Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
July 5, 2008 by Eleisia
Filed under Recipes & Tips
I always bake my husband’s birthday cake and this year he requested a carrot cake. We have several celebrations this month so this cake was just for our immediate family. I jokingly asked him if he would like the cake decorated with marzipan carrots like they do at the bakery and he said he could “pass” on the marzipan carrots. I’ve made carrot cakes from several recipes and this is a moist cake with a slight amount of chewiness from the toasted nuts. The Cream Cheese Frosting is rich and creamy. This is my favorite carrot cake recipe.
Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
1 cup (100 grams) pecans or walnuts, toasted and coarsely chopped
3/4 pound (340 grams) raw carrots (about 2 1/2 cups fnely grated)
1/2 cup of crushed pineapple, well drained
2 cups (280 grams) all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons Watkins Baking Powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons Watkins Ground Cinnamon
4 large eggs
1 1/2 cups (300 grams) granulated white sugar
1 cup (240 ml) canola oil
2 teaspoons Watkins Original Double-Strength Vanilla Extract
Note
This cake can be baked in a 9 x 13 x 2 inch (23 x 23 x 5 cm) pan. Just increase the baking time to 30 to 40 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C) and place rack in center of oven. Butter or spray two 9 x 2 inch (23 x 5 cm) cake pans and line the bottoms of the pans with a circle of parchment paper.
Toast pecans or walnuts for about 8 minutes or until lightly browned and fragrant. Let cool and then chop coarsely.
Peel and finely grate the carrots. Set aside.
In a separate bowl whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and ground cinnamon. Set aside.
In bowl of electric mixer (or with hand mixer), beat the eggs until frothy (about 1 minute). Gradually add the sugar and beat until the batter is thick and light colored (about 3-4 minutes). Add the oil in a steady stream and then beat in the vanilla extract. Add the flour mixture and beat just until incorporated. With a large rubber spatula fold in the grated carrots and chopped nuts. Evenly divide the batter between the two prepared pans and bake 25 to 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Remove from oven and let cool on a wire rack. After about 10 minutes invert the cakes onto the wire rack, remove the pans and parchment paper, and then cool completely before frosting.
To assemble, place one cake layer, top side down, onto your serving plate. Spread with about one third of the frosting. Gently place the other cake, top of cake facing up, onto the frosting, and spread the rest of the frosting over the top and sides of the cake. If desired, press toasted and finely chopped nuts (one cup toasted) on the sides of the cake and decorate the top of the cake with marzipan carrots (see below). Cover and refrigerate any leftovers. Serves 10-12.
Cream Cheese Frosting
1/4 cup (57 grams) butter, room temperature
8 ounces (227 grams) cream cheese, room temperature
1 pound confectioners (powdered or icing) sugar, sifted
1 – 2 tablespoons milk or cream
1 teaspoon (4 grams) Watkins Double-Strength Vanilla Extract or Watkins Pure Vanilla Extract
Finely grated lemon zest of one lemon (optional)
In a mixing bowl beat the cream cheese and butter, on low speed, until very smooth with no lumps. Gradually add the sifted powdered sugar and beat, on low speed, until fully incorporated and smooth. Add 1 to 2 tablespoons of milk as needed for spreading consistency. Beat in the vanilla extract and lemon zest. Frosting should be very thick.
Marzipan Carrots
To make the carrots you will need
Marzipan
Orange and green icing colors (use liquid or paste food coloring)
Knead a small anount of orange food coloring into marizpan until the color is distributed and is the desired “carrot” color. Shape into carrots, using a toothpick to make veins.
Knead a snall amount of green food coloring into the marzipan and make the carrot tops.
Marzipan is a cooked mixture of finely ground almonds, sugar, and water. It is slightly sweeter and firmer than almond paste and has a smoother texture. It can be colored and rolled out to cover cakes and pastries, or formed into shapes. It comes in plastic-wrapped rolls.
Carrot Cake, Cream Cheese Frosting, and Marzipan Carrot recipes adapted from Joyofbaking.com
Eleisia Whitney has a Watkins Home Business. She enjoys cooking and baking with Watkins extracts, spices, herbs, and sauces for healthy meals. Eleisia publishes a Watkins Newsletter, Around the Kitchen Table, that brings you recipes, cooking and health tips, and contests for free Watkins products.
Read the current issue at http://www.everydaynecessities.com/july1-08newsletter.htm
Visit her at http://www.everydaynecessities.com and http://www.WatkinsOnline.com/eleisiawhitney
That sounds yummy! I myself have never made carrot cake before, however, my aunt told me she uses carrot baby food for the carrot flavoring.
Oh this is my favorite cake! Can’t wait to try this recipe!
Annabelle, I’ve made carrot cake using carrot baby food and it was very good. You don’t see the shredded carrot in the cake.
The recipe posted above is my favorite carrot cake recipe – yummy flavor, moist, and a little cruchy from the toasted walnuts.
Carrie, I would definitely recommend this recipe. The cake was flavorful and the frosting very creamy. I couldn’t keep myself from licking the bowl after I frosted the cake!