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Another timeless classic, carrot cake is one of those cakes that get made a bunch of different ways. This version uses rum-soaked raisins and crushed pineapple in addition to shredded carrot. It’s not necessary to use rum to soak the raisins, but for the best results, they should be soaked in something; orange juice, apple juice, vanilla extract (pricy!) or even water can be used for soaking them. Set the raisins up to soak at least 12 hours in advance of making the cake. A good reason to use rum is that it can sit at room temperature without risk of spoilage. In the end product, we were unable to detect any alcoholic flavor from the rum-soaked raisins we used.
Also let the cream cheese and butter used for the icing sit out to come to room temperature before using them to make icing. If the finished icing gets refrigerated after making it, make sure to get it out and let it come to room temperature also before using it to ice the cake. Similarly, make sure to toast the walnuts early enough for them to cool before trying to stick them into the icing, because hot walnuts will cause the icing to melt and that will not work out well.
Because we try to keep our consumption of sweets under tight control, this recipe amounts to a half-recipe of a normal carrot cake formula. If you want to make a complete 9” carrot cake, double this recipe. As written, this recipe should make one 9” cake round, or a pan of 12 cupcakes/muffins, or perhaps 8 mini-loaves if you have a mini-loaf pans like we used in the recipe. The finished cake freezes just fine, as does the icing, so if you want to spread out your carrot cakes over a period of time, just freeze whatever you’re not going to eat immediately. Cakes (cakelets) could even be frozen after being iced and otherwise completed, if desired. The walnuts will suffer a little bit from freezing, but everything else should work just fine.
Makes one 9” round cake layer, or 12 muffins, or 8 mini-loaves.
Equipment:
three mixing bowls, two should be large if possible
baking pan, according to desired form factor
stout rubber scraping spatula
(mini) offset spatula, optional but recommended, for applying icing
Ingredients:
3 cup carrot shredded
1/4 - 1/2 cup brown sugar or date syrup
1/2 cup raisins soaked
2 ea eggs room temperature
1/2 - 3/4 cup sugar granulated
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup crushed pineapple drained
1 1/2 cup AP flour
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ginger dried, ground
1 pinch nutmeg
1 pinch clove
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 tsp baking soda
1 cup walnuts divided; toasted; half go into the cake, half are used for garnish
Icing:
1/2 lb cream cheese one box
1/4 cup butter half a stick
2 cup powdered sugar
3/4 tsp vanilla
to taste salt
Procedure:
1. Shred the carrot and combine it with the soaked raisins, brown sugar or syrup, and the pineapple. Let it sit for an hour to draw moisture out of the carrot.
2. Toast the walnuts to perfection. Set aside up to 16 perfect whole halves of walnuts for garnish, if desired. Chop the rest.
3. Butter and flour the cake pan and set it aside.
4. Preheat the oven to 350F.
5. In a mixing bowl, which need not be large, combine the flour, baking soda, salt, and all the spices.
6. In a large mixing bowl, combine the eggs, white sugar, vegetable oil and vanilla and beat the mixture to the ribbon.
7. Add the flour mixture to the egg mixture, and fold together. Halfway through, add half a cup of chopped walnuts.
8. Pour the cake into the prepared pan and place it into the center of the preheated oven. Remember to rotate the pan halfway though if your oven heats unevenly (as most do).
9. Bake for 45-50 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
10. Meanwhile, prepare the icing by combining the icing ingredients in a large mixing bowl and then combine using a spatula. This works much better than whipping with a whisk. Set aside the icing or refrigerate it if it won’t be used the same day it’s made.
11. When the cake comes out of the oven, let it rest in its pan for about 10 minutes then turn it out onto a rack to cool completely.
12. Once completely cool, the cake may be iced or wrapped tightly and frozen for future use.
13. Mini-loaves may be trimmed, sliced in half, filled with icing and chopped toasted walnuts, and then iced on top (and even on the sides, if desired) as well. Or, they (or muffins) may just be iced on top.
14. Decorate the iced cake with either chopped toasted walnuts, or some of those reserved toasted walnut halves.
Music: www.bensound.co...
17 авг 2024
