April Fools "Carrot Cake" Meatloaf

It’s April Fools Day!  This is one of my favorite foodie days of the year!

By now, my kids know to expect something rather zany out of me.  I’ve made Meatloaf Cupcakes and tiny Hamburgers and a few other fun things (that need perfecting, so they aren’t blogged yet).

This year, I decided to take the cupcakes to the next level and turn them into a meatloaf cake!

For this, I took my favorite meatloaf recipe and baked it in 6-in cake pans.  Then I made mashed potatoes and really thinned them a lot with milk to make them spreadable like frosting and we were off!  All in all, the meatloaf made a pretty convincing “carrot cake”. 

Of course, my skeptical kids weren’t fooled for a second, having learned to expect something, and smelling meatloaf as they walked into the house.  Oh well, it was fun to make anyway and it was delicious to boot!

Meatloaf “Carrot Cake”

Inspired by Taste of Home 

1 recipe meatloaf (use this one or this one or your favorite recipe)

3 large potatoes, peeled & diced (about 2 lbs)

Salt

3 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons sour cream

2-4 tablespoons milk  

Orange & green food dye, optional

Make the meatloaf according to recipe instructions.  Separate the mixture into two greased 6-inch round pans and bake in a 350 degree oven for 30-45 minutes or until cooked through (to an internal temperature of 165 degrees F).

Meanwhile, bring a pot of salted water to a boil and add the potatoes.  Cook for 15 minutes or until tender.  Drain.  Add the butter, sour cream, and milk and mash until very smooth.  If desired, set a small amount aside and tint orange and green.

Once cooked, remove the meatloaf from the pans.  Blot off as much grease as possible.  Use a knife or frosting spreader to spread the potatoes over the meatloaf rounds like frosting.

Add remaining potatoes to a piping bag to pipe a decorative boarder on the “cake”.  Finally, pipe “frosting” carrots with the tinted potatoes.

Serve hot.