With Easter now behind us, I’m guessing we could all go for a really good recipe to use up all those yummy carrots the Easter Bunny left behind.  Right?  Well, have I got one for you!

Madame Mommy Dearest’s Carrot Cake

(Cake Instructions)
Ingredients:

2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ginger
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
4 eggs
1 1/2 cups oil
1 tablespoon vanilla
2 – 3 cups shredded carrots
1 cup crushed pineapple, drained
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup toasted coconut
1/2 cup golden raisins

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350.
Grease and flour two 9-inch, three 8-inch, or one 12-cup tube pan. Line the bottoms of the circular pans with circles of parchment paper.
In large mixing bowl, combine dry ingredients.
Add eggs, oil, & vanilla; beat until combined.
Stir in carrots, pineapple, nuts, coconut, & raisins.
Pour batter into prepared pan(s).
Bake 35 to 40 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
Cool on wire rack for 10 minutes. (Run knife around circular cakes to loosen.)
Invert cake(s) onto wire rack and allow to cool completely.

(Frosting Instructions)
Ingredients:

8 oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
1 1/2 teaspoons grated orange peel
3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon orange juice (or vanilla)

Directions:

Combine all ingredients in bowl.
Beat at medium speed until well blended.
Frost cooled cake. Sprinkle with finely chopped nuts &/or toasted coconut.

(Note: You can also turn this recipe into “Hummingbird Cake” by substituting the carrots with bananas.  )

These delicious recipes are of course all leading up to the fabulous release of my June Harlequin Desire HER LITTLE SECRET, HIS HIDDEN HEIR.  I hope you’re as excited about Marc & Vanessa’s story as I am, & have maybe—hopefully?—already pre-ordered your copy. :cupcake

I want to know if you’re trying any of these for yourself, too!  Let me know if you’ve tested one—or all!—of these recipes & what you think of them. :gingerbread

And there are more to come!  But remember, I saved the very best (in my not-so-humble opinion, anyway  :eyelashes ) Sweet Spot recipe to put in the actual book.  So you’ll have to buy HIDDEN HEIR to get your hands on that one. :mwah

If you’d like to collect even more great recipes, or maybe share a few of your own, be sure to sign up for my HappyBookers YahooGroup. We’re doing a bit of a recipe swap over there, as well, in preparation for the release of HER LITTLE SECRET, HIS HIDDEN HEIR. :flip

It’s time again to vote for the Hunk of the Month who will grace the Dungeon sidebar throughout the entire month of May.

I know it’s not easy, but please pick only ONE of these delectable hotties as your favorite & vote below.

Ride me, cowboy!

Take me, Tarzan!

Is it hot in this desert, or is it just you?

Why, yes, they are Bugle Boy jeans.

Pop Quiz:  How many of you have noticed some of the subtle changes taking place around here lately?  Updates to both The Dungeon & the main HeidiBetts.com pages.

What you may or may not have noticed from those updates is that I’ve got new artwork! Here is the gorgeous new cover of my October 2011 Kensington Brava title, MUST LOVE VAMPIRES:

So what do you think?

I have to admit, I’m a little disappointed the guy doesn’t look like he’s biting the girl’s neck more.  And my heroes (yes, this is a 2-in-1, so there are two :howyoudoin ) definitely do not have buzz cuts.  But those are small complaints compared to the utter hotness of the cover overall. :sexy

I’ve got back cover copy, too:

LOVE AT FIRST BITE

Nightclub dancer Chloe Lamoureaux just met the man of her dreams: Aidan Raines is charming, considerate, rich, and hot. Of course, he’s a little mysterious about his age. And his favorite drink. And he’s not much for sunlight. But he’s asked her to marry him, and she’s ready to do it. Sure, she has a few secrets too—but they’ll have plenty of time to work things out while they’re living happily ever after. Right?

Her identical twin sister, Chuck, isn’t so sure. Maybe reporting for the local Bigfoot-sighting tabloid doesn’t make her an expert, but to Chuck, Aidan and his brother Sebastian look like honest-to-Dracula vampires. Especially Sebastian: beguiling, seductive, and just a hint of dangerous. Maybe she wouldn’t mind him taking a little taste. But with Chloe’s life in the balance, she has to know—do they want hot love or hot blood? Or maybe…a little of both?

Can you say awe-some?  I’m starting to get really excited about this one!  Hope you are, too! :howyoudoin

And now that the cover has been revealed, it means MUST LOVE VAMPIRES is also available for pre-order!  So if you want your copy as soon as humanly—or inhumanly :eggcrack —possible, be sure to order today:

Pre-Order at Amazon.com

Pre-Order at BN.com

Pre-Order at Book Depository

(The Book Depository offers free shipping worldwide, by the way.  :chick )

Soon, I should also have cover flats to share.  And bookmarks would not be out of the question, either, so stay tuned! :jump

P.S. I’m also doing the Big Reveal of my MUST LOVE VAMPIRES cover over at the Brava Authors blog today.  I hope you’ll drop by to show your support—believe me, I need it LOL.  Just…pretend you’re seeing the cover for the very first time, okay? he he  :bw