On Broadway - Stevi Madison & Mama-in-law's Carrot Cake

On Broadway is a bi-monthly web series that delves into the food memories of the talented musicians of Broadway in downtown Nashville. Every other week, we’ll pair those memories with a relevant recipe and information on how to listen to each musician’s material. Our aim is to connect the passion of food to the passion of music—two mediums that evoke instant reactions and memories, and remind us of the incredible people that pour their heart out every day to make their living in our backyard.

The first time I met Stevi Madison, she was singing with my friend Jake Taylor at Margaritaville on a gorgeous spring day. Beautiful, poised, and professional, it was impossible not to sit up and take notice of her tone and quiet charm. There was a delightful mystery about her and her obvious yet unassuming talent. I happily and easily sat and listened to her silky voice soar around the room and out the open windows while I sipped my beer and wondered what her story was.

For this songbird, landing in Nashville was a long and grueling process. She grew up in the Orange County area of California and though music was always a focal point in her life, the avenue to follow was not always so clear. She started her first band at eighteen but moved to Nashville (for the first time) in her early twenties to attend Lipscomb University as a Pre-Med major. A musical longing was still humming in her veins, however, and it wasn’t long until she had settled on the fact that medicine was not her calling.

With that, she moved back to California to put a band together and reconnect with her inspirations. “I always idolized Gwen Stefani. She had rehearsed in a lot of the same rehearsal studios that I was rehearsing in with my band. I got to see her in a private show [and I thought,] ‘oh my god. This is why I got into music’.”

Acquiring a renewed dedication to her craft, Stevi moved to Nashville a second time, but with a different genre in mind- country. “I always had that flavor of country in my voice- my parents and my whole family are from Arkansas originally.” The success began to shine in (including placing in the top ten finalists of Cosmopolitan Magazine’s Star Launch) and it was clear that country music was her niche. After spending some time as one half of a duo that quickly disbanded, she found herself once again derailed and lost. Stevi started bartending at Kane Prime and got caught up in it. (As a seventeen- year hospitality veteran, I can relate all too well with this.) “I was so discouraged with the music thing not happening that I kind of dove into the bartending scene and working there. But that’s when I met Bill Hern, President of Capital Group. He was an amazing person. He really encouraged me to continue pursuing my music.”

With a yet again renewed spirit, Stevi moved back to California intent on pursuing music more heavily and joined a band called Country Nation. She credits the band with developing her stage presence and propelling her to enter contests. Though this, she saw a good amount of success but the big pay-off came when a local DJ took notice of her and recommended her to sing Miranda Lambert’s part of the hit song “We Were Us” alongside Keith Urban at one of his concerts. “I feel like it was divine intervention. I didn’t even know the song. I sat in my car [the night before the concert] for a long time and just sang to the karaoke track trying to learn the words. It was wild! I found out about the opportunity on a Tuesday, recorded the song on Wednesday, heard that I got it on Thursday, and sang on stage with Keith on Friday to 16,000 people.”

And now the fire was lit for good. Just a week later, Stevi packed up her Jeep, sold all her furniture, and moved to Nashville a third and final time. (Are you exhausted? I’m exhausted just writing about these moves, and I didn’t do it.) Right away, she met with a management company, publishing company, and Ben Glover, the pen behind the hit “Hard to Love” by Lee Brice. After some networking, she started singing downtown full time. “It’s so hard,” she muses. But it’s all worth it. When she thinks back on her journey to where she is today, she has some advice for others. “I feel like with new artists, they should always take advantage of networking and building those friendships and relationships because they’re so important. Having a good team behind you has everything to do with a person’s success, in my opinion.”

Stevi found success in Nashville not only on the stage, but in love as well. And with that love came food- comforting, doting, mama-made, soul-feeding food. “My mom is not a cook, not even remotely. [But] Sunday dinners are a regular thing with [my husband’s] mom, Cindy. She makes this carrot cake that is out of this world. I ask her to make it for my birthday [and] she always makes it gigantic. For our wedding, I asked her to make it into little cupcakes. It was so cool to see each of my friends lovin’ on that carrot cake! The texture of it- the taste. It’s heaven.” And no doubt bound to stick with her like her memory of Gwen Stefani.

Lucky for us, Cindy graciously shared the recipe for her scrumptious, fluffy, classic carrot cake and I, for one, will be finding any excuse to bake it up. (I am particularly loving the addition of pecans to the frosting). Make one for your family and let us know how it turns out! You can let Stevi know at one of her shows at Ole Red, Kid Rock’s Honky Tonk, or Margaritaville.  To keep up to date with her shows (which will be changing since she’s about to welcome a baby girl!) follow her @stevimadison or log on to stevimadison.com.

Cake

2 cups flour, sifted

2 cups sugar

2 tsp baking soda

3 tsp cinnamon

1 ½ cups vegetable oil

4 eggs, beaten

3 cups carrots, scraped & grated

1 tsp salt

1.      Mix dry ingredients.

2.      Add oil, eggs, and grated carrots. Mix well.

3.      Pour in three 8 inch cake pans.

4.      Bake at 350 degrees for 30 – 35 minutes.

Filling & Icing

¼ pound butter

1 pound confectioners sugar

2 tsp vanilla

1 8 oz package cream cheese

1 cup pecan pieces, broken

1.      Cream together butter, sugar, vanilla, and cream cheese.

2.      Add pecan pieces.

3.      Use between layers and on top and sides of cake.

Prefer pineapple? Try our fearless leader's version here.