Blackberry. The attention to detail from this bartender was insane, like an art. He wiped off the mouth of each bottle after using it, and they taste drinks before serving by putting a bit of it on their hand with a bar spoon instead of using a straw. By the time I finished my drink, I was exhausted- it was nearly midnight and I’d been awake since 5:45!

Day 3

I was laying in bed in the morning and got to feel an earthquake- so crazy! My sister slept through it, but once she woke up we headed out for the day. We visited the Tsukiji Fish Market and got some delicious daifuku at Soratsuki for breakfast- the custard one from yesterday was still my favorite. We got some more substantial food at Lawson- my sister got an Onigiri and I grabbed an Egg Salad sandwich. If the convenience stores in the USA were anything like this I’d probably be saving a lot more money on lunch. So tasty.

 

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We headed to Asakusa and visited the Sensoji Temple, which was breathtaking with the 5-story pagoda. There is a row of shops as you walk to the temple which worked well for snacks and souvenirs. We visited two shrines (Hie and Nezu) that both have those famous red-orange torii gates which symbolize vitality and protection from evil. You bet those were my fave photo op! Hie was my favorite. After Nezu, we were hungry but I didn’t have anything bookmarked nearby, so I did some googling and found Takajō, a shop that makes their own hand cut soba noodles. It was a restaurant where you had to take your shoes off and sit on the floor, which was cool to experience.

 

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Then we stopped by Ippodo to buy some matcha. I don’t like matcha, but my sister does, so I got her a nice set since she couldn’t join us. Then, we headed to Kit Kat Chocolatory to buy some bougie Kit Kats. It was so bougie they even pack your purchases in an insulated bag with an ice pack so they don’t melt!From there, we checked out Tokyo Tower and Zojoji Temple and did some shopping before meeting my dad and his coworkers for dinner.

They took us to Tsukada Farm, close to our hotel in Shinagawa. At this place we tried their specialty, chicken served raw in the middle. I figured it was worth a try once, but I definitely wouldn’t try it again, even though it wasn’t nearly as bad as I thought it’d be.

Day 4

Our last day we didn’t get to do too much unfortunately, so we really just did the hotel breakfast and did some souvenir snack shopping. Taking the train to the airport was super easy- make sure to return your Pasmo card at the desk because you get a refund! We wanted to get to the airport early to shop, but there honestly wasn’t a ton of options at Haneda Airport. We did pick up some Tokyo Banana, some more Kit Kats, and I snagged a bottle of Japanese Whisky, so it wasn’t too bad. Unfortunately, food was kinda scarce too, so I’d recommend eating beforehand because the food we did have (Udon) wasn’t amazing. Overall it was an amazing whirlwind trip- I can’t wait to hopefully go back and get to explore Tokyo more and venture out to other cities!

Check out this handy Google Map below, featuring everywhere I went, plus, the places I wanted to go to but missed out on! I hope it helps you plan your trip to Tokyo!

Churro Rice Krispies Treats With Homemade Cinnamon Marshmallows Recipe

Churro Rice Krispy Treat

Rice Krispies Treats have always been one of my favorite desserts to make (and eat) because they’re so easy and so good. So, I decided to add my own twist, and do something I’ve always wanted to do, which is make them with homemade marshmallows! This is my 3rd time making homemade marshmallows, and they are surprisingly easy! They taste amazing toasted as well…just saying.

Churro Rice Krispies Treats

Cinnamon Sugar Flavored Rice Krispies Treats made with homemade cinnamon marshmallows.

For Marshmallows

  • 3 packets unflavored gelatin
  • 1 cup ice water (divided in halves)
  • 12 ounces granulated sugar
  • 1 cup light corn syrup
  • 1/4 tsp kosher salt
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 cup powdered sugar
  • 1/4 cup corn starch
  • nonstick cooking spray

For Rice Krispies

  • 4 1/2 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 15 ounces Cinnamon Marshmallows
  • 1 box Rice Krispies cereal
  • ground cinnamon (to garnish)
  • sugar in the raw (to garnish)

To make Cinnamon Marshmallows

  1. Combine 1/2 cup ice water, granulated sugar, salt, and corn syrup in small saucepan. Cover with lid and heat for 3-4 minutes.

  2. Add remaining ice water and gelatin to separate mixing bowl.

  3. Uncover pot and clip on candy thermometer and cook for 7-8 more minutes until it reaches 240℉. Immediately remove from heat.

  4. Use whisk attachment & begin whisking while gradually pouring hot syrup into gelatin mixture on low speed. 

  5. Once syrup is added, increase the speed to high and mix for 10-15 minutes. 

  6. Add vanilla and cinnamon right before you’re finished mixing.

  7. While it’s whipping, mix powdered sugar and cornstarch in a bowl. Coat pan with nonstick spray and starch/sugar mixture.

  8. Once the marshmallow is done, pour into pan & spread out with nonstick spray coated spatula.

  9. Top the marshmallows with remaining sugar/starch mixture to prevent sticking & let set overnight. Cut into desired shapes, and press cut edges into sugar/starch so they are no longer sticky.

To Make Rice Krispies

  1. Melt butter over low heat in a large pot.

  2. Add cinnamon marshmallows and melt completely.

  3. Add Rice Krispies cereal and mix to combine.

  4. Pour into non-stick cooking spray prepared pan (9x13in)

  5. Top with raw sugar and cinnamon mixture to garnish and let set for 1 hour before cutting. 

These are such a crowd pleaser because they make something basic better. I had so many people taste test these and they all loved them. Try these next time you’re craving something sweet!

Instant Pot Steel Cut Oats Recipe & My Favorite Toppings

Since transitioning my diet a month ago, I’ve gotten into the routine of eating the same things over and over again. One of those things is oatmeal for breakfast! I honestly never knew I liked oatmeal until now (yes, I’m a super picky eater), so knowing that I not only like them but can easily make them in my Instant Pot is huge for me!

This recipe is solely for the plain oats- I like to add all customizations in the end while reheating, just because I think the oats keep best while plain. Once I’m ready to heat up my small 1/3 cup portions, then I get to customizing.  But first, let’s learn how to make the oats…

Instant Pot Steel Cut Oats

Easy Instant Pot Oatmeal perfect for meal prepping! 

  • 1 Cups Steel Cut Oats
  • 2 Cups Filtered Water

  1. Add oats and water to Instant Pot. Cover with lid and ensure valve is sealed.

  2. Press the “Pressure Cook” button and set the timer for 4 minutes to cook on high pressure.

  3. After the 4 minutes is done, let it naturally release for 20 minutes. The pot switches to “Keep Warm” when complete and will show the elapsed time, so no need to set any other timers! 

  4. Turn the vent on the lid to de-pressurize, then remove the lid and give your oats a good stir to combine. They’ll be thick! If you want a thinner oatmeal, add an extra cup of water before you cook.

  5. Serve warm & combine with your milk & toppings of choice! Leftovers will last about 1 week.

As for my favorite mix ins & toppings, I stay pretty basic with it. When I find something I like, I stick with it! If it ain’t broke…

For milk, I use Good Karma’s Flax Milk because it’s my favorite non-dairy milk. For my 1/3 cup of oats I’ll add up to 1/4 cup of milk to it before heating it up so it can get a bit more porridge-y.

To sweeten, I use Splenda or Honey. Since I’m dieting I mostly use Splenda since it’s 0 calories, but Honey is a fun one to add when you have peanut butter or bananas in there.

I love cinnamon in oatmeal too. I want to try to make an apple cinnamon & raisin oatmeal soon!

Fresh fruit is also a great addition- I typically use a small banana but I’ve also used berries like strawberries, blueberries, and blackberries. I’ve even made a quick blueberry compote to put on top of my oats and that turned out amazing.

Some superfood additions include chia seeds & goji berries. They’re things I already have had on hand, so while I don’t put them in every day, they’re a fun topping for my weekend breakfasts.

Additionally, you can top your oats with your favorite nuts or seeds. I haven’t gone too deep into this because I have to be careful with how much fat I intake from food- including nuts!

The recipe for the oatmeal I have pictured is as follows…

  • 1/3 cup pre-cooked oats
  • 1/4 cup flax milk
  • 1 Splenda packet
  • 1 small banana
  • 1 tsp honey
  • a couple of goji berries
  • pinch of chia seeds
  • a few dashes of cinnamon

The whole breakfast is only around 200 calories! Oatmeal has a lot of benefits because it’s a high fiber food, is a “good” carb, and also has a lot of iron to fulfill your daily nutritional needs.

Let me know if you try it…you may be surprised by how much you like it, because I definitely was!!