Emily Rosenberg

How C-CAP Made a Difference
“If I hadn’t been part of C-CAP, I doubt I would have found my way into the food industry,” says Rosenberg. “C-CAP gave me my career path.”

Emily Rosenberg wanted to be an actress in high school and started with drama as her focus. At home, though, she always enjoyed cooking. So in her junior year—with no thought beyond taking a “fun” course—she added an advanced cooking class to her schedule. Soon Rosenberg was part of the C-CAP program at school.

“By my senior year, I decided I would rather spend my time behind a stove than on a stage under the lights—both are very hot working conditions!” she explains. “And I decided to put all my effort into winning a C-CAP scholarship so I could go to culinary school.” Now the kitchen is her stage—one she shares with C-CAP alumnus Robert Valdovinos—and Rosenberg wins applause for dramatic desserts.

A TASTE OF C-CAP: Emily’s Upside-down Brown Sugar Carrot Cake

Topping

2 c. water
1/2 c. golden raisins
3/4 c. chopped pecans
1/2 c. brown sugar, loosely packed
3 Tbs. butter

Cake

1 c. all-purpose flour
1 c. brown sugar, packed
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. cinnamon, ground
1/4 tsp. nutmeg, ground
1/8 tsp. cloves, ground
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 c. vegetable oil
3 large eggs
3 medium carrots, peeled and finely grated
Vanilla ice cream and caramel sauce

Note: If available, measure brown sugar, flour and carrots using a dry-weight scale: 3 oz. brown sugar for topping and 6 1/2 oz. brown sugar for cake batter; 5 oz. flour; 6 oz. carrots

Preheat oven to 350°. Spray 10-inch cake pan with nonstick cooking spray. Line pan bottom with parchment paper.
Bring water to boil and turn off heat. Add raisins to hot water; set aside for 10 minutes to plump and absorb some liquid.
In small saucepan over low heat, melt butter with 1/2 c. brown sugar. Stir until just melted and combined. Remove from heat and pour immediately into bottom of prepared pan; spread out slightly with spatula. Drain raisins. Sprinkle raisins and chopped pecans evenly over butter-sugar mixture; set aside.
In stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, combine flour, 1 c. brown sugar, baking power and soda, spices and salt. Mix on low speed to combine. Slowly add oil and mix together thoroughly. Add eggs one at a time and fully combine. Increase speed to medium high and beat 2 minutes. Return to low speed and blend in carrots.
Pour batter into pan; spread to cover raisins and pecans. Tap pan on counter to get rid of air bubbles. Bake on middle rack of oven for 50 minutes. Cake is done when skewer or toothpick inserted in middle comes out clean; if batter clings to skewer, continue baking and check again.
Cool cake in pan 10 to 15 minutes, then invert cake on wire rack to cool completely. Chill in refrigerator at least 1 hour. Serve with vanilla ice cream and caramel sauce. Makes 12 servings.

“The morning of
the C-CAP awards
breakfast I was too
nervous to eat.
Afterward Sherry
Yard, pastry chef
at Spago, invited
me and other
scholarship winners
and our parents to
lunch. It was
probably the best
meal I ever had!”

Go to the market
and see what looks
good to you. Then
plan around those
items. Using fresh
local produce can
ramp up a meal.

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Careers through Culinary Arts Program (C-CAP) works with public schools across the nation to prepare high school students for college and career opportunities in the restaurant and hospitality industry. A national nonprofit, C-CAP provides teacher training, scholarships, cooking competitions, job shadows, training and internships, college and career advising, and product and equipment donations.

© Copyright 2008 CCAP.