Today would've been my dad's birthday, and there's no sweeter way to celebrate his memory than with his favorite cake. Every year, my mom makes her famous carrot pineapple cake, simply baked in a big sheet pan and slathered with a thick layer of cream cheese frosting. It's unfussy, impossibly moist and the perfect square-shaped snack to hold in your hand with a napkin. In searching for a similar recipe online, I realized how many different takes there are on carrot cake ... it can be with or without pineapple, coconut, raisins and nuts. It can be a towering layer cake or a simple sheet cake, or even a cheesecake or Bundt or bar. Whatever your preference, I think you'll find one you love in our collection of 18 stellar carrot cake recipes. I highly suggest you bake one this weekend to celebrate someone you love (even if it's just yourself!).

XO, 

Kristen

Can't decide which color stand mixer to buy?

I ended up buying mine in matte black (which turns out to be one of the top 9 shades!), but sometimes I wish I'd gotten a creamy pistachio or a matte blue velvet. If you're wondering what other cooks choose, take a look at this state-by-state breakdown of KitchenAid's most popular hues.

These cookware brands know your biggest weakness on Instagram

Have you ever noticed that brands like the Always Pan are everywhere on Instagram? Photo grids show attractive people with enviable lifestyles cooking with ease, not a splatter to be found on the countertop. Before you know it, you find yourself ordering a pot without having a clue how heavy it is, what it feels like in your hand or whether it can go in the oven (FYI, the Always Pan can't!). Read this eye-opening story about all the reasons we're suckers for cookware on Instagram.

And then there's the ugly cookware that chefs can't live without

On the flip side, it turns out that most of the kitchen tools that'll do you the biggest favors are ... not exactly attractive. We got chefs to share their favorites, and we're totally on board with their picks.

Eye on nutrition:

• If You're A Healthy Eater, Is It Possible You Eat TOO Much Fiber?
• 5 Foods That'll Boost Your Energy (And 5 That'll Drain It)
• What To Eat Before And After Your COVID Vaccine To Lessen The Side Effects

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